Daughter of Light

Thirty years feels so long to a youth; forty appears ancient, withering, and archaic. What happens when a lifetime passes? We forget what once was, who once was, and the memories slip through the porous fibers of our remembrance. Now, three lifetimes pass… what do we do now? That was the same question I asked myself everyday high atop my exalted position. I am ageless and timeless like my mother and father, who remain as beautiful and youthful as they were at age thirty. I am only twenty, but feel the pangs of my specious immortality. Nothing is happening; everything is too peaceful. However, I do not understand what price was paid for the peace I scornfully enjoy.

Thirty years have passed since the second Great War, and the galaxy I call home has enjoyed a jubilant golden age. The dark planet, Pluto, beams with golden light that emanates from its very surface and repels all manner of dark creatures to maintain its brilliant rebirth. The great statue of the protector god, Uronis, casts a rare shadow on the polished steps leading into the main hall of the Plutonian Palace, but I do not notice the dancing and watchful eyes of the god, for I do not understand its significance despite my mother’s tutelage and constant reprimands.

You must know where you come from, how much it took to get things to where they are.

But I don’t care. Your past does not interest me, nor do your self-righteous speeches.

I spend less time at home and escape constantly to my Aunt Loghanna’s ebony throne room. However, Loghanna will not allow me to speak reproachfully about my mother. They are not blood sisters, but have an eternal bond in the memories they share and the power they hold.

“Your mother loves you, sweetheart,” Loghanna would whisper to me.

“But I don’t care. She doesn’t know how hard it is being like this… having to endure all of this,” I sobbed.

“We all understood the task appointed to us, and we gladly accepted our fate in the reorganization of our world.”

“But your fate is not mine.”

Loghanna lowered her eyes, as if to stifle my rude behavior. “No, it is not your fate, but you must play the hand you are dealt.”

“What does that mean?”

“Old habits die hard,” Loghanna said in a hushed voice. No one says that anymore.

“I still don’t understand.”

“We must all accept things we cannot change; the remainder of the Chosen power did what was necessary to protect the Universe and to help safeguard it should another try to destroy it.”

All this doesn’t concern me. No one understands me…

Leaving Aunt Loghanna to her thoughts, I ran out of the throne room to sit quietly on the lowest porch of the palace. The high-backed chairs jutted out of the tiled floor as if they bubbled up out of gleaming glass. My back was hurting from leaning on the hard throne, so the plush chairs gave my achy exterior some relief.

The day was the same as it was always: bright, clear, and warm: perpetual spring. Whatever my parents did to help this planet must have worked not only in the mere elemental settings, but the entire population is perpetually happy. Even Aunt Loghanna cannot contain herself even though her mother died last year. She took her mother’s death in stride, but I knew if I lost my mother… I do not even want to think about it. Mom was too powerful to be destroyed; she was one of the most powerful Regents in the entire Milky Way Region. No one could destroy her.

The fresh air could do with some pollution to make it more exciting. Everything on each planet was too clean for its own good. I knew Mom would not want me to, but the tomes she kept locked away were too juicy to be kept secret from everyone. Things were so different in Mom and Dad’s time. They were not so ecologically friendly like they are now; times change, Mom whispers when I ask her questions. I suppose she does not want to offend the omnipotent Earth Council…

“Your Highness,” a page bowed next to my chair. “The Regent is departing for Venus in a short time, and she would like you to be ready for your journey home.”

She’s sending me back? How dare she!

“Very well,” I said. “Tell my aunt that I can be ready at any time.”

The page lowered his eyes, “Yes, your Highness,” and strode off.

The voyage back to my home was not at all pleasant. Aunt Loghanna barely spoke a word to me. I hoped I had not offended her, for I wanted to come back and visit. Despite Pluto’s irritatingly happy aura, I enjoyed going to visit. Getting away from Venus and going to any other planet was sheer bliss.

After an hour in the starship, The Raven, we entered Venus’ paper-thin atmosphere as the sun was setting. Venus was glowing even more radiantly than Pluto ever boasted. The purples and reds of the dying sunlight blended into the colors of the wine served in the palace. The few clouds in the sky glinted with flecks of orange and rosy red: not that I did not think it was beautiful, this was about all Venus had to offer me.

The ship finally docked in the hanger bay inside the palace. Loghanna stood up, and without waiting for me, glided toward the door. Even the pilot, who had glanced back briefly noted silently the Regent’s cold attitude toward me. Not wanting to show how hurt I was, I followed Loghanna’s swift action, made my way out of the ship, and immediately fled to my room where no one could follow. However, before I could reach my room, a thought occurred to me: Aunt Loghanna, more than likely, would go to talk to Mom and Dad about me, which I had heard her doing a few times before. Maybe, if I got to Mom and Dad first, she might keep her mouth shut this time.

I jetted through the corridors of the spacious palace, passing guards and staff, whose baffled looks were lost in my wake. I made it to the council room doors, which were guarded by two of our best guards, which meant that Mom, Dad, and Aunt Loghanna were already in there. Stealthily, I crept past the lazy guards, who proceeded to drift in and out of consciousness as they stood in the cool hallway. When they both bobbed their heads together, I slipped in the entryway adjacent the council room. The entryway opened up into a narrow bridge between the open council room, which Mom kept protected by Venusian technology coupled with magic. I wish I could have inherited some of the power she possessed, but no magical blood was in me. However, I could hear them talking in rather raised voices; it almost sounded as though they were arguing. I hid between the stone slits in the entryway and eavesdropped: something I had gotten exceptionally good at.

“You can’t be serious!” Mom yelled at Aunt Loghanna.

“The signs are right. I am sure of it,” she replied calmly despite my mother’s red face.

“You’re mistaken, Logan!” Dad shouted, his temper rising like Mom’s. “She can’t do what you ask.”

“As I recall, Xavior, you understood what my mother said before she died and were in complete agreement with her dying wish.”

“But Viviann can’t do it!” Mom screamed. My name. The room shook abruptly, but Mom’s anger dissipated with Logan’s darkening face.

“Nel, I don’t want Viviann to do it either, but unlike us, she has no choice. She must go before the Earth Council.”

The Earth Council, I thought. What do they want?

Mom’s face fell in fright. Dad pulled his arms around her shoulders and soothed her with whispered words. I always cringed in disgust when he did that, but now, I understood slightly why he did it as much as he did. I even felt nervous, but I was far more nervous than even I would admit to myself.

Finally, Mom lifted her face from her wet hands, her august face in shambles and streaked with tears. Dad leaned in closer to Mom, who looked as though she might disintegrate if she moved too quickly.

“What must she do?” Mom uttered regrettably.

Aunt Loghanna stood up, seeing what her news had done, and hugged Mom tightly. What she said to her, I don’t know, but Mom seemed calmer after Aunt Loghanna sat back down. Dad tilted back to his normal sitting position and stretched his stiffened arms.

“Viviann must appear before the Earth Council and be given her assignment. As you both know, Mother was the last surviving seer of the original Earth Council, and her final vision was… alarming.”

“What was her final vision?” Dad asked anticipatorily.

“She saw Viviann wreathed in a dark flame as she awoke the First Dark.”

“But our daughter does not possess any magical powers. We’ve checked her ourselves. There should be no reason for her to even possess dark powers,” Mom said. Now, I started to get even more nervous. I shifted uncomfortably, and I felt Mom’s eyes shoot up toward where I was. She finally withdrew her fleeting gaze and concentrated on Aunt Loghanna.

“You don’t know that,” Aunt Loghanna said. “We didn’t possess any powers either until the keys unlocked them for us. Maybe the same applies to her. After all, she is a daughter of two Chosen Ones.”

“Quiet, Logan,” Xavior warned. “We can’t talk about that here.”

“And why not?” Aunt Loghanna asked. “Has the almighty Earth Council forgotten that they achieved all they hold dear because of the Chosen Ones? Has Nora blinded you as well as the Council?”

“Shut up, Logan,” Mom snapped. “You know as well as I do that Nora hasn’t brainwashed anyone. She is in a very important position with the Council, and she is doing all she can to maintain order.”

“Nel, don’t be blindsided by her. I know she’s your aunt, but you must see through this guise she had constructed around herself. Have you forgotten her past?”

This was becoming even more intriguing as the minutes wore on.

“Have you forgotten yours?” Mom retorted. “You haven’t always been the cheery person you are today. I remember how you were back when we were… well, you know.”

Aunt Loghanna raised herself so fast that her chair tipped over and clanged to the floor. My heart began to beat faster. I hoped they didn’t start another argument, but it was so hard to understand what they were talking about: Chosen Ones, Aunt Nora, my assignment. How did it all tie in?

“Yes, my past is not as clean and white as I would have liked it, but I have kept my people safe as I grew older and more mature. Nora, however, has let her position go to her head. As High Enchantress of Earth, she has the obligation to oversee Earth’s activities, but she has over-extended her reach. She has political power in almost all the planets, except for Pluto and Neptune.”

“Well, you know Alex,” Mom said snidely.

Aunt Loghanna almost shot back, but she kept her mouth shut.

“But don’t you see…”

“Logan, we’ve heard enough of this. I can’t stand to hear you insult Nora like this. I think you are letting your status go to your head. I think it’s best you go,” Mom said curtly.

Clearly, Aunt Loghanna was hurt, for her head drooped as did her tender black hair, “Very well.”

“I’ll escort you out, Logan,” Xavior offered awkwardly.

“That won’t be necessary,” Aunt Loghanna waved her hand. “I know where the door is.”

She swept to the doors, and the guards swung them open for her and bowed. Before she left the room, though, she turned quickly, a single silver strand of hair fluttering across her face, and said, “Remember: she has only a week. She must go soon.” And without another word, she flitted out of the room.