Chapter 25 – The Sea of Stars
Ilin slept through the descent from the Ashen Peaks. The cold had left her shivering, and I kept my arm around her, sharing my body heat. When she woke, her eyes were clear, the blue shimmer almost gone.
"How are you?" I asked.
"Cold," she said with a small laugh. "But I can move."
Ael was waiting at the platform, his expression more solemn than usual. "The next Anchor is in the Sea of Stars."
Mara groaned. "Please don't tell me it's water again."
"It is not water," Ael said. "It is a void of darkness dotted with stars you can walk on. The Guardians are the Void Stalkers."
Garrick rubbed his bruised knuckles. "Sounds like a bad dream."
I helped Ilin to her feet. She leaned on me, but her legs held.
We stepped onto the platform. Ael placed his hand on the stone; the symbols lit blue, and the oval doorway opened into absolute blackness speckled with points of light.
Ilin took my hand. "Ready?"
I nodded. "Ready."
We stepped through.
There was no ground. We were standing on a flat pane of starlight, darkness stretching in every direction, stars twinkling below and above us. The air was cool and silent, no wind, no sound except our breathing.
Ilin's staff glowed, creating a soft blue circle of light around us so we didn't feel like we were floating.
"The Memory Core says the Anchor is at the Center Star," she said, pointing to a brighter star far ahead.
Ael nodded. "The Void Stalkers move silently. Do not let them touch you."
We began walking across the star-pane. Each step made a soft chime, like stepping on glass.
After a while, shapes moved in the darkness.
The Void Stalkers.
They were tall, thin silhouettes made of darkness, their bodies outlined by faint starlight, eyes glowing violet.
Three of them.
Garrick balled his fists. "Here we go."
The first Stalker lunged at Garrick. He swung a punch, his fist passed through the dark form, and the Stalker's claw raked his side.
Garrick hissed in pain.
The second came at Mara. She swung her shattered rebar; it passed through the Stalker, and the creature's claw cut her arm.
The third came at me.
I dodged its swipe, rolled, and drove my blade into its chest.
The blade passed through, but the Stalker recoiled as if struck.
It grabbed my shoulder — the same shoulder Ilin had healed eleven times.
Pain flared, cold and deep.
I twisted, drove my blade into its neck.
The Stalker dissipated into darkness.
I turned to the first Stalker. Garrick was bleeding from his side.
Mara was holding her arm, blood mixing with the starlight.
Finn was circling the second Stalker, empty pistol in hand.
I ran at the first Stalker, jumped, and drove my blade into its chest.
It dissipated.
I turned to the second Stalker. It raised its claw to strike Finn.
Ilin stepped forward, staff raised.
"Ilin, no!" I shouted.
"I have to," she said.
She directed the blue light at the Stalker.
The creature slowed, its violet eyes dimming.
I ran and drove my blade into its chest.
It dissipated.
Ilin dropped to her knees.
I was at her side in two steps, catching her.
"You used healing," I said.
"Only a little," she said, voice weak.
"You said you wouldn't," I said.
"I couldn't let it hit Finn," she said.
I lifted her and carried her to the center of our light circle.
"You're done," I said.
"I know," she said.
Garrick sat beside us, holding his side. Mara was wrapping her arm with a torn strip of cloth. Finn was staring at the darkness.
Ael stood, pointing ahead. "The Anchor is there."
I carried Ilin the rest of the way.
The Center Star was a large platform of light, and in its middle was a crystal pulsing with violet light — the Anchor.
Around it stood four Void Stalkers, larger than the first three, their forms deeper black.
Ael's voice was quiet. "The Star Guardians."
I set Ilin down on the light platform.
"We do what we've been doing," I said. "Hold them off while I reach the Anchor."
Garrick nodded, wincing. "Just don't die."
Mara said, "No promises."
Finn nodded, gripping his broken pistol.
The four Stalkers moved at once, silent and fast.
Garrick met the first, punching its chest. His fist passed through, and the Stalker's claw cut his arm.
Mara went for the second, swinging her broken rebar. It passed through, and the Stalker's claw cut her shoulder.
Finn went for the third, smashing his pistol against its face. The pistol shattered completely.
The fourth came at me.
I dodged its swipe, rolled, and drove my blade into its side.
The blade passed through, but the Stalker recoiled.
The Stalker grabbed my shoulder — the same shoulder Ilin had healed twelve times.
Pain flared, cold and deep.
I drove my blade into its neck.
The Stalker dissipated.
I turned to the first Stalker. Garrick was back on his feet, blood on his arm.
Mara was getting up, her shoulder bleeding.
Finn was in the third Stalker's grip.
The first Stalker charged Garrick.
Garrick ducked, punched its chest, and the Stalker's claw cut his cheek.
I ran and jumped onto the Stalker's back, driving my blade into the base of its neck.
It dissipated.
I turned to the second Stalker. Mara was on her feet.
The Stalker swung. Mara ducked, kicked its leg, and the claw cut her leg.
I ran and drove my blade into its chest.
It dissipated.
The third Stalker was still holding Finn.
I ran and drove my blade into its back.
It dissipated, releasing Finn.
I looked at the Anchor.
Ilin was on her feet, staff in hand, the crystal glowing faint blue.
"I can weaken it," she said.
"Ilin, no," I said.
"I have to," she said.
She raised the staff and directed the light at the Anchor.
The Anchor pulsed, the violet light flickering as the blue light hit it.
I raised my blade and brought it down on the crack.
The blade sank in.
The Anchor pulsed, the violet light flickering, then dimming.
A low sound resonated across the void, like a star sighing.
I hit it again.
The crystal shattered.
The violet light went out.
The darkness around us lightened, the stars shining brighter.
Ael placed a hand on my shoulder. "The Anchor is destroyed. The rift in the Sea of Stars is closed."
I looked at Ilin. She was swaying.
I caught her before she fell.
"You did it," I said.
She opened her eyes, smiled faintly. "We did it."
I carried her to the center of the light platform and sat with her, her head on my shoulder.
Garrick was sitting nearby, holding his bleeding arm. Mara was wrapping her shoulder. Finn was staring at his broken pistol.
Ael stood, watching the stars.
Ilin squeezed my hand. "We did it."
"We did," I said.
She smiled, tired but genuine.
I leaned in and kissed her forehead.
"You rest," I said. "I'll be right here."
"I know," she said.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
I stayed, watching her, listening to the quiet of the stars.
The rift in the Sea of Stars was closed.
Ael had said there were many worlds.
I looked at Ilin's peaceful face.
We would rest here, and then we would find the next passage.
Whatever came next, we would face it together.