Ashtar

People change with time and the people surrounding them, or the absence thereof. I have changed. After 3 months of endless training and no time to ponder the burning questions that have faded from my mind, I have changed. I am no longer the sweet girl who would help a soul, whether genuine or otherwise. I was no longer the girl who got pushed off a bush because her senses weren't keen enough to hear the loud footsteps of her attacker. I was no longer a weak human, as the wolves would say.

What I was, was immortal? I was a being that would ascend to the night sky when my physical being faded. In a way, it was worse than heaven or hell. It was just empty space for eternity. While I stayed here on earth, there were responsibilities. Purifying the land, as the old man would say, Cleaning up the mess of the first stars, I called.

Dark spirits roamed the earth. Inhabiting and tormenting humans. Our job as stars was to kill as many as we could until the chosen one arose. A person capable of commanding these spirits and sending them back before they attain humanoid forms of their own bit. As the days went by, I could tell that time was running.

"I'm just too far away from getting my lura," the overly excited voice of Josephine said as she dropped her sword onto the rectangular table with a clang.

I glanced at her from beyond my book, from my seat on the sofa. As usual, she avoided it. B*tch! I inhaled sharply and went back to reading.

A lura is a special weapon gifted to a star and has a power similar to our abilities. After proving your ability to destroy dark spirits and control your abilities by killing 7, you would automatically receive your lura. It would come in a shape that was fit for your fluent use. Its magical signature would be on your level, which meant that only you could use it. Maligni was a fancy name for the dark spirits. I personally liked to call them by their names, which I was just studying.

"Wow, I wish that I was that close," Kitty said in awe. That wasn't her real name, but she let the nickname stick, and now it can't get off.

Josephine snorted. "It'll probably take you another decade," she said rudely.

I exhaled, feeling the hot air leave my lungs, no doubt forming a little steam. I slammed my book shut, alerting them to my presence. I jumped to my feet and began walking towards the exit of the way too big for a common room's room. At the center was the table, surrounded by a few chairs. Pressed against the wall were other tables with fruits and snacks. There were also two couches, one on either side.

As I began to exit the room, Cory appeared in the doorway. His dark hair was wet, and his clothes were fresh. He gripped my arm and began pulling me back into the room.

"If I were you, I would let go," I said, sending an ironic glare his way. He immediately released my arm and began flashing his hand.

"Master Royn wants to talk to us," he snapped, taking a seat at the head of the table.

I resisted the urge to set the chair aflame and burn him with it. Instead, I resorted to space. It was nothing new to them. I am quite distant. The only reason I bothered to know their names was so that I could plot my sweet revenge for when the tournament came up.

The tournament will choose who will lead the seven stars. I wasn't interested in the leadership position, but I was looking forward to bashing a couple faces. Especially that hoe, Eliza.

"Hey, babe," speak of her, and she shall appear.

"Hey," Cory answered, turning into a pot of mush.

The idiot was too smitten to realize that she was using him, but what the hell do I call him?I don't like him. Yes, I was holding a grudge—not for them awakening my dragon but for what they did after.

Initiation was called, throwing me into the pool to wake me up the morning after. They laughed as if it were the most amazing thing to throw a girl who can't swim into a pool of water. I relived that horrible memory of drowning. Felling the last bit of air in your body, struggle to break free, the pain accumulating on your chest. The burn of your eyes is not used to the cold against it. I struggled, and I died fast.

"Cool down," a voice whispered in my ears.

That's when I noticed the spark of fire running along the table. I called it back to me, holding it above my palm. I observe the red and gold and a mixture of both. It was warm, something that I was far from.

"You know, a thank you wouldn't hurt," Yousef said.

I snapped my fingers inches away from his face, extinguishing the fire. He flinched away from me, stepping backward. With that, I walked back to the table and sat down in my usual seat, far away from everyone else but always close to the old man. I don't know why he always insists on sitting beside me. I didn't want anyone.

"Sorry for my tardiness. We have much to discuss," he said, rushing into the room, his absurdly long robes pulling against the floor.

With that said, I slouched in my chair and put my feet on the table. Master Royn, as usual, ignored my rudeness. According to him, he knew me better than I knew myself. Which was insane, because I didn't know myself at all.

"The power has been detected," he announced, not bothering to sit down. The table was about 10 chairs long, with two extras at each end.

"What? I mean, Tae is not here," Kitty said. She was the closest to me.

I clicked my tongue and stared at the empty space in front of me.

"Has anyone seen him all morning?" Yousef asked, but no one did.

"Unless you can see the heat signature, you wouldn't have," I said.

"What are you saying that he's invisible? Ha, fat chance that kind of power only awakens in one of us firstborns," Josephine said in a mocking tone.

I clenched my jaw. "Master Royn, continue," I said to the old man, who had paused watching us as we bicker. Tae, Kitty, and I were the last to awaken, and since our rank wasn't established, it was free for all of those who awakened first. It was a load of crap to me because I was obviously the strongest—not to brag or anything, but the seventh star always held more power. A combination of the others, even so.

Power was pure, untapped, raw energy. In the wrong hands, it could mean damnation; in the right hands, it means world preservation. In the hands of the chosen one, balance The chosen one wasn't someone with a pure heart; it was someone with a perfect balance of light and darkness. It was a choice.

"Could it be the chosen one?" Kitty asked, leaning closer.

Master Royn nodded. "It is very strong indeed," he said absentmindedly.

"I need you all to find and protect the source of that power at all costs," Master Royn said, his voice dripping with authority.

This was no game; it was a very serious matter that needed to be dealt with at once. Why else would he force a group of misfits who dislike each other to work together?

"I'm guessing you want him returned dead and not alive," I said sarcastically.

Master Royn sighed, all the wrinkles becoming prominent in his face. "I implore you all for the sake of this realm on the others; do not let this person slip from your grasp, no matter what," he said firmly, meeting everyone's except mine. I didn't like eye contact; it was a funny little joke about a secret that I liked hidden.

You see, while other stars had years or centuries to prepare for their luras, I only had a few days. A few days before, my world went dark and my eyes burned. When the transition was over, I began to see things. Things similar to a person's thoughts I could see into their souls. Their deepest, darkest secrets, their dreams, their nightmares

It was called the eye of the syth. The cursed object caused a gold ring to form around my red iris. I couldn't take it out or turn it off; it was never-ending torture.

"Dante, I'm going to need you to lead this mission," Master Royn asked, as expected.

"What? She's inexperienced," the backlash arose.

I ignored them and instead glared at the old man. He tilted his head as if to say, You know why. I rolled my eyes, abruptly stood, and exited the noisy room.

My chest rose and fell quickly as I sped to my room. I was passing through the open hallway when my book caught fire. I huffed, and a cloud of smoke left my lungs. I paused and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm the beast. Every day was a fight for control. A fight that, as the days went by, I struggled to win, getting weaker day by day.

If I couldn't control myself, how was I supposed to lead a group of immortals as immature as me? The old man was definitely off his medication today.

The beast settled after a while, and I went to my room to pack. I was excited to get out of this castle and into a foreign world and breathe mundane air once more. To put my energy into finding my little brother. I was not about to let him go again, regardless of my mission. My family's top priority was him. He probably hated me, though, for letting us get separated.

"Master Royn wanted me to tell you that we will also be protecting a vampire royal." The high-pitched voice of Kitty soured my mood.

"What did I say about entering my room by knocking?" I said, stuffing the few things I wanted to take with me into my back. I would need to go shopping since Ashtarian robes weren't Earth clothes.

Ashtar was the new world in which I lived. Well, it was more of a headquarters since these particular groups of people had normal, high-stakes jobs on earth. To put it simply, they practically run the world, but they liked to use the word protect. Astarians believed heavily in power, balance, and protection. Which is why they had a school here. It was built specially to groom leaders as well as provide for their protection. Ashtarians were the guardians of the earth.

"Sorry," she said, sitting down on the edge of my bed.

I ignored it, seeing that I wouldn't be sleeping in it for a while.

"You know you'd make a great leader," she said softly, her feline eyes watching her fingers as they formed patterns on my sheets.

"I don't want it," I announced. Power was in my veins; I didn't want it in my name. I didn't even want it in my blood to begin with.

"You should take it," I said to Kitty.

The dark-skinned girl's eyes widened, and she shook her head.

"You were here before me; you deserve to show everyone that you are every bit as good a leader as anyone else," I encouraged, surprising myself a little.

"You're smart, cunning, and sharp. If anyone is able to successfully protect the chosen one, it's you," I continued, sending Kitty a nod of respect.

I did respect her. It was partly because I could feel her power and, at times, see the wheels turning in her head. She always seemed to have a plan, and I liked that about her.