The Weight of Stars

"The sky carries a great burden. Never forget."

A little girl remained silent staring up into the starry night.

"Aerith, promise me you will never forget."

"Okay," the girl said with a simile, "I promise Mother."

"One day you'll help take that burden away, and we'll all be free."

The woman sighed as the girl drifted away, only ash in the wind.

"One day, this will all end," the woman sobbed.

Hirow woke up abruptly, hitting his head on the shelf above. He rubbed his head in pain as several items clattered to the floor. A glowing orb passed his peripheral vision and he reached out as it slipped his grasp and shattered. The white liquid seeped between the wooden boards of the floor and quickly evaporated. He groaned, stepping out of his bed with care.

Scanning the floor checking if any liquid was left he frowned at the dark sight. I guess that's it, the memory of my parents is gone, he thought. Grabbing his cloak and a notebook he flung the door open and stepped out into the night. Clutching the cloth tightly he walked through the barren street. The sky glittered with a sea of stars gracing his lonesome presence. Hirow paused and looked up with longing green eyes reflecting the vast hope he saw above. To be so bold as to hold a star himself he reached up knowing they would never come to him.

"Why can't I leave, every excuse I make to keep myself here only disappears." He lowered his hand. "What's holding me back?"

The moon was only a sliver in the sky. Hirow looked up one last time to note its position and continued. The overbearing silence of the village and the careful lighting of the night sky brought a strange mix of peace and uneasiness. Then there was the dream he had. Dwelling on it made the night seem increasingly uncertain.

He rarely felt much empathy for others' problems especially if it wasn't someone he knew but this dream brought a distant sadness he had only felt once before. The little girl had seemed so hopelessly innocent while the woman gave off the impression of a tainted soul who had lost its way.

What could it all mean, he thought. The sky, a burden, and ashes in the wind. Then there was the woman and the little girl. He knew neither of them yet he could feel a deep connection between the two. So many questions yet he couldn't find an answer to a single one of them. The thought frustrated him as he continued through the village each step filling the night with its soft drumming.

Nearing the southern edge of the village he approached a tower rising into the night sky. There were four of these towers placed around the village and to any passer-by, they seemed to be guard towers. This would be true to an extent but they served another purpose. Each one was an observatory.

Hirow rushed towards the entrance once it came into sight. It had been just about a year since he had last gazed upon the stars from inside one of the observatories. It was one of the things that had kept him here all these years. He pushed the door open and slipped in, his cloak brushing the door frame just as it closed behind him. He rushed up the winding staircase, staying light on his feet to not make any noise.

Hirow entered a small circular room with pieces of parchment covering the walls. A waning candle rested at the far end of the room, the soothing light pulsating throughout the chamber. Then there was the telescope at the opposite end. An object of great value that a commoner such as him wouldn't dream of affording.

"What should I start with tonight," Hirow muttered, running his finger across the parchment. "Ah yes, it's the ninth-month Lunis B should be visible near the horizon."

He grabbed the neck of the telescope and began to search. The stars darted past, streaks of light in the sky. Getting closer to the horizon Hirow slowed and adjusted the focus. The fuzzy dot disappeared and reappeared until it became a sharp point of light. It was an orb of pure white never faltering, never fading. It was the personification of beauty, an undying flower that never failed to fascinate him. It was a star.

Why they existed to shine upon him at this time, Hirow didn't know. Their origin remained a mystery but they seemed to hold something beyond him and what the priests preached about them. To unlock the star's secrets was what drove him forward.

He searched the surrounding area in a counterclockwise pattern noting the positions of each star with Lunis B, their color, and their size. He marked the ninth star and nudged the telescope until it was centered on the tenth.

"5 Lantermers north, white, and 1 Lantermer across," he muttered to himself as he scribbled the words into his notebook.

Turning to look in the telescope to readjust, the eyepiece suddenly went dark. He leaned in closer to make sure his eyes weren't tricking him and saw only black.

Where did it go, stars don't just disappear like that. Hirow checked the position of the telescope then flipped it around to make sure the front glass piece hadn't been blocked. Glancing down at his notebook he double-checked the position and moved it to where the star was. Looking through the eyepiece he continued to try and wrap his head around what had just happened. Suddenly the orb of light flashed back into existence.

"Interesting," he whispered as he smiled to himself. Picking up his notebook he recorded.

14/09 Lunis B 10, Went out momentarily then returned to normal soon after. First time observing this phenomenon. Possible causes could be . . .

Hirow froze as he heard the door below slam shut and heavy footsteps come up the stairs. Who could it be, he thought. Only the Priests are supposed to be in the tower this late but they were preparing for the star festival this week. They're usually too busy now to come to the observatories. Knowing this he thought it would be the perfect time to gaze at the stars. He didn't care much for the Priests themselves but he didn't want to endanger himself needlessly either. Yet if they were to catch him he would surely be punished. He closed his notebook and looked for any possible escape. The window was the only option but once he was out there was no way down. As the person neared the top the window started to seem a more viable option.

A thin head, of short black hair, came over the edge of the stairs. Then a lanky body followed plated with armor that was likely a size too big. The person seemed to only be a few years older than him. In his emotional state earlier he had completely neglected the fact that a guard would be stationed here.

"Please, don't re-report me," Hirow stuttered, dropping his notebook to the floor, "t-to the Priests that is."

Seeing the flash of fear in his eyes the soldier responded, "Don't worry kid, it's fine there's no need to get you in trouble."

Hirow's body relaxed and he reached down to pick up his notebook, still keeping an eye on the guard. This person was different from the one that was usually stationed here.

"What happened to Gabe, the previous guard stationed here?"

"You know Gabe," the soldier responded with excitement.

"Yes," Hirow hesitated, not expecting the enthusiasm.

"Left nearly a month ago for Montang. He was so excited to finally get out and go see the world for himself."

"He was always talking about where he would go once he had enough money," Hirow said, seemingly saddened by knowing yet another person had moved on without him. "Well, I hope he's living the life he always wanted."

"You might see him again," the guard said sitting down, "it's not like he was sent to war or something."

"I guess you're right."

After a few moments of silence, the guard spoke up again, "My name's Lantamer, nice to meet you. I assume you're here because you thought the Priests wouldn't show up much this week, considering the star festival happens in two days."

Hirow sat down and straightened his back. He let a small smile appear on his face, "Am I that easy to figure out."

"Not especially, I would do the same. So are you going to the festival? I personally always look forward to it."

He tilted his head up and stared at the ceiling disinterestedly, "It's not really my thing."

Lantamer leaned forward, "How come?"

"I just haven't had fun for the past few years."

"Maybe you just need to change your perspective. Well if you want to, you should join me."

"I'd rather not."

Lantamer shrunk back, "Oh."

"It has nothing to do with you," Hirow quickly corrected. He cast his eyes toward his shadow, "It's just I may not join the festivities until late at night." He knew that was a lie.

"Well if you do have time try to find me. I'll make sure you have fun."

Lantmer glanced at the telescope, "So what were you doing up here?"

"Observing the stars."

"Well, of course," Lantamer got up and peered into the eyepiece, "see anything interesting?"

Hirow flipped open his notebook. There was no point in hiding it from him. "There was this one star that disappeared and reappeared."

"Are you sure you're telling the truth? You didn't just blink or something."

"No, I'm sure of it," Hirow responded in earnest. "At first I couldn't believe it but I checked everything. The telescope was working, I didn't move it either, and I know for a fact I didn't blink."

"Well if you say so. Why do you think it did that?"

"I'm not sure, there could be many reasons. I've never seen anything like it before, so it's definitely a rare case." Hirow flipped through the pages of his notebook, "It would all have to do with what the stars are. For all, I know it could have been destroyed and then replaced with a new star, or it could signal some event happening. There are so many possibilities!"

Hirow rambled on as Lantamer listened, grinning at every word that came out of his mouth. As he continued, the stressful happenings of the night seemed to fade away and for the first time in years, Hirow didn't worry about the future. He was here now under the starry sky searching for answers above.