There once was a girl who was friends with the night...
But then the night gets in trouble. The moon is gone. And a girl who loves the moon sets out to save it. She must face monsters. She must face doubt. She must face darkness without light. And y...
"Astrea..." a haunting voice echoed around her. "The star girl. What bring you to our midst?"
A cold mist blew past her. She lay on the ground. Stiff, paralyzed.
"Adventure? Glory? Is it honor that you seek?" it taunted.
She couldn't see. It was pitch black, or very nearly.
"You have failed already, little one. Here you shall stay."
The cold fingers raced up her body, towards her neck. A panicked scream caught in her throat - she could not even open her mouth. She was truly frozen, then.
"And the moon... with be his forever. Thank you, small one."
No. Whoever "he" was, she didn't care. It wasn't true. She wouldn't let it be true. She struggled, forcing something to move, to escape whatever spell or curse was holding her down. She thought of toes wiggling, eyebrows scrunching, arms waving, head shaking - but she couldn't budge.
"Yes, darling. Just wait. It isn't hard. Join us."
The cold was all around her, embracing her, smothering her, like an icy blanket.
"We're waiting, little star. Give up your dreams, give in to the cold, the cold, the cold."
Give up her dreams? Give up the things they had discussed, the moon and her, in the dark of night? Dreams, beautiful dreams of bringing beauty and light to the world, just like the moon? Dreams of spreading peace and comfort when the world is dark? Those were their schemes, their midnight machinations. Their dreams. Give them up? Impossible. Freeze her all they wanted, those dreams were her treasure. And until she succeeded, they were all she had of the moon. So she held them tighter to her heart than ever.
"No," she said, In her head, because she still couldn't speak, but she said it all the same. Loud and clear in her mind. "No."
"Surrender!" begged the whispering voices of the mist and cold. "Hear us, hear us, hear us, hear ICE," they hissed.
"No."
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Okay. Where was she? She blinked. And what had happened? She looked around her - hey, she could look around, that was an improvement. It was still misty, but it was brighter now, and warmer.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hello, dearest," came the other voice. And Astrea's heart thrilled at the sound of it, though she hardly knew why.
She emerged from the mist, robed in a mantel of filmy grey, coming nearer. Her hair was long and dark, dressed in long braids woven with silver. Astrea couldn't make out her face somehow, though it was right in front of her. All she could tell was that she was pleased - smiling, perhaps. Out of strange impulse, Astrea curtsied. The lady bowed in return.
"Please ma'am? Pardon my asking, but - who are you?" asked the girl. The lady tilted her head.
"Why, don't you know me?"
"I - I don't... I think - are you my moon?"
"Ah, yes, it is my Astrea then. I knew you would recognize me. Come, dear, we have little time, and much to say."
"But, where -"
"Hush, love, I will tell you."
She turned back into the mists, and Astrea followed.
"Where we are being held, I cannot tell you, for I do not know. Where we are now is a dream or rather, a vision. I will show you what I can, of what I know, and of what you must face. But first - do you still have your pack with you?"
Astrea nodded, and handed it to her.
"Good, do not loose it." She pulled out the jacket and draped it over Astrea's shoulders.
"When you wake, you will still be in Niflheim. It is a dangerous place, and you ought not to face it unprotected. The cold will claim you if it may, but this coat will provide warmth if you remember to use it. Now - look."
Yawning in front of them was a chasm, darker and deeper than anything Astrea had seen before. Her mouth gaped open.
"Your journey ahead is not an easy one. I know you have already faced darkness and fear, and you have conquered them bravely. I am so proud of you, dear. And yet, do not grow proud. The fight will only be harder the further you go. The darkness will try every power and skill it has to overpower you. Use the gifts you have been given. Remember the light. And do not be afraid, my dear. You will not fail. And even if you never reach us, do not lose hope. Darkness cannot conquer light. Follow me."
They descended steps hewn into the side of the rock, going down into the darkness. The girl followed the lady through caverns and along cliff sides, into tunnels and up rocky turrets. At last, they emerged. It was dark, but the stars were in the sky, and so was the moon! And there was a grassy field, lit with dew-drops and fireflies. Crickets hummed and nightingales sang - she had forgotten how lovely it all was. And she saw a girl, who looked much like her, walking through the field with a lantern in her hand. And wherever she went, light went with her, and the light cheered the downcast, and healed the hurting. It gave peace to the anxious, and joy to the mourner.
"It's our dream," Astrea breathed.
"Yes. It is. And it will come true. No matter what other voices say, over all else, remember this dream."
"I will."
"Good, now it is time for us to return. Farewell, Astrea. We shall see each other soon."
The lady bent down, and kissed the crown of her head. A warmth ran through her, into her fingertips, down to her feet. In her and through her and she awoke. And all around were the mists, the grasping fingers, the cold breaths. But she was warm.
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Hey guys! Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it, and I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter as much as I did (although, I'm the author here, so that's probably not going to happen. I'm a teeny bit biased, you know.) But now it's YOUR turn to do some writing. Leave a comment below, or if you're rushed for time, at least give it a vote. Okay, I'll stop talking 'cause I sound desperate. Have a great day and I'll see you next week!
