Floating Stars

Chapter 33: Next Steps

Astrid found herself standing amongst black swirling smoke. The inky air around her was so dense that she couldn't tell whether she was outside in a wide open space or inside a cramped prison cell - whichever it was she felt claustrophobic all the same.

"Hello?" she called out to the nothingness that pressed in on her from all sides. "Where am I?"

Suddenly a faceless, cloaked figure emerged from the twisting coils of the suffocating blackness. Astrid couldn't understand how she could witness such a thing when all that was there was darkness. She missed the light.

"You know where you are, my child," the figure said as it took slow strides towards her.

Astrid looked around. Everywhere she turned, it looked the same. The lack of familiarity made her dizzy, but she knew deep down where it was that she found herself. She planted her feet on the strange, sturdy surface that she stood on and clenched her fists. It had been years since she fought anybody, but she found her fighting stance easily. It was as if it was always there, waiting patiently underneath her skin. She faced the figure with the most dangerous look that she could muster.

"Get out of my head!" she growled through gritted teeth.

The sound of Noir-Astra's sneering laugh pierced through her, causing her to release her tensed muscles.

"That will not be happening, you are mine and we have a lot of work to do." The figure reached out a bony hand towards her. Astrid stood up straight from her crouched fighting stance and took a step back.

"I won't be doing anything with you."

"You have no choice, my child."

"Stop calling me that! I am not yours! I never will be yours!" Astrid yelled at the ominous figure before trying to feel her way through the darkness for a possible escape. Noir-Astra then flew at her and took her face into his claw-like fingers.

"You are mine! I created you and you have let me in!"

Astrid fought against him, but no matter how much she struggled, his grip on her only got stronger.

"Let go of me!" she spat. She couldn't understand where her courage was coming from. All she knew was that she had to fight her way out. She had her moment of weakness, which opened a door into her mind. He was right. She did let him in. That didn't mean she couldn't kick him out again.

"Yield, Child of Noir, yield!" Astrid could sense Noir-Astra's anger rising as she refused to stop pulling against him. A hot wetness trickled down her face, yet she still fought.

"Never! I will not yield to you!" she shouted back and as those words left her heaving chest she suddenly saw a flurry of a violet light at the corner of her eye.

She then knew what she must do - where her escape was. She had to run towards that light. She knew in her heart that was her only chance. With quick thinking, she calmed herself and pretended to succumb to Noir-Astra's power. She looked deep within the emptiness of the cloaked figure's non-existent face and stopped fighting.

"There you are, was that so hard?" he said condescendingly, whilst loosening his grip. "Now come, work with me, be my obedient child."

Astrid, made sure to move fast. She shook her head then darted towards the violet, floating stars. When she reached them, the sound of Noir-Astra's angry scream melted away and light flooded her vision.

Astrid blinked and let the colours of the world that she longed to see again take over her senses. She let out a relieved sigh and looked at her surroundings. She saw countless unfamiliar trees standing around her.