STAGE TWENTY-TWO: WHAT FUTURE CAN WE HOPE FOR?
One week after half of the celestial core has been restored, and Leriouge Aethelmaer has been defeated, Freyja finally woke up from what they feared, would be an eternal rest. Relief overwhelmed the entire palace the moment she finally opened her eyes.
After Freyja collapsed, Reyrah Fiega immediately tended to her injuries, and never left her side until she was finally out of mortal danger.
The Famirth clan, under the leadership of the now official consort Saifer Famirth, worked day and night to restore the damages in Celestia brought by the dimensional cracks.
The damages on the dimensional barriers protecting the balance of the worlds are more serious than they thought. Repairs are being made under the temporary leadership of Reyrah Fiega and the Fiega clan.
The Celestials were wary of the phreinian prince Alyon at first, but soon warmed up to him, seeing him work so hard for his people. Alyon has been going around Celestia the past week. He was tirelessly gathering the phreinians who wish to return to Phrein, arranging for their safe return.
And Alaric, he has been helping Saifer and Reyrah, in preparing for Freyja's official ascension to the throne. Astrid, Aria, Avice, Afra, and Amos, are now walking freely in their human forms, now that the Celestial core has been restored. They occasionally helped with matters of the palace, but for the most part, the five of them stayed beside their sleeping master, calling for her to wake up.
"Lenfiare?" Alaric knocked on the Lenfiare's chambers, and let himself in when he heard her hum. "It's weird when you call me that, Alaric." Freyja laughed. Alaric smiled in relief, seeing her laugh again. Freyja sat by the window pane, her eyes fixed at the bright sky. Seeing he interrupted her deep thoughts, Alaric quietly sat beside her. "You feeling better?"
"Of course!" She grinned. Alaric was worried that she may be forcing herself, but looking at her now, he was relieved to see that she is genuinely feeling better. He could tell.
"What do you think of Celestia?" She asked.
"Well, it's definitely much tougher than I imagined! There are many things that are surprisingly similar back home, and there are other things I never knew existed." Freyja giggled, guessing that Alaric is talking about the strict protocols they made him learn about in the palace. Then, Alaric smiled, looking at the sky. "But, it's very, very beautiful. Thanks for bringing me here, Freyja."
"I promised Keon I'd bring him to Celestia. I wonder what he would have thought?" She pondered, still gazing at the scenery outside her window.
"I'm sure he will see it. I don't know how or when, but I have a feeling he will." Alaric said, not to console her, but it was something he genuinely felt.
"Kirin…" She finally brought him up for the first time, surprising Alaric. She has never said a word about him since she woke up, and Reyrah ordered the attendants to not even mention his name in front of Freyja. Alaric was worried she might break down, but looking at the calm in her face, he was relieved. "Did you know, Alaric? Kirin didn't have much time to live. A year, at most." Her revelation did not surprise him. He heard from the priests about the possible condition of Leriouge. Despite his prodigious skills, he was forced to cage half of the celestial core for over a thousand years. He may not have been using it the way Freyja did, but he is not a member of the Leafen clan. His body is not naturally adapted to handling the power core. Even for Freyja, who is already a Leafen, the core is seeping her life away by the second. How much more for Kirin? Had he not sealed himself, he would have passed away a long time ago. Alaric nodded. "Yes. They said he only had around one year to live. So, why did he have to do those things, I don't understand." He clenched his fists.
"Kirin wanted to be free." Freyja said, with all certainty. "For so, so, so long, he had been keeping all those things, emotions, to himself. He wasn't acting, Alaric. He was being genuine with his feelings." Freyja took a deep breath before continuing. "Finally, he was able to let it all go—the feelings that imprisoned and tortured him for so long. And he was able to do that because he had us. We granted his wish. It was the very first time Kirin became selfish." Freyja felt silent for a minute, before smiling at Alaric, assuring him that she's okay. "I know what he did to you but, can you forgive him?"
Alaric laughed. "I've long forgiven him for that, Freyja." They both giggled. Then, Freya turned her eyes back to the sky, pointing up.
"You know Alaric, when I was young, before I was exiled, my dream was to get out of Celestia and journey to other worlds. I was always locked up in the palace back then, so that was what I wished for more than anything." Freyja remembered how she used to sit on the same spot, and wished badly for escape. "I thought that somewhere out there, things will be different. People will not judge me for a prophecy. So, I wanted to see what's out there."
Alaric fell silent. "And you know Alaric, before we went to Hawsdark, Kirin and I made a wish. And you know what I wished for?"
"To return to Celestia?"
"Nope!" She giggled. "I wished to keep journeying with Kirin forever. With Kirin, and you, and Keon, and everyone." Freyja took a deep breath, fondly remembering that night.
"So, what can you say to your past self?" Alaric asked. "About your adventures?"
Freyja looked at him, and grinned. "It was the best! Someday, I hope we can all be together again."
Hearing her answer warmed Alaric's heart. He wanted to cry, but he held it back. It was an important day after all, he should stand proud.
"Freyja, it's time. You need to face your people. They're waiting for you." Alaric reached out to her. She took his hand. Together, they headed out.
For the first time, Freyja will stand on grand balcony of the palace to face her audience, the people of Celestia. She was very afraid at first, she almost turned her back the last minute. She could still feel their gazes on her when she was younger, and how they despised her. But when she saw Alaric, Alyon, Astrid, Aria, Afra, Avice, and Amos standing behind her, she felt courage defeat the trauma in an instant. "Don't chicken out now." Alaric said, giving her a thumbs up.
"You are the Lenfiare, you need to face them!" Alyon sternly said, crossing his arms. The five guardians smiled at her. Even the poker-faced Astrid gave a rare smile. Freyja couldn't help but notice that and feel blessed.
She took a deep breath and finally, she stepped out. Freyja stood in the very bright balcony where crowds and crowds of people awaited her, looked up to her, eagerly waiting for their new Lenfiare. The moment they saw her clad in traditional robes of the Leafen clan, the people fell quiet not knowing what to expect. Freyja smiled.
"I am Freyja Lenfiare Leafen of Celestia!" She declared, proud and upright, her hands outstretched! The people cheered loudly! They cheered for her, and for the future of Celestia. With her gleaming golden eyes, Freyja faced the people, and declared her determination to get Celestia back on track and make things better for everyone—not just for Celestials, but for those living in other worlds. Freyja called for their unity, and declared reforms that would prevent the Aethelmaer rebellion from happening again.
The first consort, Saifer Famirth and the Famirth clan standing at the front of the crowd, bowed before her. Reyrah Fiega, leader of the royal army, and her esteemed soldiers, all knelt before the new Lenfiare. The sorcerers, the priests, the tutors who taught her in her childhood, even the people she saw from the ground, they all cheered for her. Freyja held back tears, remembering Alfiore Kinju, who she really wished, could see everything.
"I am back!"
THE END
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