When Stars Fall(The Last Star trilogy #3)
Chapter 15

Tristan Capricorn

The jewels in the necklace caught the Starlight coming through the rips in the tent, shooting light in my eyes. I hadn’t taken it out of it’s box ever since I got it from the jeweller. A Star pendant encrusted with diamonds and purple-zircons dangled from a thin gold chain, it was supposed to be her birthday gift but she probably celebrated it by herself. The accessory sat on a white silky cushion, placed in a box which was the size of my palm. I closed the box and hid it away in my bag, every time I looked at it I thought of Belle.

My legs ached from all the exercising. Thanks Phoenix, I thought. She did say we would thank her for the difficult obstacles.

Lewis and Nathan looked like they might actually cry after they returned from the training area. Anthony had offered to give another class on Astral Travel given that Phoenix had already thaught Amara how to and she was helping others. Lyra had become a mute, not to mention she wasn’t eating or behaving normally. I guess she was paranoid and cautious. Anthony and Lewis explained everything to me but when they pulled out research books I declined. My Sign was burning, at some point I almost went unconscious when I touched it. Stargazing was exertion and Capricorn felt strange lately, as if something was amiss.

I lay on my back with my head resting on my hands, Lewis snored next to me and Nathan massaged his legs, mumbling curses in Latin and Greek. Anthony stepped in moments later and clapped his hands to get us active.

“Five more minutes,” Lewis complained, clutching his bag on which he lay his head.

Anthony sighed, forcing a smile. “Yes, the greatest lie ever told.”

I laughed but the other two didn’t replace it amusing.

“Nathan,” Anthony said to him. “It’s your turn today.”

Nathan looked like he might throw up, which he could have if it weren’t for Anthony who gave him a motivational speech while I tried to rouse Lewis. He kept slapped me away or whining like an infant. Honestly, I felt bad for his mom who had to deal with him for eighteen years. Anthony and Nathan had sat down next to each other and continued talking. Nathan’s face was bright red and his blonde-brown hair had curled on his head, he looked weaker than usual and his under eyes were dark. Anthony had wrinkles on his forehead and yawned every once in a while, his light brown hair greasy like the rest of ours’.

“He’s not waking up, guys,” I said.

“How much could he sleep?” Anthony complained. “I’m living off eight hours of sleep.”

“That’s not bad at all,” Nathan said as soon as he did the Math.

Anthony’s eyes narrowed. “Eight hours, in the past week.” Nathan’s mouth formed an O shape.

Nathan grinned as if he had just had a revelation. “Hey, look, it’s Raelynn!” he said with joy. Lewis’ eyes snapped open, he sat up quickly, running fingers through his messy hair.

“Where? Do I look okay?” he said groggily. “I don’t see her anywhere.” He squinted, his face looking flat without his glasses. I handed them to him.

“Still nothing,” he complained.

“She’ll come around,” I said, slapping him on the back. Lewis pushed me away.

“Just leave me alone,” he said, sniffing. We had all been irritable since the bombing. Phoenix more than others, she angry-cried and demanded we attack already.

“Lewis, you need to learn this,” I insisted.

“What are you going to do if I don’t? Make Phoenix hit me with rocks until my bones break?” he challenged.

Nathan and Anthony broke out laughing. The day of the bombing we felt an earthquake as the after effects, we got confirmation when we saw fire burning in Crimsyn State from a distance. After she finished crying, Phoenix broke off a three branch by throwing heavy rocks at it. I gave up on Lewis and stepped away while Anthony coached Nathan while he lay on his back, arms folded and eyes closed. He winced and might have cried. His breathing went from normal to heavy to slow and back to normal. This repeated until he gasped awake.

“That. Was. So. Cool.” He beamed. “I wanna go again.”

I laughed. “It’s Astral Travel not an amusement park ride,” I told.

“But it’s good that you enjoyed it,” Anthony added. “Try again if you want.”

“This time we back away,” Anthony pulled me to the corner of the tent as Nathan went out again. It wasn’t hard to do, some say it’s because it’s already in our genes we just need to perfect it, like learning how to talk or walk. Anthony kept glancing between Nathan and his wrist watch. He had made a chart with scores: how long we were in the Astral Projection. I took ten minutes, Anthony made it to twenty-five, Lewis got in till five and Nathan’s first time had been for seven minutes. Now he was taking much longer than usual.

“Should he be in the projection that long?” I said as quietly as I could.

“He can be there as long as it doesn’t exert him too much,” Anthony said, eyes fixated on Nathan as we watched from the sidelines. The only sound was the ticking of the clock and muffled conversations in the distance, Nathan’s breathing and Lewis’ slow snores. I glanced at Anthony’s watch: five minutes passed, then ten, then twenty, then thirty!

“Are you sure he hasn’t passed out?” I asked in a low voice. Then I had a thought and nearly gasped. “Or passed away?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Anthony demanded. “You can’t die in the Astral World. However, if you die during the Astral Projection, for example: if you have a heart attack or are killed, then your soul will automatically return to your body and...”

“And?” I chided.

“Well...” He gulped. “You die.”

Alfred walked in, about to say something but he closed his mouth when his eyes fell on Nathan. He turned to us in the corner.

“Sleeping or Travelling?” he asked, kneeling down.

“Travelling,” we both answered in unison.

Alfred seemed relieved. “For a minute I thought he was dead,” he said, then his mouth fell open. “Are you sure he isn’t dying?”

We nodded simultaneously.

“Are you sure this one isn’t dying?” Alfred got up and shaked Lewis, he didn’t even move. “Or is dead?” he added as he sat down next to us.

Anthony pressed his lips together and I held back my laughter. Nathan’s eyes opened slowly and he sat up, we rushed over to him.

“How long was I in there?” he asked Anthony, who looked like Nathan had single handedly defeated an entire army.

“What is it?” I asked, Alfred had a furrow between his brows.

“That was half an hour,” Anthony said, mouth agape. I clapped for Nathan who looked surprised, Alfred scribbled it down on the sheet of paper.

“How did you do that?” Anthony wondered.

“It felt calming and it was easy so...I just did it!” Nathan shrugged as if it was nothing. I went next which felt like living without carrying any body weight. I was light and relaxed. My image was white-blue like a Star Spirit’s. I was walking in the sky with the Constellations up close, I stayed in Capricorn which had turned from its usual yellow-orange to bright red for some reason. I reached out to touch Deneb Algedi, the largest Star of Capricorn and my hand went right through which felt like touching flame.

I sat up wincing, with a burning hand. The Sign on my wrist felt like it was crawling on my skin, my hand red and swollen but it recovered quickly.

“I got burned,” I said after they gave me questioning looks. I continued, “By a Star.”

“Which one?” Anthony asked, I could tell that there were imaginary gears turning in his head. I thought hard whether to lie or not. I didn’t want to sound stupid and say that my own Constellation burned me.

“I probably wasn’t thinking, it was another Star maybe. Not from Capricorn.” I nodded.

Alfred sighed out of disappointment. “Tristan, you have to be careful,” he scolded. “Especially now since half the population was wiped out because their Constellation got stolen. It’s getting dangerous for us to Stargaze.”

He lowered his head, “Which is why we are temporarily banning Stargazing and the use of Star Stones in Crimsyn State,” he added. The three of us got to our feet and spoke in unison: “Say what?”

“It’s for your own good,” he said.

“Who’s idea was this?” Nathan asked, horrified.

Alfred looked at us. “Hellen and-” We didn’t let him finish. The three of us ran out of the tent and to the centre of camp where a crowd had gathered, surrounding Hellen who was sweating and huffing with her grey hair plastered to her forehead.

“I guess we’re not the only ones upset about the Stargazing restriction,” Nathan whispered to me.

“Are you here to protest?” Phoenix asked, her arms crossed, black glossy hair curtained around her face, dressed in silver and black as usual.

“Yes,” I answered.

“There’s no point.” She clicked her tongue. “Once Hellen makes a decision there’s not stopping her, besides she did it for a reason.”

“What is that?” a new voice spoke. I turned to replace Lewis, fresh and awake.

“Good morning, Sagittarius,” Phoenix greeted with a mock smile. “I should say Snoring Sagittarius.”

Lewis grunted and Phoenix turned away and watched Hellen struggle as people yelled at her in protest. After Alfred failed to calm everyone, Phoenix stood on top of a log, which provided enough height for her to tower over everyone, her voice boomed: “Quiet!”

A few shuddered and stepped back in fear.

“You imbeciles!” Her face red with anger. A few guys snickered and cursed at her but she made them wet their pants by staring daggers at them and, her speciality, screaming.

“Shut up!” When they ran off a few clapped for Phoenix, she cleared her throat and turned to Hellen.

“Proceed,” she smiled and got down. Raelynn shook her head, smiling at Phoenix. Amara clutched Lyra as if she was trying to glue her to herself.

“Thank you, Phoenix.” Hellen sighed, stepping forward. “I know you are not happy with my decision but I did it for everyone’s safety and their own good. We will Stargaze again but until we win this war there will be no Celestial Manipulation or the use of Star Stones. There is a risk of losing your Constellation, therefore: your life so I suggest you obey the rules.”

“How are we supposed to win a war if we can’t use our Constellations?” one person asked.

“The old fashioned way,” Alfred answered.

“Yes, that’s exactly why we have you training so hard,” Hellen added. Her face was emotionless. Everyone started complaining as if a child would complain about having his devices taken away and being forced to play outdoors. Hellen huffed and dragged herself to the tent, irritated and annoyed. Some guys had picked an argument with Amara. Teasing her and confronting her about the bombing.

“It-it wasn’t my fault,” she stammered. Lyra stood in the shadows. I slowly approached them with Nathan, Lewis and Anthony behind me. Phoenix and Raelynn watched with worry.

“Your uncle and father support Jaxon, they offered them weapons and an alliance,” a tall muscular guy spat. Amara looked like she might cry, tears glistened in her eyes. To my surprise, Nathan blocked Amara from those bullies.

“Leave her alone,” he said through his teeth.

“He’s a goner,” Phoenix decided.

“Then you do something,” Lewis retorted. Phoenix grunted but sided with Nathan.

“It’s not her fault,” she spoke. “She’s on our side.”

“I think we have double agents here,” the guy said, laughing wickedly. I clenched my fists and pulled Lewis over there. Anthony and Raelynn followed, even Lyra looked like she suddenly had the confidence to throw a punch. Phoenix cursed and spat in his face which made him punch her in the gut, instead of tumbling back she slapped him. The bruise across his face grew purple suddenly.

Another one of the bullies spoke up, a girl, “People are dead because of you!” She pushed past us and kicked Amara to her knees, she sobbed.

“Leave her alone,” I demanded.

“Did her family leave us alone?” another one said.

“You’re going to pay for this, Aries!” the guy who Phoenix had slapped said as he rubbed his hands together, his Constellations, a minor one, glowed above him. That’s when I realized the chain of Star Stones dangling from his neck, they glowed white and silver. Raelynn and Lyra helped up Amara, she was defenseless. If a stone even touched her flesh she would die in seconds.

“Get lost, you idiot!” Phoenix kicked the guy in the place the Stars don’t shine. He groaned and fell to his knees. He started screaming, his Constellation turning red, as if it were burning up. The guy convulsed, he screamed in agony and rolled up his sleeve with difficulty, his Sign was stinging him no doubt. His friends tried to help him and it got crowded so I couldn’t see his Sign well enough to identify his Constellation. Lewis answered my question without me even asking.

“He’s losing his Constellation,” he told. My mouth fell open. Everything that Hellen said was running through my mind.

“Get help!” one of his friend’s cried out.

“There’s no helping him now,” Phoenix breathed and told us to step back. We did so. Lyra started breathing heavily and covered her face with her hands, falling to the ground. Phoenix put and arm around Raelynn as we watched the Constellation above lose it’s Stars, they came down falling with their Celestial Energy erupting in gold and silver, that energy got sucked into Hydra, as it grew stronger. The guy’s eyes flooded with stardust as it left his blood and gathered in his eyeballs, he vomited watery blood as he fell on his face.

Amara sobbed, Nathan put an arm around her and let her cry into his shoulder. Raelynn shed a few tears. His friends mourned, we told Hellen and Alfred. His body was sent to Crimsyn State, they had a graveyard there, he would be buried with his Star Stones. Everyone didn’t dare to even look at their Constellations after that. Amara and Raelynn stopped crying eventually, but none of us could erase the memory of a lifeless body with diluted blood dripping from his mouth stardust making his eyes golden and silver.

“It still would’ve happened,” Nathan said suddenly. It was dark and none of us could sleep.

“Huh?” Lewis groaned, his head popping from under the sheets.

“He was destined to die today,” Nathan went on, staring at the ceiling of the tent.

“What’s your point, buddy?” Anthony lay next to Nathan and he sat up.

“Even if he wouldn’t have manipulated his Constellation today to charge his Star Stones against Amara, he still would’ve died.” Nathan finished. “There’s nothing we could’ve done. It was his fate, that’s how much life the Stars wrote for him.”

He turned to face us. “It’s nobody’s fault. Nobody is to be blamed.” He started talking really fast, not to mention his eyes glistened and he didn’t blink as he clutched his chest now sitting up. “Amara shouldn’t feel guilty.”