Novalis, the Genius Magineer

I was standing in front of Princess Lunara's room, nervous about how much she would be making me work this night. Sure, I loved the night sky, adored it really, but I wasn't sure how that would change if I was suddenly forced to do a massive amount of work concerning it. I knocked lightly on her door, watching as the large, heavy oak door swung in, revealing her antechamber to be empty. I made myself comfortable on the couch, studying the room, trying to see if anything was new. And there was, a small black and silver orb was sitting on her desk, which caught the light and fractured it into a hazy aura. Intrigued by the strange object, I went to the desk to give it a closer inspection. Once I was closer I could feel power emanating from it, resonating in my horn, vibrating through my body in a not uncomfortable manner. Soon I began to hum, although I knew not why, and attempted to pick up the fascinating object. When I touched it however, my world exploded.

White light shot from the orb and enveloped me, crushing me into a snow white void. I could hear crying voices, gentle murmurs, and laughing. I could hear what sounded like prayers, beseeching the Princess to help them, and I could hear thanks given to her as well. After awhile I realized I could focus on the voices, and even some I could recognize. Within this maelstrom of voices, I could make out a male voice, one that oddly felt familiar, though I knew not who this was. He wanted to be in the Royal Night Guard, as he was attracted to and wanted to protect Lunara. But what really shocked me was his reason. He prayed to her for guidance in his heart, for he loved her, much as I loved her. He wanted to be a guard, but not if it would cause problems between himself and her. He was also afraid of his power, saying that his icy magic made him feel like he was cold hearted, and he felt no one would ever trust him.

I backed away from the orb on Princess Lunara's desk, shaking from the overwhelming power of it. A noise from within the room caused my head to snap up, my eyes searching and finally focusing on the night princess. Lunara was staring at me strangely, and came over to stand before me. I tried to drop into a bow, apologizing as I did so, but she caught me in her wings and lifted me, gently using her fingers on my chin to force me to look into her eyes. Staring into her beautiful blue eyes, I felt myself relax, as I saw no anger, no hatred, not even disappointment. No, rather, I saw surprise. As she set me on the ground, she told me that the orb I just had the pleasure of communing with was her half of a set of ancient orbs. Her sister owned the other one, and they allowed them to listen to their subjects, allowing them to travel where they needed to do the most good. She also said that she was amazed I was still alive, though. The orbs chose who could listen to them, and of those who have without going insane, I was one of three. Shocked, I belatedly realized that she meant I was the only other one aside from the royal sisters who the orb had protected from the onslaught of prayers. Falling back onto her black leather couch, she began to tell the story of the orbs.

Long ago, before the Sigils of the Starfall, the Orbs of Praying were created. They were made with the task of trying to help the creator's family, but she had put too much power into them. The orbs exhausted her magical reserves, and when she lay beside them, she tried to touch them, to make sure they worked. The orbs assaulted her, exhausting her further, eventually breaking her mind. When her family found her, they shunned and reviled the artifacts, using their magic to send the orbs flying to different ends of the world. Jump ahead 500 years, to Rathmaro's Reign. The world was in the grip of Chaos itself, and everyone was miserable. Celestina and Lunara, the last two Royal Celestials of their time, had distanced themselves from the world, ashamed that even with all their power they could do nothing to help. On the run from Rathmaro, they stumbled into a cave, finding the Orbs nestled within, guarded by an ancient dragon. He tested their power and wills, and after finding them worthy, he entrusted the ancient magic to them. With shaky hands, each sister picked up a separate orb, the one that resembled themself. Lunara had her black and silver orb, whilst Celestina had a white and gold one. The orbs soothed them, coursing revitalizing power into them, and shielding them from the prayers' assault. Listening to the voices within, the two young Celestials made a pact, to bring the six top prayers into the world. People across the land prayed that their neighbors would be more Honest. Some wished the shopkeepers to be more Generous. People were often in trouble because their peers weren't Kind. Spouses were heartbroken when their life mates weren't Loyal. They wanted more Laughter in the world. They wanted the world to be Magical. Focusing all their might together, the Royal Sisters forged the Sigils of the Starfall into existence, drawing upon the purest energies in the world, and beseeching the ancient world spirits embodying the different qualities. The Spirits, in turn, engraved themselves willingly into the Sigils, focusing more power within them, creating the tools necessary to end the rule of Chaos.

I looked in pure amazement as Lunara finished the tale of the Sigils. Many knew of their powers, and what they've done, but few ever asked where they came from. To know that the orb I just touched was the key to making the Royals stand and fight was mind boggling. Lunara was facing away from me, and refused to look at me after she concluded her story. I walked up to her, inquiring after her, and received a response that shocked me. She was ashamed. Both her and her sister were ashamed that they had not fought from the beginning, had run away while others suffered. They were afraid that anyone who knew would hate them. But most of all, they hated themselves for continuing to let themselves rule over us, knowing they didn't deserve it.

She then began to talk about the most ancient history, that not even more modern humans today knew or believed was true. The time before the Celestials on our planet. When humans were more advanced, able to travel the stars beyond, and when they brought war to the homeworld of Celestina and Lunara. Anzaria was facing a cataclysmic crisis, as Rathmaro had fled the Celestial homeworld and had been wreaking havoc on our world. Humans were enslaved and made to fight the Celestials, given raw, body twisting magics to even the field. But Rathmaro's 'gift' of magic warped humans, causing them to become crazed and destructive, fighting mindlessly for a cause not even their own.

Celestina and Lunara eventually pushed humans back to Anzaria, but not before the tainted touch of Chaos reduced their own homeworld to an uninhabitable husk. So the Celestials made a decision that altered both race's fates forever. They took over our world. They began to fight Rathmaro here on Anzaria while also attempting to heal our planet before it was ruined like their own was. But it wasn't easy. Rathmaro was the brother of the Aeternam, and his power was wild and unpredictable. All seemed lost, until the Orbs of Praying made them realize what they truly needed to fight for. 

Now, so long after the war was over, Princess Lunara wondered if they did the right thing. She believed her and her sister were unworthy of ruling over us, even though they had won the war they never wanted. 

I was very negative towards this idea, as you could imagine. They had done so much for all of us, helping us establish order, rescuing us when they could still have ignored us, and raising the sun and moon to give us our much needed day and night. Without the constant cycle, our crops would never grow, without their wisdom, we would all fight and bicker, without THEM, WE WOULD BE LOST!

Lunara looked at me when I vented, her eyes wide. I told her how much the citizens of Anzaria absolutely needed her and her sister, how much they meant to us, how much they were a part of our lives. We needed them, and nothing would change that. They may have fought us in the beginning, but since the fall of Rathmaro, they have steadfastly defended Anzaria from outsiders. They helped us rebuild our lives. They WERE our lives. After my tirade, I calmed down enough to realize I had been shouting at a Princess, and I looked to her fearfully.

But instead of anger, I saw joy on her face. Before I knew what was happening, she had rushed over to me, lifting me into a crushing hug. To my surprise, I could feel wetness on my shoulder. She was crying on my shoulder?! In my ear she was whispering thanks to me, thanking me for forgiving and accepting her. I was speechless. There was no class in the world to tell me what to do with a crying, yet happy, princess.

After awhile she calmed down, and released me. Wiping away her tears, she asked me the single most life changing question I had ever been asked. She asked me to be her advisor. Her most trusted advisor. A position in the government that would allow me to be by her side whenever she needed me, a liaison between herself and the more common people. Her voice in council when she was away.

Of course I said yes.

The look on her face as I accepted said it all. Relief and joy brought forth a smile so radiant that even her sister's sun could not compare. Her beauty and emotions caught me off guard, making it now impossible for me to ever want anything else but to be by her side for as long as I lived. But then I remembered that voice from the orb. The one who wanted Lunara as well, who wanted to be her guard. I brought this up, though I skirted around the reason I was actually concerned. I didn't yet want to reveal just how much I loved her yet. 

She listened to me for a moment, thoughtfully drumming her index finger on her chin, before snapping her fingers as if she figured something out.

"I remember now. It was about two months ago I started to hear that voice through my Orb."

"And what do you plan to do about it, your Highness?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing really. It's a little annoying that he's still praying to me about this, as I've already told him I have no feelings for him. He once tried to be my student before you, Novalis. But he couldn't stop himself from flirting instead of studying. It was obvious he had no real respect for my domain."

I gulped, realizing that I was lucky I hadn't crossed the line from student to shameless flirt. I made a mental note that I needed to keep my thoughts in check. Especially those daydreams I had. I didn't need to end up like this mystery man, banished from her presence for being gross.

"Oh, you don't need to worry, Novalis. I know how you feel about me, you know. It's not like you hide it very well, exactly."

I facepalmed, forgetting this woman before me could practically read my thoughts like an open book. 

"I'm sorry about that. I can't help but pry when you don't talk to me, and instead look guilty or ashamed about something. I'll try to abuse my power less in the future."

She flashed me a cheeky smile, which I interpreted as her telling me that was about as likely to happen as me loving some other person at this point. I guess I was just going to have to accept this blatant power abuse. Though I did wonder something...

"If you dropped him as a student due to how he felt towards you, why am I still allowed here? I could tell from how he sounded in his prayer that he was obviously well cultured, so he has a high likelihood of being a Celestial such as yourself, while I'm merely human. And to top it off, you obviously read my feelings which I still won't fully admit out loud, even now. But I'm still here... Why?"

"It's not about how either of you feel, really. If you ever saw him, you'd understand a bit better. While you have trouble with controlling those sordid daydreams of yours, you are still so very respectful in your fantasies. He was, how to put it... Very much not."

"I see. I come off as non threatening, and he's a pervert?"

"More like he's a pervert, and you actually care about me and who I am."

I see. She isn't telling me she's interested in me that way, but since I don't lust after her in an unseemly way, and actually want to learn from her tutelage, I get a pass to be by her side. Even if she never returns my feelings, this is an arrangement I can definitely accept.

"Oh, and by the way, Novalis? Being human or Celestial means nothing to me. Don't put yourself down just because you're human. You have many wonderful qualities about yourself as well."

My heart thumped in my chest as she complimented me sincerely. Though this was dangerous. Part of my restraint wavered slightly, as I had been under the assumption that being a human was going to hold me back in this relationship...