Once again, Theo stood in front of that plain door at the base of the mountain. His heart pounded a mad, insistent beat, but he did his best to swallow his nerves. He had made the choice, after all.
Behind him, all his friends were watching. "You got this, Theo!" Sam called, while Fia enthusiastically waved both arms.
Meg, meanwhile, folded her arms and frowned a little. "Are you sure about this? It's only been a day."
"No shame if you wipe out again. Just call me in!" Ryan declared, thumping his chest. This of course earned him a smack on the head from Sam, which set off a tide of indignant shouting in response.
Theo blocked out the noise as he stepped toward the door. At least Cay wasn't around to contribute some snide jibes of his own.
Then again, nothing he said could compare to the doubts swirling around inside Theo's own head. Maybe he really was jumping the gun. He'd only just come up with his reason this morning, and who knew if it'd be strong enough. The Star core might just see it as another variation of 'protecting my friends.'
Well, Theo would never know if he didn't try. And though the decision might have been sudden, it didn't feel like a whim. More like a...culmination. Of his resolve from last night, of his conversation with Zenith this morning, even of the things Oren had told him.
Elder Tabitt turned toward him with a warm smile. "Are you ready, young wizard?"
Now or never. Theo nodded.
"Theo." At the sound of Darian's voice, Theo turned around. The prince was gazing at him with serious dark eyes. "I don't know what reason you've decided on, but I'm sure it's a good one. I have faith in you."
"Thank you." Theo swallowed down a tide of strange, hot emotions. For some reason, he found himself remembering the last time she had spoken those words to him, when they'd formed their contract to save Zenith from Oliver. He almost felt like he was plunging through her Levia again, that night sky glittering with stars. So similar to the Star of Miriel's, yet so different too.
Zenith had said it wasn't just her Levia that had drawn him to her. Even if just a little bit, Theo felt like he understood.
A hand on his shoulder made him jump. Looking up, he gazed into his familiar's face.
Zenith didn't say anything, just nodded solemnly. But that was more than enough for Theo.
With a click, Tabitt unlocked the door. Theo took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold.
Once again, he entered that small, plain room with the Star core floating in the center. It remained dark and dim, its Levia silent, as he pulled out the shard from his pocket.
This time, he only had to hold up the shard. The next thing he knew, the floor rushed away beneath him and he found himself floating through an endless night sky.
It didn't take long before the shadow appeared in front of him, her hair billowing like storm clouds. 'You have returned.'
As before, her Levia ached with sorrow. It rushed over Theo like a tidal wave, icy and smothering.
No. He wouldn't let it overwhelm him. Not before he said his piece.
'I've found my reason.'
'Have you?' Doubt clouded the shadow's Levia, darkened the night sky. 'Then tell me. What is your wish? For what reason do you fight? For what reason do you want power?'
'You were right about some things,' Theo said. 'I didn't understand the full meaning of holding that kind of power in my hand. And to be honest, I still don't. And I...I don't totally understand the situation in Tielos either. Fighting for Prince Darian, helping her take her throne – I just can't picture what that looks like.'
It hurt to admit his ignorance, but he couldn't lie either. The Star core would see right through it if he did.
She remained silent. A good sign or a bad sign, he couldn't say. No choice but to keep on going.
'But there's something I do understand. And it's my feelings for the person I love.'
'The person you love,' the shadow repeated. Theo couldn't read her tone at all, but it didn't matter. Right now, he cared much less about what she thought than about putting his own feelings into words.
'From the moment we met, I've always admired him.' He thought of how he'd first seen Zenith, a literal knight in shining armor. Cape billowing behind him, hair flashing in the sunlight. Day by day, bit by bit, he'd gotten to know Zenith better as a person, not just that storybook knight. He'd seen sides of Zenith that were gentle, adorable, nerdy. And confused, and anguished. Even furious.
But through it all, Theo had never stopped admiring him. Over time, that admiration had bloomed into something far stronger. 'I wanted to reach him. To close the distance between us, to know him completely.
'At first, it was just for my own sake. But now...it's different. Now, I know he has a dream – a dream he's willing to fight for, to give up everything for. And I've decided: if I love him, then I'll help him make it come true.
'Even if he never returns my feelings. Even if he never looks at me the way I want him to. I'll never stop loving him, and this is how I'll show my love. Not for my sake, but for his.'
So he said, but he had no illusions it'd be easy. It wasn't as if the physical side of his feelings would magically go away. He'd still burn with the desire to kiss Zenith, still suffer from all sorts of embarrassing dreams. And he'd probably never silence the part of his lizard brain that seethed with jealousy every time Zenith smiled at Darian.
Maybe he couldn't stop it, but he could choose whether he acted on it or not. As long as he remembered what it truly meant to love.
So Theo steeled himself, focusing all his Levia – all his resolve – on the shadow before him.
'Zenith's dream is my dream. The Tielos he wants to create is the Tielos I want to create. So that's why I need the power of the Star of Miriel.'
For a while, the shadow stared at him in utter silence. Though he couldn't see her face, he felt the full force of her attention, piercing like hundreds of needles. It took all his effort not to recoil away, and it only became harder the longer she stared. Her Levia deepened with every passing second, slowly smothering his own flickering light….
No. He couldn't give up, not here, not now. Remember why he was here, who he was doing this for. The joy, the passion in Zenith's voice as he spoke about his dream.
Just when Theo thought it might tear him into pieces, the pressure lightened. And it might have been his imagination, but the stars in the sky seemed to twinkle a little bit brighter.
'For the one you love,' the shadow said. Her soft, solemn voice thrummed through his soul.
Then her Levia surged. The night sky expanded in every direction, swallowing everything – the shadow, the stars, and even Theo himself. He made a last-ditch effort at shoring up his Levia, but it was no use. The pink light fizzled into nothing beneath the crushing darkness.
The next thing he knew, he hit the floor hard on his back, jarring his shoulder. The pain brought tears to his eyes.
Gasping for breath, he dug his elbows into the hard stone and hauled himself upright. His heart slammed into his ribcage like it wanted to burst free, and not a single muscle didn't ache.
But in his hands, something felt strangely warm. Soothing, even. Theo looked down, and his heart shot all the way up into his throat.
A crystal rested in his cupped hands, glowing with soft blue light. It had the shape of a pentagonal prism, four of its facets rough and jagged, while a long, triangular point extended from the last one.
Like this, now he truly understood how the Star of Miriel had gotten its name. All it needed were the other four points.
The realization hit him like a brick to the chest. The Star of Miriel. This wasn't the shard he'd carried all this time, nor was it the core that had tested him. This was...this was….
Overwhelmed, Theo pressed the Star to his chest. Some part of him wanted to break down sobbing, while another part wanted to burst into laughter. All he could feel was the crystal's warm Levia, pulsing at the same rhythm as his heartbeat.
The shadow was gone, but he thought he heard the echo of her voice. 'For the one you love.'
Theo opened his mouth, but what came out wasn't a sob or a laugh. Instead, it was a whisper so quiet it barely stirred the air.
"Thank you."