"The sages? No, wait!" I cry as the light dims further. "Wait! Why do I have to complete this Star thing, anyway?"
"You will...gain the strength...you need." The light pulses, and it might be just my imagination, but it seems to become stronger and steadier than before. "The power to change Tielos for good, the way I wasn't able to."
"The way...you weren't?" None of this makes sense. "What do you…."
"You'll understand." A strange sadness enters her voice. "When you complete the Star, you'll finally get all the answers you wanted."
All the answers? Including why I have these dreams, why I know these spells? And why Victor doesn't?
But even though she's stopped fading, I sense I still don't have long with her. In that time, I have to get as much information as I can.
"These sages. Who are they? How will they help me?"
"They are the keepers of history. The Star shard you possess should…."
Though she's still speaking, something else tugs at my attention. No – I need to focus on her. But it's like another light has appeared in the abyss, a tiny, twinkling star. Much weaker than her dawn light, yet some part of my soul can't help but want to turn toward it.
I fight it as hard as I can, struggling to focus on my mother's words, but it won't stop tugging. This star, distant as it might be, feels so familiar. Its light is sharp and piercing, like a sword made of diamond.
That's when I realize. This is Zenith.
Mom is still speaking. Telling me important things, things I might never hear again. If I leave now –
But Zenith's light flashes brighter, more urgent. Trying its hardest to reach me across the abyss.
Because he needs me.
"Theo?" Mom's voice flickers like a staticky radio. Her light has died into a dim ember. "What's wrong?"
It's not too late. If I block out all distractions and direct my attention only on her, she'll come into clear focus again. But...but….
Zenith is calling to me.
"I'm sorry, Mom," I say. Regret aches in my soul like a raw wound, but I've already made my decision. "I...I have to go now."
Mom smiles, calm and gentle, before scattering into feathery wisps of light. They drift across the abyss like dust. And then there's nothing at all.
~*~
"ZENITH!"
The scream tore out of Theo's throat. He bolted upright, gulping in desperate breaths of air that for some reason reeked of rotting fish.
Hands grabbed at his shoulders; voices shouted. Theo shook them off and stumbled forward, impatiently wiping some weird sticky slime out of his eyes. Even with it gone, he saw nothing but darkness.
Wait. Just in front of him, a red glow. As he focused on it, he realized it was a spell diagram, and Darian was standing on it. A few hard blinks and he realized she perched at the edge of a rock shelf above an expanse of dark water.
When he saw the water, a sharp knife twisted in Theo's chest. He lurched toward it.
"Theo!" Sam shouted from behind. When her hand closed around his wrist, he shook her off.
"What's going on?" he demanded. His voice came out weak and raspy, but at least it was audible.
"An ulm – some giant monster worm – snatched Sir Zenith," Ryan said, jerking his thumb at the water. "Darian's gonna see if she can get it to come up by shocking the water. So don't get in the way, okay?"
"Theo, come on, should you really be up and about?" Sam insisted.
"Leave this to us," Meg shouted, sweat beading on her forehead and her hands clenched in her fists. Just like Darian, a scarlet diagram blazed beneath her – an elemental spell.
Their voices bounced back and forth, fighting for his attention, but he shoved them all aside. He might not understand everything about the situation, but one thing stood out stark and clear. Zenith was in danger.
Dimly, he felt a faint heat pulsing against his hip. When he plunged his hand into his pocket, he pulled out a shard of crystal. Within its depths, a single point of pink light glowed like a distant star.
Theo squeezed the crystal tight, letting its warmth bathe his fingers. So what if he'd sacrificed his chance to learn more about the Star of Miriel. Right now, he only knew that it had helped him before. Maybe it would help him again.
He closed his eyes and reached for his Levia. The dawn light raced to meet him, eager as a lost child reuniting with its parent. He grabbed hold of it just as eagerly and directed it toward the water.
He wasn't afraid. Compared to the abyss, this darkness was nothing. It didn't take long for him to pinpoint the white star, flashing defiantly even as it sank into the depths.
The moment his Levia reached Zenith's, a whirl of confusing sensations slammed into him. Frothing water, cold as ice. Sharp teeth digging into armor, trapping his sword arm.
Panic swelled in Theo's throat, but rushed away when he heard Zenith's voice through the bond. 'Theo?'
'It's me, Zenith. I'm here.' But before he could say more, light flashed behind his shut eyelids and a tremendous boom sent him stumbling backward.
Theo fought with all his might against the urge to open his eyes – if he did, his connection to Zenith might snap. Anyway, he already knew what had happened. As lightning bolts lashed through the water, the ulm writhed in agony but only tightened his grip on Zenith. Theo could feel the armor creaking and groaning beneath its teeth, the desperation rushing through Zenith's Levia.
All of a sudden the lightning died, leaving behind only the smell of ozone. He heard the dull thud of knees hitting stone, then Darian gasping for breath.
"No, dammit – again – "
"Are you sure?" Meg said. "Your body might not – "
"Look, let's just have Avia blast it! That should take care of any ulms easy!"
"And Zenith too, while you're at it! Do you ever use your brain?"
More meaningless chatter. As the ulm plunged deeper, intent on dragging Zenith to the bottom of the Sunless Sea, Theo squeezed the crystal until his entire arm went numb. Let it all fall aside – his body, his mind, his mounting panic. All that mattered was the dawn light glowing in his core.
'I'm coming for you, Zenith. You're not alone anymore.'
Though Zenith didn't reply with words, his Levia surged. Its stark light swept in waves through Theo's body, chasing away all fear and doubt. Until now, he hadn't realized how much he'd missed it.
The diagram slid into his mind with liquid ease – a basic strengthening spell. But imbued with all the Levia he could muster, not to mention the Star of Miriel's power, it blazed like the sun itself.
The spell bloomed around Zenith, flooding the depths with unfamiliar warmth and light. Beneath the sudden assault, the ulm thrashed in alarm. Its grip loosened on Zenith – just a fraction, but enough for him to finally move his arm.
And now with Theo's Levia coursing through him, he had the strength to fight back. With a single hard yank, he tugged his arm free and slashed his sword. An arc of dawn light sliced through the darkness, shredding the ulm's soft body into ribbons.
Zenith wasn't done. Pointing his sword, he rocketed toward the surface. Aglow with both his and Theo's Levia, he was like a shooting star in the night. As he tore through the water, the power throbbed within him at the same rhythm as Theo's racing heartbeat.
A splash echoed in Theo's ears, followed by a spray of icy water. Theo stumbled backward, eyes flying wide open. Just in time to see Zenith soaring above him, soaked to the skin but an exhilarated smile shining on his face.
Joy swelled within Theo, crushing his breath. He lurched forward at the same time that Zenith hit the ground with a resounding crash. Theo winced, but Zenith quickly hauled himself to one knee.
He gasped for breath, drenched hair clinging to his face. But he was still smiling, and when he lifted his head, his azure eyes pierced Theo's heart like an arrow. Somehow, it felt like years had passed since he'd last seen them.
"Zenith," he whispered, tears stinging his eyes. "Sorry...sorry to keep you waiting."
"I never doubted you would come," Zenith said quietly.
That did it for Theo. A sob broke free and he flung himself into Zenith's arms. The knight's wet armor was freezing cold, but he didn't give a damn.
When Zenith's hand stroked his hair, soft and hesitant, his heart flipped upside down. He couldn't remember Zenith ever touching him like this before.
But too soon, the hand retreated. Theo's confusion mounted when Zenith held it before his face, examining the slime coating his fingers. "By the way, when did this get on you?"
"Uh." Theo blinked.
"Yeah, about that…." Sam ambled over with her arms behind her head, and for the first time Theo noticed the slime gunking up her clothes too. "It's kind of a long story."