|ASTRAEA| I gapsed as my eyes flashed open and I frantically looked around my surroundings. I was no longer in the ocean nor was Haiti staring down at me. Rather I was in a grassland, the air was still and quiet as sounds of footsteps echoed. “Astraea! I've been looking all over for you!” I raised my head to see Eloise running towards me, my eyes widened as I took in her form. Her long black hair now stopped at her shoulders and she looked slightly different than I remembered. "Eloise?" I managed to say, still trying to grasp what was happening. "What happened to your hair?" She reached me, panting slightly from her run, and gave me a puzzled look. "What do you mean? My hair has been like this for weeks. Are you okay?" Weeks? It felt like only moments ago that I'd seen her in the training grounds. "Where are we?" I asked, trying to piece together my fragmented memories. "We're in the green hill," she said, her brow furrowing in concern. "You disappeared during training, and we
*Meanwhile in her realm* |ORION| I clenched my fists, trying to control my anger as I stared at Astraea’s unconscious body laid out on the bed while the healers treated her. Bruises marred her arms, and her pale skin was a clear sign of how long she had been immersed in water. “What is it? Why isn’t she up yet?” I demanded, my voice tight with frustration and fear. “I’m afraid she’s in a coma, Sire,” one of the healers responded softly. I growled, the sound reverberating through the room as Raeya tried to calm me down. This would have never happened if I didn’t have so much to do. I would have been able to watch her. “She’s fine, she’s safe here with us,” Raeya said soothingly, placing a hand on my arm. “Safe? What do you mean safe? Do you know how much can happen in a coma? She could fucking die, Raeya!” I snapped, my voice rising in anger. Raeya flinched at my aggression, but I wasn’t sorry. I was furious with myself for leaving her unattended and allowing her to get hurt. I
|ASTRAEA| “You're wasting time.” I gasped as I found myself in a meadow, this time around it wasn't just the veiled goddess. They were three. The first being was a god, with dark hair and onyx eyes. He had a slight resemblance to Orion but a very stark contrast. He was dressed in a nice outfit that seemed like it was meant for a special occasion. The second was a goddess, her hair was blonde and she had grey eyes. Her face looked calm and collected and I stared down at her arms, her protruding belly sticking out. She was pregnant. And the third one, of course, was the veiled goddess. She looked the same as I had always seen her. “You are wasting time.” The god repeated and my attention snapped to him. The goddess stared at him, “Arien, you'll scare her.” Arien. That was his name. He stared at the goddess, who stood on the other side of the veiled goddess away from Arien’s reach. His face contorted to a look of helplessness as if he couldn't reach her. “W-what do you mean?” I
ASTRAEA| I was hit. The blood pooled out of my knee, and my breathing became heavier. “At this rate, you should just get adapted to life here because you’ll never return.” I growled in anger, getting up on my feet and running towards her. My sword appeared in my hand, and I jumped mid-air, clashing my sword with hers. The impact sent a shockwave through my arms, but I held my ground, pushing against her with all my strength. She smirked, her eyes gleaming with malice. “Is that all you’ve got, Astraea?” she taunted, effortlessly deflecting my attack and swinging her blade towards my side. I twisted my body just in time, narrowly avoiding the strike. The pain in my knee flared, but I refused to let it slow me down. I parried her next blow and countered with a quick slash aimed at her shoulder. She blocked it, but the force of my attack made her take a step back. “You’re stronger than you look,” she admitted, her smirk fading into a serious expression. “But strength alone won’t sav
-ORION-Her laughter echoed through the forest, a melody that danced amidst the rustle of leaves as we sparred beneath the canopy. With each graceful movement, she countered my attacks effortlessly, her skill matched only by the mischievous glint in her eyes."Are you scared I’m going to beat your ass, Rio?" she teased, her voice a playful melody that stirred something within me.Chuckling at her banter, I couldn't resist the urge to pull her close, the wind weaving through her hair like strands of golden silk. "Rio!! We were sparring!" she protested, gently pushing me away with a playful shove.But the desire for something more lingered, a longing that tugged at my heartstrings. "Well, I don’t want to spar anymore," I confessed, my gaze locking with hers, searching for a connection beyond our friendly rivalry.
|ASTRAEA| In the quiet of the palace chambers, surrounded by the familiar faces of my family, I gathered the courage to speak the words that weighed heavily on my heart. "I'm not here to stay," I whispered softly, my voice barely above a whisper.Their smiles, though weak, spoke volumes of their understanding. "We know," my father replied, his voice filled with a quiet resignation that tugged at my heartstrings.As I gazed at them, taking in their slightly weathered faces and the subtle signs of aging that marked the passage of time, a wave of disbelief washed over me. "How long have I been gone?" I asked, my voice trembling with shock."Two years," my mother's response was barely a whisper, but it hit me like a tidal wave, leaving me reeling from the realization of just how much time had passed in my absence.And then, the question I had been dreading hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over our reunion. "W-what of Alan?" I ventured, the silence that followed deafening in it
ASTRAEA|As I walked away from Haiti, the throbbing in my head intensified, the voices growing louder and more insistent with each passing moment. It was as if a storm was raging inside my mind, threatening to consume me whole.Raeya noticed my distress and hurried to my side, concern etched on her features. "Astraea, are you alright?"I shook my head, trying to block out the voices that echoed in my mind. "I don't know what's happening. I keep hearing... things."Raeya's brow furrowed with worry as she placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We need to get you out of here, to somewhere quiet where we can figure out what's going on."With her support, I pushed through the crowd, the cacophony of voices and magic swirling around me like a whirlwind. Each step felt like a struggle, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me with every breath.Finally, we found a secluded alcove away from the chaos of the festival. Raeya helped me sit down, her expression grave as she studied me int
ASTRAEA|I jolted awake, gasping for breath as I found myself in my chamber, disoriented and confused. How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was being with Kallias, his lips on mine, the intensity of his gaze searing through me.My heart raced as I struggled to make sense of what had just happened. Kallias... I couldn't shake the memory of his touch, his scent lingering in the air around me like a haunting whisper.“Asana,” I whispered, seeking solace in the familiar presence in my mind.‘I’m lost for words,’ Asana murmured, her tone reflecting the turmoil within me.Before I could gather my thoughts, the door burst open, and Eloise rushed into the room, her expression a mixture of shock and concern.She wasted no time in crossing the room, her footsteps echoing in the tense silence. With a swift motion, she slapped my back, the sting jolting me into awareness.“Seriously?” Eloise's voice was a mix of disbelief and reproach. “You were with Kallias! Do you know how Orion reac