Sea of Stars | neteyam sully

chapter 30: brightest star

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Neteyam was numb. Nothing in the world could bring his dragonfly back. He'd come to love her so much these past months. He'd learned how much she adored the stars, how she loved the forest and how her ikran didn't really have a name. She kept calling him "boy" and it pretty much stuck.

He was lost without her. He reached the spirit tree. His mind was still focused on the fact that her body was being cleaned by his parents right now. Tuk couldn't stop crying.

He dove down, attaching his queue to the tree and closing his eyes.

The moment he saw her again, tears welled up in his eyes. She was right in front of him. It was the first day they watched the stars together on the sand.

She turned to him, frowning as she tilted her head. 'Why are you crying?'

'I'm just so lost without you.' He sobbed, not even able to look at her.

'You will be okay, Neteyam. It is only a matter of time before we will be together again.'

He was silent.

Ikariya's hand suddenly found its way to his wet cheek. 'Keep an eye on Lo'ak. You both need each other.' Ikariya told him, wiping away a few tears with her thumb.

'I see you, Ikariya. I didn't have the time to tell you but I see you. I see all of you.' He held onto the hand that she placed on his cheek. He clutched it like she could disappear any second.

'I know, Neteyam. I heard you.' She smiled. A single teardrop fell from her eye.

He sighed, trying to blink away his tears. 'I will never forget you.'

'You better.' Ikariya laughed. It reminded him of old Ikariya. The one that always had a smile on her face. No one could wipe it off. Not even death.

It was silent for a few seconds.

'Take my body home, will you?' She asked him, rubbing her thumb on his cheek.

He slowly nodded. 'Anything for you, my dragonfly.'

They gave each other one last hug, putting their foreheads together.

'I will see you soon. Go home now.' Ikariya spoke softly. He deserved to go home. After everything that happened.

He nodded before she slowly dissolved in his hands. 'No!' He yelled out, trying to collect the fog that formed her a couple of seconds ago.

But she was gone.

☆彡

'She wants us to take her body home.' Neteyam spoke as his family looked up. 'I want to go home.' He said, inhaling heavily.

Jake nodded, walking up to him. 'Okay.'

Neteyam walked out, slowly making his way over to her wrapped up body. He looked down at her. She seemed so fragile, like she was made of glass.

He heard footsteps behind him as he turned around.

Lo'ak couldn't even look into his brother's eyes. He hadn't said a word to him yet. He felt so guilty. 'Brother, I am so sorry. This is all my fault.' Lo'ak broke down, falling to his knees as tears ran down his face. 'I should've never even insisted on going to find Spider. I—'

'Lo'ak.' Neteyam stopped him, making him look up at him. Neteyam crouched down, putting his hand on Lo'ak's neck. 'I see you, brother. It is not your fault. It was all her, she was brave. Her strong heart got the best of her. She would do anything to save us.' Tears formed in his eyes as well.

Lo'ak sighed. 'Fuck. The last thing I told her was that I couldn't see her anymore. Now she's gone. I miss her so much. She was my sunshine, the only person besides you guys to see me for who I am. Not calling me a freak or a monster when she first found me in the forest. She was my friend immediately and I was so happy. And now she's gone.' He cried.

'Remember, she's watching over us. She'll always be around. Wether you like it or not.' Neteyam chuckled through his cries as Lo'ak nodded. 'This is hard on both of us, we'll get through this together.'

They stayed with her for a couple of hours, watching the sun set as this was their last sunset together with Ikariya.

☆彡

She wanted to be buried in the forest, and that's exactly what they did. A beautiful ceremony took place. Neteyam watched as her mother cried. He saw how hard it was on Lo'ak, seeing his best friend get buried in the ground.

They only borrow the energy, it must always be given back.

Her mother sang her song chord. It was a beautiful melody. Just as beautiful as her. It fit her perfectly.

It was dark already, stars glistening in the depth of the night.

Neteyam looked up, an eyebrow raising as he noticed a star that wasn't there before. It was the brightest one of the bunch, glowing like no star had ever glowed before.

He immediately knew it was her. She was shining above them, looking over them.

Ikariya had always been the brightest star.