(UNDER HEAVY EDITING!!) Stellar Serenade: Cosmic Connections

Chapter 21: Nocturnis

The temple, towering into the astral heights, stands as an oversized monolith of celestial architecture. Its celestial spires reach towards the astral heavens, casting long shadows that dance with astral energy.

The temple's once pristine surfaces now bear the celestial taint of shadows. An astral darkness clings to the celestial stones, imbuing the structure with an otherworldly, velvety obscurity. It's as if the astral shadows have woven themselves into the very fabric of the temple.

As one approaches the temple, hushed whispers, like celestial secrets escaping into the astral air, become audible. These whispers carry the echoes of the astral unknown, revealing fragments of celestial knowledge and astral mysteries that have long been concealed within the temple's celestial embrace.

Celestial glyphs, imbued with the astral essence of seclusion, adorn the temple's walls. These astral symbols act as celestial wards, safeguarding the temple's astral sanctity from unwelcome intrusions. The astral glyphs seem to pulsate with celestial energy, warding off those who seek to unravel the temple's astral mysteries.

The temple exudes a celestial aura of enigma, inviting only those attuned to the astral frequencies of the celestial unknown. It stands as a celestial repository of astral wisdom, guarded by the shadows that weave through its celestial corridors and the whispers that resonate within its astral chambers.

"Are you are this is the done thing, Umbra?" The shadows whispered. "There is no done thing in this world. Not in my world. Not when the right... feels so wrong" Umbra said, his British accented voice carries a celestial timbre, a rich and resonant quality that echoes softly. The  cadence of Nocturnis', or Umbra's voice is akin to ethereal darkness, smooth and velvety with what felt like endless depth, There's a sense of authority in Umbra's voice, a commanding presence that demands attention. He said the last three words with a celestial crescendo of astral passion, each utterance is accompanied by calling echoes that mirror the astral landscapes of his internal world.

"Once I end every last, annoying- meddling elder spirit... I'll finally have peace of mind." Umbra said. The echoes of his voice shaking the branches of the old temple he's hiding out in. "Finally the shadows won't be rejected by those egotistic light-loving little-" 

"I think you're going a bit too far" A shadow whimpered. "FAR?! You think this is far?! Give me the power of the freaking sun and I'LL SHOW YOU FAR." Umbra- Lunal- Who?-  screeched, his body unwillingly gesturing to a large burn on his arm. "Well- you did kill that girl's mother. Imagine what she's feeling right now?" The shadows said. "What girl? There's another spirit?! There's somebody to replace the deity of the sun?!" Umbra panicked. "Yeah- You didn't know?! When you attacked the prison facility with us, you didn't get Luminara, you got some old man" The shadows laugh. 

"Where are your eyes?! You made me kill some man I don't care about! The mortal realm can go throw themselves into the sea of stars, let them be burn away by a freaking dragon's sneeze for all I care. But now that there's an heir to the dominant star, I'll have to go kill another spirit again. Wait- What did you say her name was?" Umbra said. "Uhh..." The spirit hesitated. "It's just some random girl she won't matter at all. Not like you know her or anything..." The spirit mumbled.

 "Ah. Luminara. I remember her. I was a young boy at the time, sitting in the celestial guardian. She tried to use her light to cure me of Lunal's selfish life-eating curse. Though it only made you pigs hungrier, and now she's forgotten me. I do remember the nice times we had together while we were kids" Umbra sighed, resting his head against a pillar.

"I didn't even??" The spirit mumbled. "You didn't even need to. We're connected, dear king of the shadows. If your connected to the shadows, and I'm connected to you... Well I know everything." Umbra chuckled, small flickers of what he once was. "Your a monster, a power benevolent sociopathic-"

"Puh-lease! Don't act like you only noticed now. I want to clear the celestial realms into a thin unblemished slate. No imperfections, just the shadows... and glory" Lunal- Umbra laughed. "I can't believe we have to work with this guy" The king of shadows grumbled. 

"Oh believe. And believe well" Umbra said. 

Umbra walked through the ruins, lining the walls with the tips of his fingers. He entered the room of which the map was placed. He leaned against the map. The second map embraces a  monochrome palette, painted in shades of astral black and pure white. The stark contrast creates a slowly dying elegance that highlights the divine details etched upon its surface.

Delicate golden embroidery adorns the celestial contours of the map, tracing astral paths and angelic ley lines with impeccable precision. Each golden thread weaves a celestial narrative, accentuating the astral interconnectedness of the celestial realms.

Across the celestial expanse of the map, strategically placed shadows manifest as eerie symbols of intrigue. These astral shadows cast by unseen otherworldly forces hint at the astral complexities that lie beneath the surface of the celestial realms, adding an air of awaiting mystery to the map.

Points of celestial interest, marked with astral significance, are highlighted in a radiant rich gold. These highlights draw attention to key astral locations, divine nexuses, and pivotal astral events that shape the tapestry of the astral narrative.

Angelic glyphs, resembling ancient symbols of celestial wisdom, are scattered across the celestial landscape of the map. Embroidered in shimmering gold, these astral glyphs hold the hidden keys to unlocking the divine secrets hidden within the celestial realms. 

Umbra stabbed a dagger into the corner of the map, ripping the label. 

"I'm coming for you Luminara. Im coming for you She-Whom-Unnamed." Lunal's words hissed through his body. He didn't want to do any of this, he didn't want to kill any of those people- wait who the heck is She-Whom-Unnamed? All he knew was that he wanted to find Luminara again, see her again, speak to her again, hear her voice again-  

Touch her again.

"Time for a little reunion" Umbra's voice said with Lunal's words.