Legend of the Phoenix

3. Lake of Stars

Thanks to Ghost, they found their new room with relative ease. He scanned the door with his blue light before explaining, "Now only you can open the door. Well, plus anyone you give permission to as well."

She stepped inside to get a better look. It was a small room, not nearly as large as the Vanguard room, but she supposed that was because she was new. If she wanted a better room she'd have to work up the ranks in the Tower.

The walls were mostly a light grey with black accents, with holographic screens adorning them and showcasing various paintings that changed every so often. There was a bathroom with sink, toilet, and shower through one door, and kitchen appliances stood opposite to a bedroom space with a bed and nightstand.

All in all, it wasn't much, but that hardly mattered to the tired Exo.

She undressed quickly, leaving only the grey pants she wore underneath her armor for comfort and slipped into the bed. She saw Ghost rest on the nightstand by a digital clock, and fell asleep almost instantly.

Her dream was vivid, and if it weren't for the fact that the Tower was nowhere to be seen, Xira would've assumed it was real.

She stood out on the edge of a mountain overlooking a lake, only this lake was different than any other she's remembered. Instead of water, the lake held stars; she could see entire galaxies contained within the shores of the lake, which seemed to go down forever below her.

"Careful, don't want you to fall in," said a voice behind her. She turned to see a man with his face half-hidden by a scarf and wearing an old, patched longcoat.

"What happens if I do?" Xira asked.

"You'll become a part of the universe," he answered. "Or perhaps one of the core fundamentals of reality will become you."

She wasn't satisfied with that answer, but no other questions entered her mind except for: "What's down there?"

"The universe." He waved a hand and suddenly we were standing close to the edge of the lake. The air turned warm as what must've been hundreds upon thousands of stars combusting and expanding all at once underneath the surface.

"The cycle of the universe," the stranger said. He gestured over the lake. "Life, death, and rebirth. Stars are born from nebulae, and when they die, they're remade into that from which they were born. The universe continues on in the light of these stars.

"No matter the weight of the darkness surrounding it, the star lives on, burning its fuel until it dies as the cycle continues. The light from as much as one tiny dwarf star is enough to keep the cycle alive, to allow for the future births of new stars, of new galaxies, even." He turned to face Xira directly.

"Remember your fate, little star. Remember your future."