DANICA
They were all busy with the final preparations. I watched as they etched a large circle into the ground, a boundary meant to keep me isolated. At the center of the circle was a table, and on it sat a sphere, radiating a golden glow.
Astra was trying to guide me through the process. Her words were a blur, slipping in one ear and out the other.
âWhen the fatal blow is struck, you must remain aware as your soul departs your body. If your soul strays too far for too long, thatâs when death becomes irreversible,â she explained.
âSo, thatâs if Hugo manages to kill me correctly?â I asked.
She hesitated before responding. âYes, but⦠letâs make sure he does it right. Once your soul is free, follow where youâre led. Time will seem to slow, but you must move quickly. Seek out the deepest, darkest pit. Donât be afraid if it seems endlessâyouâll reach the bottom. There, youâll find a sphere. It will be split into two halvesâone for the mythical, one for the human. You have the power to infuse it with energy and fuse it back together. Youâll find the celestial energy within you. Touch it and follow your heartâs guidance,â she rushed through her instructions, pausing before revealing the final detail.
âYouâll have a watch on your wrist. If time stops, youâll be trapped there forever. But if you donât make it⦠thereâs no second chance for you.â She fastened a simple wristwatch around my wrist. It looked ordinary, except the hands didnât move.
I could tell she was waiting for my reaction, for me to say something.
âYou want me to fix it, no matter the cost.â I voiced her unspoken fear.
She didnât respond, but I noticed her avoiding my gaze.
âOkay,â I agreed, surprising her.
I didnât linger, instead heading towards the epicenter where everything was about to unfold.
Hugo approached me, a cloth-wrapped object in his hands. âJust a few more minutes,â he said, unveiling a gleaming metal dagger.
I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat.
He tried to meet my gaze, but I couldnât hold his stare. âIâll stab you in the stomach, then slide the blade down to allow your blood to flow. Youâll bleed out in about five minutes, during which your soul will ascend, leaving your body behind,â he explained, making my stomach churn.
The sudden tolling of a bell startled me, its sound reverberating around us.
Hugo looked at me. âItâs time,â he said, and I nodded, putting on a brave face. Now, it was just Hugo and me inside the circle.
Everyone took their positions, standing side by side, their hands linked, forming a circle. The first person stepped into the circle and placed a hand on the sphere at the center. Another person mirrored the action on the other side of the sphere, causing it to light up and send a bolt of light skyward, illuminating the circleâs outline.
Hugo moved closer to me, his eyes flicking to the sphere. âReady?â he asked.
âYes,â I replied, my voice steady despite the terror gnawing at my bones.
He moved closer still, adjusting his grip on the blade. âThis is going to hurt,â he murmured, his words more of a warning than a comfort.
I appreciated his honesty, though. I preferred it to false reassurances.
I nodded, my eyes shut tight. âI know. Itâs okay. Whatever happens, Iâm okay with this. I want you to know that. And I want you to know that⦠I love you,â I confessed, but he gave no response. Not even a glance.
I looked down, waiting for him to make his move. I lifted my shirt, baring my stomach for the impending wound.
Hugo moved closer, his arm wrapping around my back to support me. He looked at his target, then into my eyes. In a swift motion, a searing pain erupted in my stomach, causing me to cry out. I felt a throbbing in my temples, my entire body aching as he slid the blade down. Warm liquid trickled down my stomach.
Pain was all I knew, but I was aware of Hugo gently lowering me to the ground. âI love you,â I heard him whisper, his voice choked with emotion as I felt my consciousness slipping away from my body.
Hovering above the crowd, I saw my body lying there, held tightly by Hugo. It was an odd sensation, like observing a twin I never had. I knew I didnât have much time, so I focused on my task.
I paused for a moment, looking up at the sky where Iâd seen the Celestial rulers. I felt myself moving quickly, eyes closed, concentrating on my destination. When I opened my eyes, I was floating next to the Celestial rulers, so close and tangible.
A young woman noticed me. She seemed trapped under something, like a massive piece of dark fabric studded with glowing lights, but it was intangible. I couldnât see it. All I saw were women struggling to hold up the sky, nearly on the ground, barely keeping their heads up. Silent sobs filled my ears.
They were all crying. I was certain the cries would be louder if they had any strength left. All their screams had been spent, only the faintest spark of life remained. Their eyes were heavy, faces gaunt, hands bloody from the struggle. Scratch marks everywhere, but there was no escape from this, not alone.
I had to move quickly. I spotted the darkest corner in the sky, the place Astra had mentioned. I floated towards it effortlessly, as if being carried. Glancing behind me, I saw nothing but darkness. I was losing hope, but I pressed on until I saw light.
It was so bright I had to shield my eyes, but I kept moving. My body began to warm slightly, a welcome change from the cold darkness. Suddenly, I fell off an edge onto a stone floor. My head hit the ground, but it didnât hurt. It just made me dizzy. But I had a mission, and there was no time for dizziness.
I lifted my head and saw a small sphere, just big enough to fit in a hand. At first, I thought it was a sphere, but then I realized it was only a shadow of one. The rest was on the ground.
I got up and ran to the two broken parts. Carefully, I picked them up. All I had to do was put them together. I placed the two parts where the shadow rested on the podium, fitted them together, and slowly let go.
Nothing happened until a massive burst of energy tore it apart and flung me against the wall. It didnât hurt, but it made me dizzy again.
I got up and picked up the pieces again. I did the same thing, but this time I held them in place. I held on until I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through my hands.
I immediately let go and dropped the pieces. I didnât feel anything here, but it made my body go numb. The memory of pain from transitions flooded back.
I was prepared for this. I hadnât gone through all that training for nothing. I was going to be the one to save the sky.
I walked back to the podium and gripped the two pieces tightly. No matter what, no matter how, I was going to do it. I focused on the shadow meant for the sphere and slowly put the pieces together.
I did it. I held them together, screaming in pain. I couldnât hold on. My arms recoiled.
I was so close. But I wasnât alone. I closed my eyes, looked through them, and saw my equals holding up the sky.
âI need you,â I told them, and they heard me. Their heads lifted.
Some, the ones closest to me, managed to get out and run to me. Others were buried underneath.
I opened my eyes to see many celestial nymphs in front of me. I quickly picked up the pieces.
âI need your help,â I said, and they all moved closer. They already knew.
All our hands covered the sphere, gripping it so tightly our knuckles turned white.
Soon, lightning began to form around the sphere, striking me hard. But I was determined not to let go.
I started to scream, and so did they. Lightning bolts shot in front of my eyes, hitting me hard, as if slicing my organs in half.
My body shook, and I felt blood trickle from my nose from the pressure. My vision blurred, and the pain intensified.
I couldnât breathe. I felt like giving up any second, and then suddenly, it all stoppedâ¦