Winter drew closer to the rescue center. I yawned, asking her to slow down her pace a little. Eventually, she stopped right outside the facility. I got down, helping Winter park the wagon before removing the straps from her back.
"Thanks for the lift." Felix jumped down from the wagon, Topaz beside him.
"No problem." I replied, asking Winter if she could help me round up the Spiritmals for the night. She agreed instantly, running off to get the Spiritmals into the rescue center.
The sun was setting, painting the sky brilliant shades of orange and yellow, a few careful strokes of pink added into the mix. I smiled as I saw a flash of star shine whirling down from the sky, knowing that Star had arrived.
The light got closer, dimming in the process. Soon, we saw Star slowing herself down, finally landing on my outstretched hand.
"How are your parents Nova?" I called Star by her real name, earning a confused glance from Felix.
"They're well." She shifted a little, clearly uneasy about something.
"Something wrong?"
The glowstaride's eyes darkened slightly. Panic evident in their depths. "Em... I... I..."
"Shhhh... calm down. If you need time, you can tell me about whatever's bordering you when you feel ready. Ok?" I petted her feathers gently, producing a piece of turmeric bread. "Want some?"
She looked at the piece of bread blankly. "I'm not hungry... I'll have it later."
Now she was really starting to worry me.
"Whatever suits you." I beckoned her to sit on my shoulder, pocketing the turmeric bread.
"Can I stay a while longer?" Felix asked. I nodded, he clearly had a lot of questions, choosing not to ask them at the moment given the circumstances. "I guess I'll make dinner for us all." I replied. "Meet me at the dining room."
With that, I walked towards the house, Winter returning back to my heels.
"So... you're staying here now?" Star asked, clearly trying to strike up a conversation.
"Yep. I'm helping abandoned Spiritmals find new homes, doing research on them during their stay with me."
"That's neat." She replied as I walked into the room, feeding the hungry Spiritmals. Before they started eating, however, they instantly pelted me with questions.
"How were the ten?"
"Did Crunch actually find a home?"
"When will it be my turn?"
"Is that bird spiritmal joining our crew?"
I sighed a little, calming the Spiritmals down. "The giveaway was a success. All ten found new homes."
Murmurs of 'whoa' and 'amazing' could be heard around the room as the Spiritmals talked between themselves.
"How about the bird?" A scalemental asked.
"Meet Nova, she was my first Spiritmal." I introduced Star.
"But, I thought Winter was your only Spiritmal." A lionblitz perked up.
I shook my head. "Nova was my first. However, I decided to release her about three months after having her."
"Oh." The lionblitz replied, pin drop silence filling the room soon after.
"So, eat up your dinner." I finally spoke up. "I'll be back in about two hours for lights off. If any of you need me, you'll know where to find me." I finished, walking out of the room and leaving the Spiritmals to enjoy their food in peace.
"Your job seems pretty busy." Star remarked.
"Yea, it is. But it's manageable." I went to the kitchen, deciding to cook omelettes for all of us.
"So, how's your life?" I questioned, feeling Star stiffen on my shoulder.
"It's ok. You can tell me when you're ready." I added mushrooms, cheese and ham to the omelette, finishing it up and starting on the second one.
Star remained silent, watching as I finished up the second omelette. I placed them on the dining room table before returning for two bowlfuls of spiritmal food. One for Winter and the other for Topaz.
Placing the bowls on the floor, I whistled to Winter to signal to her that it was dinner time. She walked into the room soon enough, settling down to her dinner alongside Topaz.
"Emily..." Star flew onto the table. "I think... I think I'll tell you about it now."
"Are you sure that you're ready?"
"There are some things that you'll never be ready to do. However, you'll have to do them anyways."
I nodded.
"So... I don't know how to tell you guys this but..." she sighed. "My life may be coming to an end soon."
Out of all the things Star could have told me, that was definitely something I would never expect.
"Why?" I tried to remain calm on the outside, even though I knew that Star would be able to sense my anxiety anyways.
"I've evolved six times in total." Star looked down. "But, I don't know if I could make it through the seventh." She paused for a while. "According to my mother, a glowstaride would evolve into either a Dawnmorix or Phoenixight in their final evolution. However, the energy needed for this evolution is so intense, more of us tend to die instead of surviving through the evolution.
"I... I have watched at least three of us just die in front of my eyes, unable to take the energy needed to evolve that one final time." She stopped talking.
I could tell that she had been extremely traumatized by that matter, looking at the crazed, wild look in her eyes.
"So I thought I'll fly back, so that I'll be with you in my final days." She finished.
A somber silence soon followed.
"Nova, I..." I petted her on the head, trying to calm her down. "Surely there's a way to prevent this..."
"There is one. Have you heard of the everstone?"
I blinked, realizing what Star was hinting at. "That stone that stops Spiritmals from evolving? I can get you one if you like."
She shook her head. "It helps most Spiritmals, but not us glowstaride. However, according to my father, there is indeed a stone on this planet that may help. However, I have no idea where it's being hidden. No one does."
"I'll find it."
Star blinked. "Really?"
"Yea, you know I'll do anything for you. Now, let's talk about some happier things for the time being, shall we?"
Star nodded. "I guess..."
"Can I ask a question?" Felix spoke up.
"Well, technically you just did." I replied. "But go ahead anyways."
"Why do you keep calling Star Nova?"
I looked at Star for her approval. She nodded back, allowing me to answer Felix's question.
"Nova is Star's real name Felix. The name her parents had given her since birth.
That left him quiet as he turned his attention to the omelette in front of him.
I picked out a piece of turmeric bread, placing it on the table.
"Nova, please eat. I promise that I'll help search for the stone starting tomorrow morning. Ok?" Star sighed, pecking at the turmeric bread. Her lights lit up in a dull glow as she started eating the piece of bread. "It's been so long, I've forgotten what it tasted like." She murmured, devouring the bread slowly.
I smiled at her, digging into my omelette as well.
"Oh and Em?" I looked up.
"Yea?"
"Just call me Star." Star replied. "I like that name better anyways."
I smiled. "Ok."