The adrenaline coursing throughout my body soon dwindled, and I fell on my back staring up at the sky.
From there, I noticed a faint shimmer coming from the sky.
My Star, it was shining down on me.
Quiet resonance twinkled into my soul as I felt something start to open up in my mind.
Faint twists in the air surrounded me as I came to a subtle realization about my power. I wasn't feeling the movements, but instead I was feeling the space around the movements.
As if I was reading space around me.
I also realized that I wasn't just reading it, but also wielding it, subtly willing myself around space. The reason I was faster, sharper, and more agile wasn't just my movements, but my subconscious will manipulating the force of gravity and air resistance.
Motes of light suddenly started drifting from the skin of the stag, gliding through the air in the direction of my star.
As they left, I also noticed that darker, deeper motes were coming down towards me. Small blue lights falling from the sky like stars raining from the sky.
They spun in the air, circling me before fading into my skin.
I felt as if I was watching a transaction of life between my star and the world around me.
Energy pooled under my skin as each mote sank deeper into my body, pooling into a small ball along the cusp of my spine.
The world grew cold. My thoughts, heavier.
Exhaustion settled in like fog, creeping behind my eyes.
I fought it long enough to crawl beneath the makeshift canopy I'd built from the tree roots, a hollow pocket of earth and shadow.
There, with the smell of moss and blood still clinging to my hands, I let the weight pull me under.
Above the stars
Along the river of stars, a small rowboat drifted through space, its oars moving soundlessly against the current of light.
A woman sat within it, her face lit by the galaxies below. She watched the constellations with the detached boredom of someone who had seen eternity too many times.
Beside her sat the same man who had sent Jay here.
"So you've selected one," she said, incredulous, the corner of her mouth lifting.
"I have no idea what you mean." The man's smile was thin, amused. "That boy wasn't chosen by me. He was simply a lost soul who needed guidance." His gaze met hers, unblinking. "And you and I both know I cannot choose a Starborn as my heritor."
"Hmph." She turned away, her fingers trailing in the stream of light beneath them. "Still… to bond with that star. It's been a long time." Her voice softened, almost wistful. "He does resemble him a little."
"Do not speak of that man." His tone cut through the silence, firm and cold. "He abandoned our duty. He has no right to exist within our thoughts."
The woman studied him quietly, her expression unreadable, something like pity flickering behind her eyes.
"…Alright then, Izak."
Crrshck.
The crack of the fire echoed in the forest, and little embers drifted into the dark like floating sparks of memory.
Sitting against the wind, I watched the flame with excruciating accuracy, not just using my eyes but also my perception to feel around it, counting the weightless change in my mind.
The sizzling of foxbat meat soon reared its head. I was always a man of my word, when I awoke and saw them trying to steal my prey…
Well, what's done is done.
A lot has changed since I fell asleep, my mind feels more alert and conscious, like I was reborn in a way. My thoughts are less about confusion and more about my next meal, my next hunt.
The foxbat meat was stringy and gamey, tasting more like victory than food.
As I laid backwards, watching the flame die out in my mind, coals slowly dimming from the wind.
As the cold air surrounded me, I tried to recall the feeling of the flame, the heat, the same heat that saved me that first night.
It was then that I felt it, a small bubble floating within my body, filled to the brim with glowing motes of starlight.
I willed it into the rest of my body, the warm feeling coating my skin once again.
I felt free, light, like I was existing just above the plane of reality.
Then a cold wave of reality washed over my face. I could feel it now, the presence of something way above my pay grade.
A starch Howl echoed within the sky above me, twisting in depth.
Following it, dozens, no, hundreds of similar howls echoed.
It had only been a day since I woke up, but I was already thrust back into the coldness of reality.
I stammered to my feet, collecting the makeshift spear I made with the stag's horns.
I felt it, the thing that made those noises, it was closing in.
In a split-second decision, I left, not because I was scared of the thing, no, I felt that if I were to fight now, I would only end up inviting more things to fight me in my home.
The world blurred around me as I left, using the warmth pooling into my skin to force my legs through the air.
I sprinted towards the beach, where I first arrived, gliding between the trees like a leaf along the current of the wind.
The pitter-patter of steps flurried in the back of my head as I counted the creatures following me.
6, no, 7 of them.
Sand was soon crunching under my feet as I made my way to the edge of the coast, not fully visible in front of me.
As I broke the tree line, I felt a stutter in their steps, like they were unsure if following me was a good idea, but they still came.
Standing on the edge of the water, I turned to face whatever was behind me, and upon noticing their figures, I instantly regretted it.
Wolves, massive wolves. Ones the size of small cars.
Their eyes were blue and black, obsidian fur glistening in the light of the setting sun.
They seemed cautious of approaching me, like getting any closer would be a mistake.
It was here that I should've noticed something was off in the air, I should've run.
But you can only have room for regrets when something bad happens.
I felt the water coiling at my ankles slowly descend, but never return. I felt as the water seeped farther and farther back.
With a curious glance, I peeked behind me.
I really wish I didn't.
Along the surface of the water stood three large bumps. Along them, scales of varying colors and shines coiled, marking it with a pearlescent rainbow of color.
I watched as more and more of the creature was visible, the entire vicinity of water slowly revealing what was hiding in its depths.
The wolves who were once hot on my trail hurriedly sped away, not wanting to get caught up in whatever was about to go down.
All I could do was watch as the head of the beast reared out from the surface, with a mystical and almost human quality about its eyes.
Sometimes in life, you have moments where you look back on them and question why the universe put you into this situation, why couldn't I live a decent, mundane life?
Little One, No need for such existential thoughts.
A voice, old and tender, echoed along the edge of my brain.
It has been a long time since a god sent a traveller to our small grounds. Please allow me to know the name of the starbound.
Thoughts thundered around my head, none taking enough precedence to gain an answer.
What was this thing? How could it speak? Why isn't it eating me? What's a Starbound?
The beast, as if reading my thoughts, aired his own.
I see this will be a long conversation, hold on, little one.
I watched as the larger-than-life snake slowly transformed into a small water snake.
Now, the snake echoed again, this time a little quieter. Tell me your name, Starborn.
I hesitated for a moment, but it rang in my head. Was I a starborn because a star chose me?
"My name is Jay," I stared back, unsure of myself. "If you could be so kind, Mr. Benevolent Snake. Could you explain what a starborn is?"
The snake pondered my eyes for a moment, then, as if noticing something impossible, its eyes started to widen.