I tried to keep my cool, my body feeling hot as my vision seemed to tint black.
Leonardo rolled his eyes, giving off a mixture of happiness and what felt like impatience. “What I just said. You know, Professor Sepherant? I swear, I thought he resigned, but my designated professor bailed out on me. Professor Sepherant was in the area on business and got contacted to help out. He’s the one who helped me find the orb and told me to take the longer route instead of the shorter one, which apparently was filled with traps. I swear, I would have been here a while ago if it wasn’t for having to take that route. I told him Makoto was down here waiting for me. I guess he was concerned about her after what happened at—”
I didn't let him finish, my body jolting in rage as I lifted my fist and punched him so hard his body flew into the air and crashed a few feet away.
I tried to control my breathing, my body now felt like it was burning up. I couldn't ignore the building of power begging for escape— dark flames materialized and reigned around me.
Leo struggled to get on his hands and knees, coughing up blood as his eyes landed on the shattered orb next to him. He looked up; the anger stormed in his eyes, but then flickered with fear as his eyes noticed the dark flames that scorched around me— their rage as strong as mine.
“A knight? You? Do you know what you just committed? Do you know that thanks to you the Princess of Heila is on the verge of death because you couldn’t use that fucking brain of yours and put the dots together? Fuck, Leo! I swear to the gods above if Makoto doesn’t...if she doesn’t survive this ordeal. I. Will. Murder. You. Now, you have five seconds to get out of my sight, or these flames will have their fun with you,” I snarled.
The flames grew stronger as they encircled my body and morphed into a cobra.
Leonardo paled as his jaw dropped, blood stained his teeth. “But...I...can’t go back? You broke the orb,” he began.
“Five.”
“I’ll be a disgrace!”
“Four.”
“I’ll be kicked out! I have nowhere else to go.”
“Three.”
“You’re my friend! You can’t do this. Ryder?”
“Two.”
The cobra rose higher as it opened its mouth to hiss, the black fangs large enough to plunge into his body, which would finish him. I craved for it to finish the deed, to rid him from existence for putting our Princess in danger and risking her life for the second time.
He staggered to his feet before turning and running as fast as his legs would carry him. I let out a frustrated huff, calling off the flames. The cobra cried out, disappointed just like me, but dissolved into smoke at my request.
I let Ryder take control, feeling exhausted from the large use of magic.
~RYDER~
I could sense Marcus approaching me. My eyes lifted as I turned my head to notice the constant change in his aura— alternating with so many emotions I knew he wouldn't be able to resist the need to shift.
“You need to shift,” I acknowledged.
“We don’t have time,” he replied.
“One hour.”
“Ryder.” He tried to argue, but I gave him a stern look.
“One-hour, Marcus. I can’t have you shifting on the transport ship. Let go, burn the fucking place down if you want. Just get yourself in check. You won’t be able to shift again till we get to Heila. Make this moment count. I’ll deal with the headmaster. I’ll meet you at the transport docks.”
I didn't need to wait for his reply. This topic wouldn't be debatable and I didn't have any time to spare arguing. I knew what needed to be done and I would do it right this instant.
“Make sure you get the stools,” Marcus said quietly through our knight bond.
I lifted my hand to wave, hoping it would reassure him that I understood.
I noticed my trembling hand, lifting it to stare at it while it shook uncontrollably. I lifted my other hand, turning it to view the beautiful marking in its purple glory.
I won't give up on you, Mako. The gods won't let us fail. Be strong for me, till I can be by your side and give you strength to fight this battle.
With those thoughts in mind, I made my way to my next destination— the headmaster's office.
I walked into the hollow living room; the sound of my footsteps echoed as I took a long look at the emptiness.
Though we'd only been here for a few rotations, it felt like home, especially since Makoto came into our lives.
I looked at the kitchen island— six stools wrapped up and aligned in a straight line. As I scanned each one, my eyes lingered on Mako's pink stool.
It was only two rotations ago that she stood and laughed at how we had color coded stools at our age. I smiled at the memory— a tear rolling down my cheek.
I hadn't realized I was crying, a chuckle escaped me. Who knew I'd be such a crybaby?
"Mew."
I opened my eyes to see Nightmare sitting next to my feet, those beautiful white tails transitioning to a soft teal. I gave her a smile, kneeling down to pick her up.
"You should be with Mako and not here comforting me," I scolded, laughing as tears rolled down my cheeks while I hugged the familiar.
"Mew..." She rubbed her head against my cheek as I held her, crying my eyes out.
"I believe...I do. I just...I hate to see the woman I love suffer. I hate to see my team fall apart. We've been through so much together and it was nice to finally enjoy a moment of peace. I won't lose my way or cower from my duty. I only need a moment to cry..." I trailed off as I sobbed.
Nightmare purred away, her appearance helping to soothe my agony.
I won't lose my conviction. I'll face this hurdle...we weren't appointed as star knights to lose this battle. I promised I wouldn't give up. I have to face this trial. I won't let the darkness win. In stars we trust.
SOLACE ROTATION, VIII CYCLE 5032 - HEILA
The first thing I heard when my mind began to wake was humming. A soft serenade that reminded me of the nights I'd cry and Mother would come and cradle me in her arms.
The soft melody continued, stopping when I shifted slightly. My mind felt groggy, still exhausted from the lack of sleep.
"Ryder, sweetheart. You awake?"
I thought I imagined it, Mother's lovely voice questioning me. I fought to open my eyes, finally successful on the third time. At first, my vision was blurry, but when it cleared there she was— my beautiful mother whose eyes glittered with relief as she gave me a smile.
"Mother?" I whispered, confused.
"Hello, my son. How are you feeling?" she questioned. I slowly sat up, noticing that I was in my bedroom in Heila.
"How did I get here?" I asked. I didn't remember getting in bed. The last thing I remembered was breaking down in the washroom.
"You locked yourself in the washroom and passed out. Your father had to break the door and had Kade help stabilize you," Mother explained.
I blinked, rubbing my eyes.
"How long have I've been unconscious?" I questioned.
"Two days," she admitted.
My eyes widened as I whipped my head in her direction. Before I could open my mouth, she lifted her hand to silence me.
"Makoto is alive and safe. She's on twenty-four-seven observation and Kai's been staying with her and keeping her distracted. He's helping her cope using painting therapy until she's off bedrest and starts rehab sessions. Daniel is resting, Marcus has checked in and EliaseAnne is having her therapy session as we speak."
I was ready to say something, but I frowned, Mother, having targeted all my fears at once. "I'm sorry," I apologized, sighing.
"Why are you apologizing, son?" she inquired.
"I ran away. I promised myself I wouldn't give up and I'd face any challenges that hit me. Yet, the moment the first challenge hit, I ran. I didn't mean to run off and hide. I just couldn't stand all the emotions hitting me at once and needed space to breathe. Makoto is in so much despair and agony and to see her Mother...I co
uldn't face her. How do you face the Queen of Heila who you swore to bring her daughter home in one piece, but brought her on the edge of death? Now she...may not walk again. I didn't know that she'd dealt with this situation before. I didn't make it a priority to check her entire file and make sure I knew every damn thing about her. I was so overjoyed to have her back in my life that I didn't take my duty seriously," I confessed, rambling all my troubles as my hands clenched the dark purple blanket that covered my legs and lap.
The bed squeaked as my mom shuffled herself to sit next to me. She placed her arm on my shoulders, her hand touched my head as she pulled me to rest my head on her chest.
"Ryder. You haven't run away from your duty as a knight. We know how strong your gift is, and it's difficult to be in these types of situations when there are just too many emotions running wild from all of us. Of course, none of you would have wanted to bring Makoto home in such shape, but you cannot rate yourself as a poor knight. The future had been clear of any misfortunes, and something happened. Can it be fixed? Probably. Will Makoto get through this? Most likely, but she's in a dark place and needs her knights to help her out," Mother lectured.
I lifted my head off her chest to stare into her Tyrian eyes, her words of wisdom sinking in. She smiled, continuing.
"The Princess and your team need their leader to guide them out of this slump. Regardless of whether this was predicted or not, it's time for us to face it and work on turning this negative into a positive. There's always light at the end of the tunnel with every situation. They just need help reaching that point. You think you can handle being their light, my son?" she whispered.
I peered at my left hand— the intricate Celtic marking, my eyes lingering on the rose.
Mako needs me. They all need me. Each of them had been there for me when I was lost. It's time for me to do the same...to help them be found in this poisonous dream we're experiencing. They need salvation and I'll be their cure.
“Have you found your answer?” Stryker asked softly.
I smiled, my conviction only growing stronger and stronger as I remembered his question.
Yes, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
I looked back at Mother, nodding my head in determination.
"I can...no, I will," I affirmed.
She nodded, her face growing serious. "Then, let's get to work."
I knew that this next journey would be a difficult one, with many barriers trying to stop me. But I wasn’t afraid. To be honest, it motivated me to continue forward, my unwavering resolution the push I needed to help my dear friends and the woman I loved.
If this was a trial to test us, we would emerge victoriously. I wouldn't allow anyone to give up. No matter what happened, this would make us stronger, better and give us enough perseverance to reach the light at the end of the tunnel.
No matter what ups and downs we face, may the Starlight gods guide us and protect us.
In stars we trust.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Coming soon…
What do you get when your father’s a centaur and your mother’s a powerful magician?
Turn the page for a sneak peek…
Celestia
Blurb
What do you get when your father’s a centaur and your mother’s a powerful magician?
A unicorn shifter…
You’d think being the only known unicorn shifter in the world would have a few benefits. Like, people treating you kindly or getting special treatment from the council. Not in my case. I'd be lucky to get a piece of bread thrown at me.
My name is Celestia Rainbow, and yes, my last name is fucking Rainbow.
Shifters assume that I’m kind by nature, but trust me: I’m fierce, short-tempered and have the mouth of a sailor. Add in my stealthy fighting skills, advanced magic casting, and swift movement, you’ll soon realize I'm someone you wouldn't want to mess with. But everyone looks at my shifter side— my ditzy, peaceful half, sprinkling magic dust, and on a mission to end world hunger.
Regardless of my dual personality, I’ve sworn to become a huntress at Aslan Academy. Now that I’m of age— my lucky twenty-fifth birthday just happens to coincide with the entrance exams —I’m ready to prove my worth.
Too bad I’m grouped up with six sinful looking men.
Time to prove to my community, classmates and this attractive bunch of weirdos that unicorns can kick ass too.
Prologue
“Oh, look who it is. Ms. Rainbow! Why don’t you cough up some glitter? Haha.”
“I can’t believe she actually thinks unicorns exist.”
“She’s mentally insane. No wonder her mother abandoned her.”
“Obviously. Why else would Edwin be so consumed by his gatekeeper work? I bet he can’t stand her and just drowns himself in work, just so he doesn’t need to deal with her.”
I sighed, putting my hands to my ears as I tried to block out the multiple whispers that reached my overly sensitive ears.
Why wouldn’t they leave me alone? Why did everyone believe I was crazy? All the rumors are wrong. Everything they’re saying is wrong. Mommy didn’t leave me. Daddy doesn’t want to work all the time. Why can’t they understand what I am is truth and not lie. Why?
I opened my tear-filled eyes as I turned around and ran into the forest. I could hear the lingering laughter— the mockery regarding my silent retreat.
It made me wonder why I was still living. Why was I brought into such a world if I had no one to turn to?
I was the only unicorn shifter in my existence, or so the records portrayed. Not like it mattered; no one believed me anyway.
Even with the multiple voices and pointing fingers that were aimed in my direction or the kicks and shoves I received from my multiple enemies, I knew shifting into my unicorn form wouldn’t stop the bullying. No, it would only escalate it.
I promised Daddy I would never show that side of me unless it was to defend myself and train. Only my master could see such a form, and he would train me when the time was right.
But when would the time be right? When would I be able to prove my worth to the society who sees me as nothing but a burden? Breathing alone, was hard enough for many of them, let alone my entire existence.
I continued to walk through the forest as I tried to calm down— allowing my feet to guide me aimlessly. It always ended up this way; retreating back to the only companion I had: nature itself.
I had no friends or relatives. My mom was far away; too far for a simple train ride to see her wondrous smile. My father was a gatekeeper, helping guard the gates of multiple dimensions to various worlds. Such a role was usually a birthright or achieved at a young age.
Yet, my dad was a late bloomer— becoming a gatekeeper when I was six-years-old. Now, I was alone— having to defend myself in this isolated community.
Being different didn’t mean you got treated special. All it resulted in was becoming an outcast.
No matter where I turned, shifters young and old looked and whispered. Some didn’t hesitate to point and laugh. I was the laughing stock of the town, and I would always be, unless I proved myself worthy.
I stopped in my tracks as I felt the first drop of rain fall from the sky. I looked upward; unable to stop my curiosity at the sudden change in weather.
Drip – Drop – Drip – Drop
The specks of water from the sky above began to fall one by one, till it began to pour. I stood still, allowing the cold drops of water to beat my flesh as my eyes pooled with tears.
For a shifter well known to be happy and free, I was nothing compared to such myths.
I was sad...so depressed at my circumstances that I sometimes wondered what was so great about living? My own council, who should cherish my existence, being the first unicorn shifter, discarded me entirely.
As the councilman said right in my father’s face, ‘She is nothing but a mistake.’
I tried to stop the tears from falling down my cheeks, holding back the sobs that
begged to escape— to be heard by anyone willing to listen to my silent plea.
“All I want is a purpose. A meaning in this world. I hate this life. I want to be strong. To not care about what people say. I don’t want to feel such misery anymore. Can’t anyone help me?” I cried to the sky, my hands clenched as I continued to cry, unable to hold back any longer.
I was tired of being pushed and shoved— tired of being hit and abused every day, wherever I turned. I wanted to learn how to fight, to be strong to defend my own.
I didn’t care if they feared me. I was nothing to them, to begin with. I would build my own foundation, a solid barrier around myself so no one could bring me down. I’d prove to the world that I was someone to acknowledge and not cast aside like a piece of trash.
All I needed was someone to help me achieve my ultimate goal.
“Celestia.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, making a slow turn to see the familiar man I’d begged for many years to train me— my father’s best friend and master.
Magnor Rune was a legend— specializing in many arts, combat, and magic for years. His father had lived many generations and had passed down his gained knowledge to Magnor who continued to learn while teaching and training many shifters across the dimensions. He’d settled here in Versa for many years, having trained my father until he was summoned to his gatekeeper duties.
I’d begged Magnor to train me, since I could barely walk, wanting to be like my father and mother who were powerful and respected. He’d denied my request each time, using the excuse I was either too young or inexperienced to begin my training.
One must desire so strongly to become great before they hear their calling. Forcing yourself to achieve those standards will only end with failure.
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