“Impressive, he has already surpassed where Mennic once stood in his own element. I mustn’t get cocky. I backed him into a corner and I likely won’t get another chance to stall him.”

Madia

Madia twitched as her eyes opened, laying otherwise motionless as grass caressed her body in the dim light of the moon. Her face felt dry and cracked as she blinked the exhaustion from her eyes.

Grass… she wondered to herself. Why am I laying in grass?

As if in response to the question, her heart froze as everything she went through came crashing back. Screams filled her head and she sat up abruptly, matching the screeches that plagued her with her own as she gripped her chest, eyes wide in terror as despair drowned her thoughts. As quickly as the panic came, it ceased and was replaced with absolute stillness. Madia stared down at the ground, slowly releasing her clothing from her desperate clutches as she panted.

Dead, she mouthed the word but not a sound escaped her. They’re… they’re dead!

She shook her head, biting her lip before burying her face into her hands, sobbing to herself without a single tear, her eyes already drained of their sorrow.

He saved me… why did he save me? she wondered as she lifted her head. I’m the weakest of the Keepers, there’s nothing I can do on my own. Why didn’t he just save himself instead?

Madia felt herself starting to hyperventilate, unable to banish her agony as her eyes darted around to take in her surroundings. She struggled to comprehend everything that had happened, trying to bring herself to a calm. She turned her head up to the sky and let herself fall limp as she lay down in the grass again. She wheezed and rested a hand on her forehead as she gazed into the night sky, her breathing finally beginning to slow.

The clouds drifted overhead, seeming to avoid the moon as they floated by, the only sound being Madia’s own hoarseness and the breeze against the meadow.

“So peaceful.” Madia finally spoke, but it really came out more of a gargled sputter as she cleared her throat. “Even with what has happened, the world seems at peace.”

She lay on the ground a little stunned still, speaking aloud as she yearned for someone to talk to. “I wonder… does the world know we are gone? Does the world care?” she stuttered as she traced her hand from her forehead down her face, sniffing as she quivered with fear.

These thoughts… they aren’t like me, Madia spoke again. She raised a hand in front of her face. Am I broken?

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew past Madia and she gasped as she sat up, feeling her senses return to her as her eyes refocused and her head looked around. “No! Don’t think that way. Th-there’s always an answer. Always…” she attempted to reassure herself.

But even as she told herself this, her mind echoed back to her. You are fooling no one.

She nearly collapsed again as she shook her head, able to hear her memories vividly. “Oh night sky, that my heart could be as peaceful as you,” she whispered.

Her mind was spinning out of control, when she suddenly became aware of the knife on her belt. In one swift motion, she snatched it from its little sheath and held it in front of her, eyes wide as she gazed at her reflection in the pristine blade.

What can I do; what could I do? Thoughts once again swarmed her. If I stay here, I’ll die. She glanced over her shoulder where Elra could be seen in the distance. If I return to Elra, I’ll die. She looked back to the knife and then into the sky. Lady Harmony, have you abandoned your children? Madia raised the knife. Is this your will? Have the Keepers served their purpose?

The girl blinked as tears once again attempted, yet failed, to escape her eyes. If the world has no need of the Keepers, then the world has no need of me. She pointed the knife towards herself as emotion overtook her, the hand brandishing the blade shaking violently with indecision.

At that very moment the wind came to a stop, and the clouds above seemed to slow. An overwhelming sense of powerful magic washed over her and her shuddering stopped. She dropped the blade and it fell into the grass, resting in the dirt as the handle pointing to the sky. Madia stared into the air before rubbing her face, then looking forward. For the first time since arriving, she fully took in her surroundings.

Just ahead, water gently lapped at the grassy shore of the young lake of Fendra, a small boat resting against the grass with a singular oar. Is that where he sent me? Why here, Aevum? she thought, still feeling clouded.

She shifted before getting on to her knees and crawling forwards. She peered over the bank into the water, once more seeing her own reflection, but this time, not distorted by the divide in the blade. It was clear like a mirror, and seemed to glow by the moonlight. Madia raised her head again and saw across the water a small island, shrouded by fog. The young lady blinked as she leaned forward a bit and narrowed her eyes, focusing on the island, before barely managing to see the silhouette of what appeared to be a young woman there.

Madia stared for a bit, her prior sorrow briefly forgotten as she looked across the waters. A sense of calm washed over her as she felt her body relax, before she glanced to the little rowboat up against the bank. Her head tilted in confusion as she gazed at the boat, before she took her knife from the ground, returning it to its sheathe. She crawled through the grass as it shifted against her until she arrived at the boat and carefully climbed in, her face still dry from last night’s tears.

Unable to describe the urge that consumed her, she grabbed at the oar and used it to push the boat out of the grassy bank and into the open waters. She gasped as the boat swayed a bit, freezing as she attempted to stabilize the vessel, before letting the oar slip into the water. With that, she began to row, propelling the vessel forward.

Hardly a sound escaped the waters as she sailed into the lake, naught but a breeze touching her tear-stained face as she approached the island. She squinted as she tried to gaze through the fog, where she could still see the form of a girl beneath a drooping willow tree.

The boat brushed against the shore, as though with a sigh against the gravel, and Madia stepped onto the isle, feeling the beach give way to her feet. Having come closer, she now could see the girl under the tree; she had light grey, almost white hair that curled at its ends, and wore nothing more than loose robes, with a shawl draped over her shoulders. She appeared young - likely no older than 15 - and her eyes were almost as white as her hair, with the slightest tint of amber to them.

“Have you come here to die?” An airy voice escaped the girl.

Madia stopped in her tracks, confused by the question. “I… no, I just… wanted to see what you were doing here,” she stammered a reply.

The girl turned her head slowly, her gaze as soft as the lake surrounding them as she locked eyes with Madia. She said nothing, but stared at the Keeper for a while. Madia gulped as she went on.

“I-I’m sorry if I’m interrupting you, but it looked so peaceful here.”

“Is it peace that you seek?” the girl asked as she tilted her head in curiosity.

“I- well, yes,” Madia responded as she cautiously walked forward again.

“A blade will not bring you peace,” the mysterious girl said. She smiled a little bit and patted the grass next to her. “Come; be peaceful with me.”

Taken aback, Madia nodded and did as she was told. She rested her hands on either side of herself as grass and earth sagged beneath her.

They sat in silence for a bit, enjoying the serenity. Madia let out a long, shaky breath as her thoughts began to swarm again.

“This is familiar to you, isn’t it?” the girl asked.

Madia looked to the young girl beside her. “Yes. It’s… much like a place I visit in my dreams every night.”

“It is strange how dreams and reality can be so similar sometimes.”

Madia stared at the girl, before finally asking what had been on her mind. “Who are you?”

“If I told you my name, you would not believe me.”

Madia narrowed her eyes. “Try me.”

“I cannot. I am sworn not to speak my name, especially not to you, Lady Madia,” the girl replied.

Madia flinched in surprise, turning to face the peculiar girl. “How do you know who I am?”

“Star Dance… that sounds pretty. You can call me Star.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Madia rebuked.

“Is it a question that needs an answer?” Star began, “Or are you just looking for any mystery that may distract you from your struggles?”

Madia’s mouth hung open for a moment as the question jabbed her, before releasing a sigh with a hint of frustration. “Fine. If you’re going to question everything I ask I simply won’t ask anything.”

Star smiled. “It’s better that way. After all, what could I, a young girl, teach an adult such as yourself?”

There was a long pause between them, where Star avoided Madia’s gaze, the hint of a smile on her face as her sleepy-looking eyes looked at the waters, before she turned to Madia. “Perhaps, purpose?”

Madia furrowed her brow. “Purpose?”

“You are troubled. You have lost a lot.”

Madia winced as her heart ached and she closed her eyes. “I-I’ve lost everything.”

She felt a touch on her nose and let out a brief gasp as she opened her eyes. She found Star had placed a singular finger to her nose and she blinked for a moment.

“You are not a ghost. You have not lost your life,” she said as she lowered her hands. “You can still feel, and I can sense that there is something you still care about,” Star went on.

Madia rubbed her eyes as she felt tears threatening to flow again. Star tilted her head a bit. “You have chosen not to hope. You can read minds, yet you cannot - or perhaps, will not - read your own.”

Madia shuddered as she turned away. “You don’t understand, Star Dance. What once gave me purpose has left me. I just wish I could sleep and escape this world; dream up my own to live in.”

Star tilted her head. “Who ever said you have to be asleep to dream?”

A breeze blew over the two as the Keeper caught her breath and placed a hand over her heart again.

“Madia.” Star spoke yet again, causing the once-noble lady to glance back. “What were you doing before you became a Keeper?”

Madia stared out into the water as she recalled the time before she accepted the responsibility she now lived with. “I- I was a humble farm girl… I was looking to start a new life when I found Aevum-” she stopped as she was struck by emotion.

“What did you and Aevum do?” Star asked.

Madia shook her head as she began to realize where the young girl was going with this. “We had discovered a plot against Fendra. We went to warn the royal family.”

“What did you do instead?” Star beckoned for Madia to continue.

“W-we ended up rescuing the princesses, him and I.” Madia’s eyes were wide as she rubbed her face. “Alone, before we had even become the Keepers.”

Star smiled brightly, a grin wider than Madia thought possible from the quiet girl. “You rescued the heirs to the throne from the most powerful man to ever set foot in Fendra,” she said. “A farm girl, and a carpenter's son, managing to save two children from certain death against an entire army searching for them.”

Madia looked into Star’s eyes, sniffing as she felt a few tears escape, her face hot with shame. The young girl didn’t take her eyes off Madia. “Tell me, Madia. Was it the Keepers that rescued those children? Or was it Madia and Aevum; the two that brought the Keepers together, and proved themselves worthy of Harmony’s blessing?” Star questioned.

“It was… it was just us,” Madia responded.

“Then what is stopping you from doing that again?” Star asked simply. “By the way you’re clutching your heart, I can tell that there is still something out there to live for.” Star pointed at Madia’s chest. “Or perhaps… someone.”

Madia felt her breathing pick up as she suddenly stood up. “The princesses. They’re still alive.” Madia’s expression grew sad as she looked down at the grass.

“Live for what’s still here, not for what isn’t. There is always light, no matter how small. We just need to stop pretending that it doesn’t exist. Even in the cover of a cloudy night, the moonlight still glows. You just have to remember that it’s there.” Star stood up and looked at Madia. “And if you are strong enough, sometimes you can even create your own light.”

Madia finally smiled for the first time since she woke up, before leaning down and giving the young girl a hug. Star seemed taken aback at first, as her arms and hands remained extended to the sides in surprise for a moment, before she reluctantly returned the hug, awkwardly patting Madia’s back.

“Thank you, Star Dance. I wish I knew your real name, so I could find you after this is all over. I’m sure the princesses would love to know you.” Madia whispered.

Star Dance shrugged as Madia let go of her, chuckling a little bit. “Don’t worry. They already do.”