A WAR AMONGST THE STARS

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

It is a mix of sun and its darkest shade. Unlike before, his shadows come forth, tiny flecks of purple crystals blending with my many gold flakes of dust and bright radiance.

Poisoned by this swirling, delicate twister of enchanting air that he slithers around, I am swept up in the pleasant current of his constricting, yet endearing embrace. And then he moves through, spinning and locking onto to the most intimate parts of me. My light. My grace.

Like folded fingers, our energies grasp in what I can only describe as one hand locking hold. It is a dance of light amongst darkness. The perfect Ying and Yang to two opposite yet equally beautiful energies.

"I feel you," I speak in awe beneath the deafening whooshing noise of the air being pulled from the room.

A warm hug, his shadows bind to every tendril of light I cast, its hold so tender, so sweet, I can't help but to feel soothed, comforted by the darkness of his touch. Relinquished of all that pains, all that burdens, I feel reborn, I feel new. Is it his strength I feel within, or is it my own? I don't know, but what I do know is, never have I felt more alive, more awakened than I do in this very moment.

I gaze out the now halfway open door. "I'm going to suffocate," I state, my voice a faint whisper in the airless wind.

Nolance turns my head, having me stare directly into those bright violet eyes. "No, you will not! Breathe it in! Adapt to it! Now!" he urgently demands.

At this point, I have no choice but to listen. So, I take a breath. A big one. "Huhhh!" I deeply inhale. My glowing eyes close and I sigh. A peaceful, exhilarating sigh.

"Another!" he shouts beyond the noise.

I smile. Another deep breath in. Another deep breath out. Again, I sigh, my lungs filling with a coolness and energy that somehow seems to both revive and bless me with even more power than I already know. Power. I am breathing in power. I am breathing in the stars.

"Now open your eyes, Serena," his gentle voice speaks.

I open my eyes and— "Nolance!" Frightened, I cling to him as if he were a lifeline keeping me from floating away and for the life of me, I don't dare let go.

He chuckles but never does he loosen his hold of me. No, he only wraps his arms further around, holding me as close as we've ever been.

"Oh no. I just lost my heels," I whine after they slip from my feet and wander far. After a moment, I turn to face him and when I do, I gasp. There. Holding me is not the tan, horned alien I knew before but now an illuminating, dark purple, cosmic celestial in the most exquisite form I've ever seen. The universe. His skin is made of the active universe.

Countless blinking constellations, shooting stars, planets, nebulas, clusters... all that encompasses these dark skies, he embodies it all. Nolance is all. He is the darkness of space that surrounds the light. He is—he is a god, and his crown... a halo of the brightest of orbiting rings and stars.

Holy mother of God. "Nolance. Your skin... it's—you are so beautiful." So much so, I think I might cry.

He glances down, bites his bottom lip, and then stares up at me, his smile a bashful yet breathtaking sight. "If you could only see the way I see you, you'd be just as overwhelmed."

I blush, glowing a little brighter.

Night and day. Light amongst darkness. It is one thing to know what I am but to witness my complete opposite... I can't believe that I have the honor.

We're hovering, just outside, to the right and above the massive spaceship which seems to be moving in a slow-motion state of travel. Did time freeze or are we moving fast? I don't know physics. I don't know a lot of things considering I never finished my home schooling, but what I do know is, I am at a loss for words, as words cannot describe this—wondrous moment.