Upon a Star

	Stella was sitting at the table in her castle's library, reading up on the lore of Etro. She swore she knew all there was to know of the matter, but after having a dream the other night about a mysterious dark haired boy, she began to have her doubts. She peered up from her book to see her father walking in and saw the look of shock on his face as she was reading the same book that he figured she must have read a hundred times.
	“Haven't you read that one enough times already? We have other books, you know.”
	“Yes, I know, lord father. But it doesn't hurt to brush up every now and then,” she grinned with her palm over her mouth. Her smile was said to be the pride of the Fleuret family, and indeed, it warmed her father's heart every time to see her with the radiant smile of her.
	He grinned as well. “Alright, then, just don't spend too much time on it. You still have other duties.” He picked up a book, then walked away, only to turn around as he left the room. “Make sure to  make room for fencing practice, yes?”
	She stood up and took a bow. “Yes, m'lord father.”
	He laughed. “Must you be so formal in our own home?”
	Stella Nox Fleuret's younger sister, Lunafreya, had always wanted to play with her. Despite them being around the same age, Stella was just a bit older and wiser, yet that made all the difference. She was very protective of her family, especially her sister. The two would practice fencing together and she'd teach Luna many things about the world around her.
	With the ongoing war, it was important that she protect the life of her younger sister at all costs. It seemed that at any moment, disaster could strike.

	The two met at the field behind their home for fencing practice. Stella's prize rapier was in full view whereas Luna merely held a fencing sword for practice.
	“Dodge!”
	“Parry!”
	Luckily, they were both wearing protective gear. It seemed as if Luna still had a lot to learn before she could properly defend herself.
	They took a quick break and sat down.
	“I worry about you, sister,” Stella leaned over.
	“Big sis, I promise that one day I'll be strong like you,” Luna replied in her soft, but frail voice.
	Stella looked mournful upon hearing that. “Don't say that...”
	“Why not?”
	“The state of the world isn't pretty, I'm afraid. You have to understand that there may come a time where I cannot protect you.”
	“That's why I gotta be strong like you!”
	She nodded. “Strong, yes. But not like me. We aren't strong in the same ways. You must understand that that is not a bad thing. Promise me if anything happens to me that you will carry on.”
	“I-I promise, big sis.”
	Stella reached over to hug Luna. “That's what I wanted to hear. Now are you ready for round two?”
	“Yes!” She grinned.
	“Very well, be on your guard.”
	After they finished their practice, Stella and Luna both returned to their separate rooms and waited to be called for supper.
	Supper never came.
	A knock was heard outside, which at first led Stella to believe that someone was knocking on her door. No, she thought. One of the servants would have announced themselves if that was the case. She peered outside from out her window and saw smoke. Something is seriously wrong here. She bolted out her room and raced toward where Luna's room was. I must protect her at all costs.
	She slammed her fists against her sister's door. “Luna! Are you there? Luna!” But heard no answer. She barged in only to cough as the room was filled with dark smoke. Oh no. Luna.
	“LUNA! ARE YOU THERE?”
	From around the corner ran her sister.
	“Sister, there you are! What's going on out there, where is our lord father?”
	She shook her head. “I cannot say, but I fear for the worst. We have to get out of here and to safety.”
	“But...where is safety?”
	I would like to know the answer to that question as well, Stella thought, but dared not say.
	“Come on, we can take shelter underground!”
	Another BANG as an explosion hit from outside, pieces of the castle falling each way revealing the light, or rather, the darkness from outside as smoke poured in. They ran as quick as they could down the stairs, unable to see any trace of anyone else.
	It was as if a fireball had hit, as the stairs below them collapsed on themselves, leaving a large gap to which Luna nearly fell below.
	Stella grabbed Luna's hand. “Trust me, sister.”
	Luna nodded, although still afraid.
	Stella put a protective barrier around them and jumped down as far as they could as another explosion hit right behind them. Although they were protected and narrowly made it past the rubble behind them, the shock caused them to fall.
	“Come on, we need to get up, we can't falter.”
	Despite the barrier seemingly having protected them, they were both bruised badly, and Stella didn't have the energy at the moment to raise another magic shield for her sister. She had to be her shield.
	They were almost down to the basement now and the two could see from outside. The whole city is in flames. This truly is the end. Stella felt like weeping, but dared not do it in front of her sister.
	“Sister, remember what I told you just earlier?”
	“Yes, sister.”
	“Good,” Stella nodded. “Continue to remember that,” She said as an explosion hit them both dead on. Stella sensed it fast enough to push Luna down the basement, into shelter and safety, but not without several burns to her body and her dress.
	“Sister, NOOOOOOOO!” Luna screamed.
	But it was too late to call out. The castle had caved in on itself with Luna not being able to see anything above.
	Lunafreya wasn't as safe as her sister would have wanted her to believe, however. More barrages fell down and the basement ceiling was collapsing on itself. She was having trouble finding any place to avoid the rubble. She fell over and a stone block fell on her legs, causing her to yell out in the process. It appeared as if it would be her time to go as well.

	Lunafreya Nox Fleuret awoke with broken pieces of stone tile above her. She struggled to pick herself up, her body aching. It felt as if at least a good few bones in her body were broken, and her body burned. Yet she recalled being so close to dying. Still, she thanked the goddess Etro and wondered, if I'm still alive, then maybe my sister too...
	She struggled, barely able to pick herself up, but got to her feet, watching as the sky was snowing with ash and watching the bleak scenery of a city in flames. Who could have done this?
	There was no time to keep wondering these things, she did her best to look around for her sister, digging up rubble and hoping that somehow, her protector was still alive.
	There were no traces of her nor her body, yet when she looked up at the sky, she could see something else besides the falling ash. A different kind of white. White lights rising. It reminded her of the stories Stella would tell her about how when a soul departs, it departs for the gate of Etro. She hoped that she could see her sister one day, but even more so, that she could be strong, and survive for her sister.
	“I have to be strong,” she told herself. “Even if it's in my own way.” She limped on, her body aching and in multiple forms of pain.