Nova Lunosis - Part 2

Avea felt her feet leave the ground, drifting upwards into the starfire galaxy. Her limbs frantically scrambled to retain her balance, while her wild eyes looked around to see the rest of the claimed with the same bewildered expressions. Floating higher and higher, nothing tethering her to the ground, until suddenly they passed through the barrier of cosmic mist. Shielding them from the prying eyes of the luminaries below, who disappeared behind the shimmering mist. Leaving only the eight Claimed floating in this cosmic plane, all alone for the first time since they'd met. The galaxy stretched out all around them, vast and breathing, strewn with cold constellations and slow-drifting blue nebulae, it's celestial light unfolding softly all around them, as if the universe itself were watching in quiet wonder.

Avea couldn't explain it, but she felt the stillness around them held another unseen force. Pulsating from every star that blinked brightly around them, "what are we meant to do now?" Thessia, the Zephyrin claimed asked. Her light and airy voice echoing around them, and a confused silence settled between them, all of them suddenly aware that none of them quite knew what should come next. "We trust the ancients" Yume spoke firmly, yet it offered no reassurance to the rest of them. As if on that cue, a singular chord began to strum, it felt like a sound pulled from the space between light and silence. It's chord low and hushed, slightly bent.

Neomon stepped out to begin the Nova Lunosis, his insouciant demeanor slightly rigid, like a statue on the verge of cracking. Spine straight, jaw clenched and eyes too alert betraying a quiet and contained panic. Perhaps her words had seeped into the Umbratus claimed's conscience? Neomon began orbiting around Seegar, who's chord began to strum in rhythm. The Mangata's chord was light and gentle as a ripple, drifting past and fading into Neomon's lower chord. Seegar began to mimic Neomon's dance movements. Seegar's bright notes floating on top while Neomon's darker chord lingered underneath, like moonlight on shadowed water.

Seegar then moved onto to Thessia, to begin the next orbit. Thessia's chord strummed intertwining with the first two chords, and a melody began to build. Avea suddenly recognised those musical chords, the slight progression of the notes blending together and then she remembered. The cave, it was those same eight chords of light blending together to form the key that unlocked the gateway to the lunar realms.

Eight chords for the eight of the claimed.

The nebula shimmered in layered blues, a quiet mural of moondust suspended among the stars. Which spilled out all around them, bright and endless, painting the darkness with its luminous brushstrokes. The claimed began to interweave together as one entity, and suddenly the Kairos and Oniria claimed, Tofa and Yume, began their orbit. The melody teetered on the edge of its crescendo. The last light chord left in the melody belonging to Avea. She listened out as her chord began to play, it was high but not sharp. A thin silvery tone ringing melodically above the rest of the light chords like a bell. A faint echo, almost trembling as though it hadn't been used in a long time. Their symphony soard reaching its crescendo and she felt the awakening of something long succumbed to the depths of its slumber.

Avea found herself falling into the rhythm that she'd perfected with Dolunay. Swept into an orbit within the stars, her gown fanning outwards catching the specks of moondust at its hem, while some landed on her cheeks and shoulders glistening with delight. The weightlessness had taken over, and Avea found herself surrendering to the dance. Taking turns orbiting around all of the claimed, as though threading a needle between all of the celestial bodies. Every move precise and deliberate, never falling out of time with the beat of their chords.

Every orbit she danced with another fellow claimed, listening out for their light chords that intertwined with such seamless harmony. It was as though the light chords rejoiced in finding its missing counterparts, only the same could not be said about her fellow claimed. She found that through the subtle art of dance it was hard to disguise one's true nature. She'd orbited with the kairos claimed, whose third eye read every one of her body's ticks, studying her with a sharp awareness that was unnerving. However her steps gave her away, restraint and caution in every movement. Tofa clearly had a strategist mind, but Avea could sense that beneath it all she had a natural instinct for self preservation. While the Aurelian claimed forced Avea to match each of her strides refusing to surrender control.Unyielding and demanding, Kamari held herself with a warriors stance, while she twirled in unison with her. While it was her smaller stature that Avea had initially noticed, she was almost certain it was Kamari who made others shrink in her presence. There was an untamable fierceness about her that forced Avea to stand up straighter.

Despite the distrust and suspicion that lingered with each of her orbits, she felt the thrill of unbound freedom singing in her blood. Her eyes were lit up with awe and as a sound of laughter escaped her lips, she realised she was enjoying herself. Until Yume's glare of disdain appeared in front of her. Avea forced herself to hold back her groan. The Oniria claimed, wore an elegant gown, the bodice fitted and sheer layers of iridescent lilac skirt floating. The translucent sleeves drifted almost reminiscent of a fairies wings, paired with a delicate headpiece, intricately woven across her forehead. "It's an insult for someone so unworthy to be in this sanctum, the ancients should've turned you to ash" her voice was tight with bitterness, barely restrained. Avea scoffed, "there's still time so better not drift too close to me then." Focusing on steps of the dance between her and Yume, who was falling seamlessly in sync with her. Their intertwining chords blended into a beautiful lulling harmony, with the chords floating softly like a dream. Yet there was a faint dissonance, a sharp bite between the sweet notes. As they turned inwards towards each other, their eyes cut to one another's like drawn blades, ready to strike.

"You are a blight upon us and it's only a matter of time before you doom us all" she flung the words out like a weapon."Maybe that's true" Avea replied, through gritted teeth. It doesn't matter that I traveled across the universe, I'll never belong. She thought, fury cinched at her chest, tightening with every breath. Their chords progressed and Avea unable to take the punishing restraint of her fury any longer turned whispering in Yume's delicate ears. "But your precious gods need me and that's enough for me to get what I want" Avea whispered back, no longer suppressing her hostility. Yume's insufferable nose, tilted upwards, so Avea could see the rage shimmering in her eyes. As though the friction between them had caused the gravity to close in around them, it was cold and unforgiving. As they finished their orbit, Yume leaned towards Avea whispering, "I'll tell mummy you said hello" and with that she drifted away with infuriating elegance and poise.

Yume's words left a sharp sting, and Avea could feel the irritation burrowing beneath her skin. She spun again into Neomon, who refused to look her in the eyes as they orbited around each other. Avea didn't conceal her contempt for the Umbratus claimed, allowing all her resentment to simmer in the pool of her irises. They couldn't stop the dance so Avea continued keeping in time with Neomon. The stars blazing with cold fire all around them, while drifting sparks of starlight wove through the void like restless embers. How could he know of the danger to his moon and refuse to help her? To willfully remain in the dark?

"Coward" Avea finally whispered, Neomon's glowing eyes snapped to her, flared with anger. He tugged her in closer, soaring through the cosmos with the rest of the claimed still in orbit. His clawed hands dug into her sides, "who do you think you're calling coward?!" he seethed, the facade of indifference finally cracked. "You're more in the dark than I am" he hissed. They turned into each other, now as close as they'd ever been before.

She could see Neomon's face clearly in the nebulae light, his skin as rich as twilight itself. A darker purple than she'd originally thought, that seemed to drink in the fading light. Those perfect arching horns were sturdy at the base and then curved into the ends. His jaw was sharply defined, paired with a boldly sloping nose. His shaggy hair fell to the nape of his neck which had been tied back to show off his defined cheekbones that gave his face a slightly hollowed appearance. Those full eyebrows rested in a flat, unimpressed line above his eyes, which were intense and strange all the same. Glowing with a mystical yellow, that pierced through the shadows. "I know you're hiding from something, and if you don't help me it'll be your fear that destroys your moon ... not Morpheus." Neomon's eyes widened, and Avea thought she saw a violet ring glow around his iris. But as soon as this vibrant ring appeared it had vanished. Neomon pulled her closer, "trust me you should stay in dark, that's the only reason they're keeping you alive" he said, before shoving her away.

I should stay in the dark? What could be so harrowing about the Umbratus moon?

The disorientation was beginning to tighten its grip on Avea. As the tempo of the dance grew quicker and all the unanswered questions swarmed in her head. The stars around them flared brightly around them as though in warning, as all the shifting energy around them brought them closer to completing the Nova Lunosis. The claimed's unity of uri began to swirl into a whirlwind, right into the center of their orbit.The music swelled, as they reached the final orbit. Threading through all of the claimed for the last time, all of the chords were being strummed together in perfect harmony. Avea spun as the cosmic mist began to swirl around her, until she was suddening in front of the Viltarin claimed.

Lazarus Bane extended out his clawed hand to her in invitation, and Avea hesitated as the hand hung between them in request. Lazarus, however simply raised his rough untamed eyebrows almost in mockery, knowing that this dance she couldn't refuse. She didn't like the Viltarin claimed, didn't like that he was constantly sniffing around. They circled each other, staring each other down, until eventually she relented taking his hand, shuddering as his claws grazed her skin.

She could see every plane of Lazarus's face, from his broad cheekbones to his square jaw. To where some of his fur trailed downwards. There was no warmth in his eyes, his gaze cold as ice remained trained on her, whatever mistrust that Avea harboured for the Viltarin claimed it was clearly mutual. Veils of cerulean mist wound slowly around distant stars, like waking from a dream and slowly clearing the lingering haze from your mind. There seemed to be no one else except the two of them caught in orbit, their light chords strumming together with a tight clashing ring, though melodic it held a slight grating to it, hanging in the air like a held breath.

Avea spun into Lazarus's arms, and that's when the viltarin claimed brought those fangs close to her ear. His breath brushing the shell of her outer ear, "did you really think you were the only one who knew about the codex?" Avea heart stopped. She couldn't stumble through the dance, not until the Nova lunosis was complete. She remained silent for a beat while they changed sides, unable to think of a lie beyond the music of the light chords. "There's no need to lie" Lazarus replied, his voice calm and measured. Leaning in he whispered so low, she was sure even the ancients couldn't hear.

"No matter what happens I won't let you build that sword."

Suddenly Lazarus was snatched away drifting back to his place in the cycle. Avea was left in utter shock, stumbling slightly but catching herself. He knows about the codex. How? Staring at him from the other side of the circle, all of the claimed completed their final orbits. Avea's mind was muddled, all the words and faces becoming a blur, as she desperately scrambled to hold onto to the rhythm of the light chords. Please do not let me ruin this dance, she silently prayed. After what had felt like an eternity, the dance settled and with it the music chords silenced, rather abruptly. The Lunosis was complete. The eight of them stood in their final position, everyone holding their breath, but there was only silence. Leaving the claimed adrift, all of them turned to each other with accusatory glares. As though the claimed beside them were to blame for the excruciating stall. No one dared draw breath, as all of them thought the same horrifying thought. We failed.

"The ancients have rejected the intruder and we've been punished" Yume screeched pointing her long manicured nail at Avea. Who rolled her eyes at Yume's outburst, "shocking you're blaming me." Yume opened her mouth to respond in outrage, but an explosion of light erupted from the center of their circle, cutting her off.

It broke through the mist that veiled them from below. The vortex of light surged into a strong pulse of light brilliant enough to blind. It was as though the universe had forged lightning together to form the spine of the cosmos. The sheer power of uri was overwhelming, tearing through the center of the claimed's enclosed circle with such unrestrained vigor.

The almighty power of the uri calling out to her, she'd spent her entire life feeling the dull ache of hunger only to now be consumed by insatiable starvation. All the claimed bared witness to the titan of power that they'd unleashed. Even Yume had seemed to swallow her protests now, with only the look of astonishment on her face. Whisps of the vortex began to break away floating over to each of the claimed, who simply gazed dumbfounded upon their whisp with a wariness in their eyes. The glowing wisps of the luminous light simply touched their foreheads with such gentleness it could have been a caress. As they did the claimed's horns lit up, imbued with a new innate power. The strength of the moonlight shining through their horns, and as they did they began their descendant downwards past the shrouded mist that protected the lunar sanctum to the cheers of the luminary courts waiting below.

One by one they descended, until it was only Avea left waiting. Her hesitant eyes landed on the last wisp of uri that seemed to wobble towards her as though uncertain of its mark. Her heart began pounding in her chest, as the wisp approached her and touched her forehead. Its touch was surprisingly warm, and it's light spread through her body it felt like stepping into sunlight after enduring a long frozen night.

She felt herself begin to sink downwards past the shroud of mist, seeing all of the luminary courts gathered below her. After witnessing the miracle of the Nova lunosis, their eyes glistened with tears as they watched Avea land beside the rest of the claimed who were beaming with pride beside their galad, after successfully completing their first act of duty. The vortex of uri had disappeared, but there was still a wave of energy that rippled through the ballroom. For one fragile moment of relief, it seemed that the tense rivalry between the courts had eased slightly. A streak of moonlight broke through the ballroom, and from its ethereal light the Supreme materialised. Her gown trailing behind her in a long delicate stream, she was moonlight incarnite as she moved through the parted crowds. Bathed in that light, her crown seemed to hold the same commanding presence as the full moon itself.

Her soft features lit up in pure joy as she beheld the claimed. "The ancients have deemed the Nova Lunosis as a success" she cried, gesturing to their horns that lit up with their uri. Their innate power shown to all. The familiar sting of disappointment struck Avea, as the Supreme turned her soft eyes met hers. Avea glimpsed confusion flicker across the rulers serene face. Sensing their rulers slight unease, the rest of the luminaries eyes snap towards Avea.

The heat began rising to her face. "Why are you staring?" She asked, seeing all the claimed's eyes shift awkwardly as though trying to avoid looking directly at her. Unable to face the disapproving faces she hung her head. That's when she glanced down at the crystal floors. Seeing two delicate curved horns that had sprouted from her head, barely susceptible except for their luminous glow. Horror rolled through her so fast it threw her off balance, and as she looked up suddenly feeling exposed to the many eyes peering intently at her. She spotted her mother's face with a single tear spilling down her cheek, however the Supreme smiled warm and invitingly, her soft hands bringing Avea to her feet.

"It would seem the ancients were not mistaken after all."