The glowing crystal glow beneath my feet continued spreading across the floor like living starlight.
Lines of glowing light twisted around one another, forming shapes and ancient markings I couldn't understand. The entire bedroom shook violently as cold wind roared through the windows mycurtains whipped wildly through the air.
Books fell from my shelves.
The lights flickered uncontrollably above us.
And still
The necklace around my neck kept glowing brighter.
I could feel it pulsing against my skin like it was alive.
"Aurora…" my mother whispered fearfully i looked up at her, breathing heavily.
"I can't stop it."
The pain inside my chest burned hotter with every second. It felt like fire spreading through my veins, like something sleeping deep inside me was finally waking up.
The glowing crystals began to float..
Jonas let out a terrified sound somewhere between a scream and a cough "Oh, absolutely not."
The crystals hovered above us while golden light poured from inside them, illuminating the darkness around us. Tiny particles of stardust drifted through the room like glowing snow.
The air itself suddenly felt different.
Heavier
Charged
As if reality was slowly tearing open
My mother stepped backward slowly, her eyes widening in realization "No…" she whispered weakly the crystals started spinning faster… the glowing symbol beneath my feet pulsed violently.
Then
CRACK.
A blinding flash exploded across the room.
Aira covered her face immediately while Jonas nearly fell over.
The crystal shattered the wind screamed louder the house trembled.
Golden light consumed everything i squeezed my eyes shut.
And suddenly…
Silence… complete silence the wind disappeared and i slowly opened my eyes and froze.
Three figures stood in the center of my room.
For one impossible second, I genuinely thought I was dreaming they looked human but not completely not really.
A boy with silver hair stood nearest to the glowing crystals, strands of pale light shimmering through his hair like moonlight reflecting across water. His sharp gray eyes scanned the room carefully, calm and alert.
Beside him stood a girl with long dark-green hair flowing almost unnaturally behind her. Tiny glowing specks floated around her like miniature stars, and her eyes looked impossibly bright against the darkness.
Then there was the third one the tallest among them a boy with dark hair and glowing golden eyes that immediately reminded me of the stars outside or worse… my own eyes.
Their clothes looked strange but elegant black fabric threaded with glowing silver patterns shaped like constellations stretched across their sleeves and shoulders. Long silver capes flowed softly behind them despite the complete lack of wind.
None of them looked older than seventeen yet somehow… they felt ancient.
Jonas blinked slowly then pointed at them.
"Nope."
Nobody answered him because the three strangers were staring directly at me not surprised not confused but relieved.
Like they had spent years protecting for something they were terrified they'd never find the green-haired girl smiled softly.
"There she is."
The silver-haired boy exhaled quietly, almost like tension left his body all at once and finally, the taller boy stepped forward.
Golden light reflected inside his eyes as he looked directly at me.
"We finally found you, Princess Aurora."
My entire body froze princess.
Hearing my mother call me the daughter of some celestial king was one thing but hearing strangers say it like it was normal?
That somehow made everything terrifyingly real Aira slowly moved closer beside me.
"…Aurora?" she whispered weakly.
Honestly? I had no idea how to answer that anymore.
The silver-haired boy suddenly placed his fist over his chest before lowering his head respectfully "We apologize for arriving without warning," he said calmly. "The constellation gates became unstable after your awakening."
His voice sounded elegant smooth almost too perfect my mother immediately stepped protectively in front of me.
"Who are you?" she demanded the three strangers instantly straightened respectfully toward her.
The taller boy spoke first.
"My name is Caelum," he said softly he gestured toward the blue-haired girl "This is Lyra." Then toward the silver-haired boy.
"And Solen." Solen nodded once lyra offered a small smile.
"We are Galaxy People," Caelum continued. "Royal guardians under the command of King Fullcrest."
The necklace around my neck suddenly glowed warmly at the mention of my father's name my breathing stopped. "You know my father?"
Caelum looked directly at me. "Yes."
The answer came instantly no hesitation no uncertainty. Something painful tightened inside my chest.
After eighteen years…
Someone finally knew him "What's he like?" I asked before I could stop myself yes i saw hi pictures but i want to know like the real him
The three guardians exchanged glances then Lyra smiled softly.
"He's exactly what you'd expect from the ruler of constellations."solen crossed his arms "Terrifying." Lyra rolled her eyes immediately. "Ignore him."
"He once destroyed an entire dark warship alone," Solen added casually jonas nearly choked. "Excuse me?!"
Caelum sighed tiredly like this argument happened often "The king is respected throughout the galaxies," he explained calmly. "But more importantly… he's been searching for a way back to you because the dark galaxy emperor destroyed the galaxy gates where the earth gate located"
My chest tightened painfully for years, I convinced myself my father abandoned us that he simply chose another life.
But now…
The way they spoke about him… it sounded like he never wanted to leave at all.
"Where is he?" I whispered the room suddenly grew quieter Caelum's expression darkened slightly "The war never ended."
Outside, thunder rumbled across the ocean again the frozen rain finally began falling once more.
"The Void Empire continues spreading through the constellations," Solen explained seriously. "Most of galaxies have already fallen."
Lyra looked down sadly "Millions have died." I stared at them speechlessly everything felt unreal.
Too unreal.
Yesterday I was worried about surviving senior year now suddenly strangers from space were standing in my bedroom talking about galaxy wars i almost laughed from pure shock.
Instead, I whispered:
"This can't actually be happening."
Caelum looked at me carefully.
"It is."
The necklace around my neck pulsed again.
Warm, alive, and somewhere deep inside me… something answered a strange feeling spread through my chest.
Like the stars themselves were listening.
"Aurora," my mother said softly i looked at her immediately tears filled her eyes again.
"They came because your father knew this day would arrive." Caelum nodded slowly.
"Before the king vanished during the war, he ordered us to search for you."
"We've spent years traveling through worlds trying to locate you and we track the crystal which help us to found you," Lyra said gently.
"Why?" I whispered.
The three guardians looked at one another again then Caelum answered quietly.
"Because you are the only one who can help us."
Fear immediately curled inside my stomach.
"Help you do what?"
"The Celestial Core is dying," Caelum explained. "It's the source of balance throughout the constellations. Without it… galaxies collapse." I frowned slightly.
"And somehow I'm supposed to fix that?"
"You carry the royal celestial bloodline," Lyra said softly. "Only the king… or his heir… can awaken the Core completely." The room went silent Jonas slowly raised a hand.
"I would just like everyone to acknowledge that Aurora is apparently a magical space battery now."
Nobody answered him mostly because he wasn't entirely wrong i looked down at the glowing necklace again the silver star resting against my skin looked beautiful.
But now I understood why my mother feared it why she hid it from me for so long.
It wasn't just jewelry… it was proof.
Proof that I never truly belonged here Solen suddenly turned sharply toward the window.
His expression hardened instantly "They found us." Fear shot through the room immediately.
"What?" Aira whispered.
Outside the cliffs beyond the ocean, dark shadows moved beneath the storm at first, they almost looked human then lightning flashed across the sky.
And I saw glowing red eyes again staring directly toward the house dozens of them my blood ran cold.
The same creatures.
The same terrifying presence I felt earlier Lyra's face paled slightly.
"Void Hunters." (dark galaxy creatures)
The shadows moved closer slowly… deliberately like predators finally cornering prey.
My mother grabbed my arm tightly "No! ."
I looked at her "You're not taking her anywhere."
Caelum stepped forward carefully "We don't want to separate you."
"She's my daughter.! "
"And she's also the last royal heir of the constellations." Cealum said the room fell silent again outside, thunder exploded violently the creatures were getting closer.
The windows shook under the pressure building outside "If Aurora stays here," Solen said quietly, "this planet will become their next target."
Fear filled my mother's face instantly I could see the realization hitting her Earth wasn't safe anymore not because of the war because of me
I slowly stepped away from everyone.
"No…" My voice cracked badly.
"This is my destiny… "
"Aurora—"
"They came because of me." The necklace suddenly glowed brighter again outside, the shadows stopped moving like they heard me.
Like they were waiting.
"You cannot stay here anymore," Caelum said softly the words shattered something inside me.
Because deep down… I already knew he was right.
If I stayed… People would die.
My mother slowly approached me,,, her hands trembled as she touched my face gently.
The same comforting touch she used ever since I was little "I love you, " she whispered tearfully…
I looked at her helplessly "mom… " Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "I know."
"I don't know anything about them." i said "You'll learn." my mom gently brush my the stroke of my hair "I'm scared." my mom says
Her expression broke completely after hearing that for a moment, she looked less like someone hiding cosmic secrets.
And more like a mother terrified of losing her child then she pulled me into her arms tightly.
I buried my face against her shoulder instantly the familiar warmth nearly made me cry harder.
"I can't lose you too," she whispered shakily.
My chest hurt so badly I could barely breathe behind us, the guardians quietly began activating the floating crystals again. Golden symbols appeared in the air around them, forming circles of glowing starlight. A portal Jonas suddenly spoke up.
"So…" he muttered awkwardly. "This is really happening." I laughed weakly through my tears.
"Looks like it." Aira immediately hugged me tightly. "You better come back alive," she whispered angrily "I'll try."
"No," Jonas interrupted instantly. "Actually come back. Don't say 'try.'" Despite everything, I smiled God, I was going to miss them.
Miss this place.
Miss being normal.
The glowing portal behind the guardians slowly expanded wider
And for the first time…
I could see what waited beyond it Stars.
Thousands of them
Entire galaxies spinning endlessly across beautiful darkness floating cities made from light Constellations glowing brighter than suns.
It was breathtaking
Terrifying
Impossible
Caelum stepped beside me quietly "Princess Aurora," he said gently i looked at him "It's time."
I turned back toward my mother one last time and yet somehow… still the strongest person I knew.
Slowly, she walked toward me again and fixed the necklace carefully against my chest.
Then she kissed my forehead softly "Please be careful," she whispered her voice cracked completely "I can't lose you too." Tears burned my eyes again instantly.
"I'll come back," I promised quietly even though I had no idea if I could my mother smiled sadly.
"I know."
Outside, the shadows finally reached the cliffs below the house.
The ground trembled violently solen looked toward the storm immediately
"We need to leave now."
I took one shaky breath then another… and finally i stepped toward the portal yhe stars beyond it glowed brighter instantly like they recognized me.
The necklace around my neck pulsed warmly almost welcoming me home.
I stopped for one final second then looked back at my mother at Jonas at Aira at the only life I had ever known.
Goodbye suddenly felt too painful to say out loud so instead— I smiled weakly through my tears.
Then turned toward the stars and walked into the constellations.