Novalis, the Genius Magineer

"Novalis, Celestina wants to meet you."

And that is how I ended up here, alone. The second of the Royals in Anzaria was standing before me, an unreadable look upon her pristine features. Her white skin gleamed in the sunlight, which streamed through the high windows within her courtroom. Shafts of light illuminated her armor, glittering and glinting in a subtly dazzling display. The light refracted off the white stone, making it seem almost as if the light danced in her sanctum. Empty of all other people, the large white room was quite intimidating, having no furniture aside from her mahogany throne. Her lustrous golden mane and tail billowed behind her as she slowly began to walk towards me, scrutinizing me with her magenta eyes which were full of weight and power. This was the Queen who handled judgment of crime and wrongdoing in the world. Her authority, was absolute.

I was nervous, to say the least. Lunara assured me that I wasn't going to be punished, but the stare I was receiving right now was oppressive and suffocating. I felt as if all my past sins, even ones I was imagining on the spot, were laid bare before her almighty gaze. She finally came to a stop before me, staring down at me, at which point I literally began to cower before her. Her expression changed slightly, a look of discomfort fleeting across her features before vanishing within the mask she wore. Though at first this was something I ignored, it began to eat at me the longer we stayed like this, until I spoke up.

"Your Highness, if I may, you called me here to speak to me, yet you have been most intimidating. I would like to have... a good conversation?"

The change that came over her features was instantaneous. First came shock, then confusion, then joy. She came to me and enveloped me in a hug, laughing and talking quickly. I couldn't make out much, aside from her happiness that Lunara spoke true of me. Apparently my gift for being unable to keep my mouth shut was handy around royalty. Eventually she calmed down enough to speak normally, and release me from her crushing embrace. She began her story simply, without much emphasis or emotion in her voice, but her face spoke volumes.

"Ahh, it is good that my sister was not exaggerating. It is rare to find anyone who would call me or my sister intimidating to our faces, though I admit I often must be. I wanted to judge you myself, and I found you not wanting. You speak true despite your trepidations, and do not sugar coat your words. I called you here today to speak on some historical matters you will be finding of most importance quite soon."

"Are you sure it's necessary for me to know? I'm merely a student of your sister, not that important in society aside from that."

"Let me pose a question instead of answering that rather useless query."

I winced slightly, feeling as though I had stepped on an explosive rune. I had probably disappointed her in some way, though I could find no fault in my words.

Celestina sighed in front of me. When she spoke again, her voice was softer and gentler.

"I was hoping she'd been overplaying your lack of self confidence. Novalis, to be a student of ours is a much higher honor than you realize. We only take one student at a time, until a particular set of conditions are met, or they prove to be a failure in some unexpected regard. For my sister to take you under her wings, you are already elevated to a higher role than you believe."

My eyes widened in surprise. I knew it was hard to be a student of a Royal, but I never knew that it was once in a lifetime. So I suppose I should hold my head higher, but I also should be careful not to get too conceited. It would do me no good to become complacent.

"Good, that is a mental thought process more befitting one of our Chosen. Now, back to our conversation. What do you know of Rathmaro?"

I sighed, realizing both of these sisters were going to abuse their ability to see my thoughts.

"I know that he was as old as the Aeternam himself, and that he caused a lot of problems throughout the universe before you and your sister managed to defeat him."

"He is actually older than the Aeternam, my father. He is my uncle, and his age is unfathomable. I was also betrothed to him long, long ago, to keep the Celestial power of my race pure, but I rejected that fate. He was too obsessive, too abusive, and far too hideous in every conceivable way to me. As the being who fully symbolized Chaos, he was always repugnant to me. I am likely the reason he rampaged though, and I still feel responsible to this day."

I was shocked at this news. My parents knew of the war between humans and Celestials. Rathmaro had arrived and set us against the Celestials. Apparently he had been chasing Queen Celestina?

"After my rejection, it was not only me he was after. My sister, who had just come into being 2,000 years ago, had captured his infatuations as well... Novalis, are you okay?!"

Celestina's voice rose in shock, and I was snapped back to my senses. Hearing her voice so concerned made me aware of myself once more, as I had slipped into a rage I had never felt before. My magical powers and flared up, and I had unconsciously formed a few rather potent offensive spells in the air. Calming down quickly, I retracted my magic back within, cancelling the sorceries, though at the cost of magical feedback assaulting my body.

"Novalis! What has happened?"

Celestina caught me in her spell grasp, holding me gently until I recovered, at which point I quickly dropped into a full formal bow. 

"I am so sorry for that, your Highness! I lost control of my emotions. I beg your forgiveness, it will not happen again!"

"It is fine. Raise your head. Perhaps this is not the proper time to bring up this topic. For now, let me just tell you the summarized history."

Celestina spoke at length of the history of Celestials, including after arriving on our world. When they finally fashioned the Sigils of the Starfall, they returned to their homeworld for their final stand. They were haggard and tired of fleeing, ready to fight or fall. Rathmaro was unrecognizable, his madness consuming his once pranking, playful nature and twisting him into a cruel fiend bent on torturing anybody he saw. When they arrived before him he had been encasing humans and Celestials in a realm of reality where their every move would trigger a catastrophe, but standing still would allow lava to reach them. While the horrors unleashed by moving never touched them, their fear paralyzed them, leaving them defenseless until Lunara and Celestina interrupted him.

Turning slowly to face them, his face at first showed a sick joy until he saw the Sigils upon their necks. As he was a Spirit of the Universe, he recognized the ensorcelled Spirits of Order, and his face twisted in rage and scorn. His laughter echoing from his mouth, he began to conjure his reality warping abilities. The castle around them began to melt, and the stone puddles began to coalesce into golems. The golems were strong and slow, with the only intent of capturing the two Celestials trespassing on Rathmaro's territory. While they battled the stone amalgamations, he sat upon his throne, cackling and teasing the two women. Sensing his greatest weakness, arrogance, within him, the two allowed themselves to be captured. Commanding the golems to bring the two before him, he began to give a speech about his vision of the world. He closed his eyes, laying for them a picture of absolute anarchy, where nobody would ever be able to find peace, where they would suffer as he did. When he raised his arm at a particularly vile dream of his, they had enough. They charged the magic within the Sigils, sending their power directly into Rathmaro. But the aim of each Princess was different. Lunara wanted to vanquish and destroy him, but Celestina wanted to imprison and rehabilitate him. The conflicting ideals joined together with the will of the Sigils, encasing Rathmaro in living ice, where he remained to this day. After that day, Celestina took up the role of Queen and began to help humanity rebuild their world, and settled here to this day.

As she finished her tale I felt conflicting emotions. I had grown up with the story of Rathmaro, but there was never the full background to it. Everyone merely thought he was a monster, borne from chaotic nightmares and given life by their fears. To know that he was once merely a creature in love shed new light on the subject. I looked to Celestina, and found tears running from her eyes. I spoke softly, alerting her to the wetness on her face, which she rubbed away with an awkward smile. Speaking gently, I asked her if she felt anything towards him. She didn't know. She had given much thought to him over the millennia, and at times she felt the revulsion of her youth, but at other times she knew it was immature to base her opinion on appearance alone. She knew him when she was young, when he was merely mischievous and playful. He never hurt anything with his pranks as a child, but she never saw his love until much later.

She spoke of her father and mother, whom she knew, but Lunara never had. Lunara was born and left on Anzaria after The Aeternam had gone into sleep, and was 2,000 years old, far younger than Celestina. The Aeternam was wise beyond belief, but his wisdom was enigmatic to anyone younger, especially his daughter. Caeli was detached, travelling space to try to find something in the void to fill her own void. Being raised more by her father gave Celestina greater wisdom of the world, but she raised Lunara as she had wished to be raised by Caeli, with nurturing love. Because of the lack of motherly love, Celestina had grown accustomed to wearing a mask around most, which was why so many seemed to fear her. She was grateful to me for speaking to her normally. She even told me she was glad to have this... good conversation.

I left her courtroom feeling burdened by my new knowledge of the world. I wracked my brain, trying to find a way to be of aid to Princess Lunara, losing myself in my thoughts and almost missing my class with her. When I realized the time, I sprinted to her antechamber, where I found her in the most stunning outfit I had ever seen grace any woman.

Queen Celestina's POV:

I see, sister. He is very kind, and has no prejudices against us, even knowing our history. But he truly lacks the qualities he needs to stand at your side as an equal. I've planted the seed though, and should that seed be nurtured well, he will grow the necessary qualities. But my, what a temper he has. One thought about you being unhappy, and he lost himself to rage and magic. You're going to need to help him with that. And I have just the way. Fufufu... Novalis, I hope you live up to my expectations, not only for you, but for her as well.

I turned back to my throne. Behind was the door to my room, and within was a very vile statue. It would go well in her teaching him to control his magic. Now I just had to send it over along with a letter detailing what she needed to do. I just hope she doesn't get too mad at me for still having this disgusting thing. I don't even know why I kept it, but I could never get rid of it. Perhaps my aunt who controls Fate has been meddling...