The Lores of Lyra - Rising Star
Lion's Den

Someone shook Annabell awake. Groaning heavily, she attempted to swat at the other person.

“Thank god you’re alive!” Joshua sounded out of breath. Carefully, she opened her eyes to see a couple of eyes filled with anxiety above her. Pushing him away, she sat up.

“What happened?” she asked and scanned the area. They were on a small patch of land right beside a streaming river. The sunlight fell on the water, causing shimmers to eject all over. Mesmerized by the beauty, she rocked back and forth on the spot.

“We fell down a waterfall. When I woke up, we were here. Solem, you almost gave me a heart attack. How can you even lie so still?” Joshua stood up, running both his hands through his hair.

Ignoring his question, she looked up with a frown. “We are far away from the coast now.”

“I know. Astral Falls ends in the Astron River, which goes through the whole country. We could be anywhere,” Joshua said. Scratching his head, he tried to look around the area.

He looks so lost, she thought.

A movement caught Annabell’s eyes, reacting instantly she jumped to her legs.

“Joshua … Something is there.” She pointed towards it. With wide eyes, they stared as a giant white Star lion erupted from the bushes. Backing up slowly, Annabell got ready to sprint away. The Star lion’s magnificent head tilted slightly as he looked at them. His eyes were pitch black.

“I think he wants something,” Joshua whispered and took a careful step back. The Lion growled, flashing its deadly jaws at him until Joshua stepped forward again. The animal turned around, looking back at them, and moved his head in a motioning movement.

“Do you think that … he wants us to follow him?” Annabell asked as she looked at the waiting lion.

Joshua took a cautious step towards the lion. The giant creature followed him with his eyes but made no sound. Annabell slowly followed, and after three steps, the Lion began to walk. The two of them shared a confused look before they started to follow the mythical creature further into the land.

“So, where do you think he’s leading us?” Annabell asked.

“I honestly have no idea. Normally Star lions don’t go anywhere near humans,” Joshua said. His eyes were glued to the animal in front of them. She looked between the boy and the animal. He was frowning, and the animal was walking in a steady pace. The white shimmered with every movement—it was almost blinding. The long mane covered half of the back, and the tail swung heavily from side to side.

The myth of the Star Lions was common knowledge. Protectors of the land, bearer of all things magical—they were said to be extinct. Annabell had never believed their existence, and now—as she was walking right behind one—all she could think of was how she wished she could reach out and run her fingers through the hairs on the mane.

So beautiful… And it looks so soft!

“Can you tell me something more about your father, while we walk then?” Annabell asked, fighting the intensifying urge to touch the lion.

“I guess I can. What do you want to know?”

“How did he die?” Annabell asked. She had been wondering about this.

“He was murdered. He was on an impossible mission for the Elders, and never returned,” Joshua said, his voice tainted with bitterness.

“Didn’t they tell you what happened?”

“No, my mom just got a stupid letter telling her that the love of her life was gone. I mean, how inhumane can these people be? She cried for days straight, and when she finally stopped crying, she became like a zombie. It was horrible.” Joshua looked at the ground. He held back a large branch for her to walk through, and as she passed him, she wished she could say something to comfort him.

He looks so sad…

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she muttered.

“You know, you aren’t a rude as before,” Joshua said. Annabell looked back at him with surprise, but didn’t answer.

He continued, “I mean… it’s easier to tell you about my father than I thought it would be.”

She turned around to face him. Walking backwards was easier when the trail wasn’t covered with vines and branches.

“I guess I am stuck with you, and you finally started giving me some answers, instead of just dragging me along.” She met his eyes and shrugged slightly. His brow furrowed.

“I didn’t just drag you along!”

“Really? What do you call it then?” She turned around, facing forward again as she noticed the Lion looking back at them.

“I saved your life!” Joshua exclaimed.

“I would have found a way out of there sooner or later,” Annabell said and quickened her pace. She reached the Lion, who fell into step with her. The heat that radiated from the massive animal’s corpus was pleasant, and she wanted nothing more than to lean into it and bury her head in the fur.

Annabell stretched out her hand in a slow motion, not daring to blink. The memory of the terrifying set of teeth was enough to make her tremble—she didn’t want to lose a hand.

“Can I?” she asked in a soft tone. The Lion reacted to her voice and leaned his head down in front of the hand. Hesitating, she ran her hands through the mane, enjoying the feeling of the soft hairs between her fingers. She gasped as she brushed the ear and felt how soft the fur was.

“You’re so beautiful,” she murmured as she placed her head on the back, and felt the heat on her cheeks. A serene feeling spread inside her, and the pain from her wounds along with her exhaustion lifted. She hadn’t noticed how much it was slowing her down up until then.

The animal made a pleasing sound—similar to a purr. She was amazed at how calm it was. Star Lions was rumored to be wild beasts, only stepping in to protect the leading Stars. They could snatch a human apart in less than a second if they desired—according to the myths at least.

Joshua cleared his throat, and she snapped out of her mesmerized thoughts to look at him. He pointed ahead, and the Lion began walking again. Not knowing what to say after that, both Annabell and Joshua stayed silent as they once again followed the lion, side by side.

The Lion led them to a clearing in the forest.

Annabell counted two lionesses and three baby lions that tumbled around in the grass. The white fur of the cubs seemed to sparkle even more in the light than their father. Their guide plopped down in the shadow of the tree and looked at them expectantly.

“Okay, I think we are relatively safe here. We might as well get some rest,” Joshua said to her while glancing at the lion. He plopped down in the shadow, and motioned to Annabell to do the same. She sat between him and the lion, and smiled to herself, when Joshua let out a breath of relief.

Wuss… she thought.

Her stomach rumbled, and the lion’s ears reacted.

“Dammit, sorry Annabell, I didn’t give you anything to strengthen you, last night,” Joshua apologized before repeatedly smacking his forehead. It was hilarious to watch, and Annabell pouted slightly when he noticed her watching, causing him to immediately stop.

“Ehm… So, I just have some bread and cheese with me. I had hoped to go around the coast and maybe buy something from the houses along there,” he admitted and took his blue bag. Reaching into it, he took out the provisions.

They ate in silence, Annabell noticed that Joshua was tense, and honestly, she was surprised that she wasn’t. The lionesses kept their distance, but the lion cubs tumbled backwards and dared to move closer occasionally. Their guiding lion closed his eyes and looked calm. She had to restrain from reaching out and petting him once again.

“What’s the plan after here then?” she asked Joshua in an attempt of thinking of something else than the white fur that felt like heaven between her fingers.

“I still have to take you to your sister; the problem is, I don’t know exactly where we are,” Joshua answered after swallowing the last bite of his food. His eyes skipped around. They sat in silence, enjoying the gentle breeze of the wind against their faces.

“They are so beautiful,” Annabell said and gestured to the Star lions.

“Did you know that they are truly one of the most magical creatures in Astron?” Joshua asked.

Her gaze didn’t leave the animals, and no emotions were shown on her face.

“You might have wondered how I knocked out the guards back there. I actually used something called lion dust. It’s the dust from the tail of a male star lion. Their body contains so much magic that it transforms ordinary dust into something much stronger.” Annabell looked at him, fascinated by his tale.

“And even that, isn’t the most fantastic about this animal. These were said to be the protectors of the five stars in the old days. Their whole essence is divine—and some people will pay a fortune for one—making them almost extinct. It’s rare that people find a sanctuary like this.” He looked around.

The opening was surrounded by trees and bushes. Fresh green leaves rustled in the wind, and the sky above them was baby blue.

“This seems like a piece of Heaven,” Annabell said with an exaggerated sigh.

“Tell me about it—it would be easy to just stay here, away from everything.” Joshua leaned back against the large tree.

“I know, right?” Annabell’s excited voice was almost a squeal, startling one of the cubs that had neared her.

“Sorry, little one,” she cooed, reaching her hand towards the little white animal. With caution, it dared to go near her again. The small cub purred and rubbed against her hand, lying down in front of her, expecting to be nuzzled. The Star lion had opened his eyes and was watching them.

“It’s weird though—they are so watchful of humans normally. I’ve never heard of anything like that being possible before,” he said.

She just hummed as a response.

“Do you want to try?” she suddenly asked. He looked at her with a surprised look plastered on his face.

“What? They’ll bite me!” he exclaimed.

“No, they won’t, come here.” She patted beside her. All the animals’ eyes were on him as he slowly skidded closer to her.

“Give me your hand,” she said, and took it as he offered. As soon as their skin touched, one of the other cubs ran over to him. It surveyed him slowly walking around them.

“Reach your hand slowly out,” Annabell said, not letting go of his other hand. He did as he was told, and the cub rubbed against it. Annabell smiled as he gasped in surprise. His tanned hand looked almost dark against the white of the animal.

“Wow!” he said.

“I know, right?” Annabell grinned at him. She felt incredible. Her bruises healed exceptionally fast already, and the impact of the lions helped her ignore the pain that she would have felt otherwise.

She looked up into Joshua’s green eyes and smiled. The two of them sat in silence, smiling at each other. Quickly, it became almost uncomfortable, and she had to avert her eyes to something else. Her eyes found their entwined hands, and she studied the difference in their skin color. Her hand looked muddy compared to his. Joshua cleared his throat, and when she looked up, she saw that he was staring at their hands too.

“Oh, sorry,” she said and jerked away. It startled the cub and it ran away.

Annabell saw his smile fade as he stared after the little cub. A shadow crossed his face, and he seemed gloomy and depressed.

Before her eyes, he shook his head and moved back to the tree again. He didn’t meet her eyes, and for some reason, this saddened her.

Annabell stopped the trail of thought—she couldn’t go down that road with him. Instead, she moved over to the tumbling cubs and started to play with them. Twigs and lumps of grass stuck to her hair every now and then. Quickly, she fixed it, sending a glance back to Joshua who was studying the map once again.

Glistening Forest—normally called Glist—covered most of Astron. They could literally be anywhere. Annabell knew that she would have to trust him to lead her. He was the only person who could tell her anything about her family—if she had one.

With a last glance towards Joshua, she saw him take out his father’s journal. She saw the tears in his eyes. And then she knew: if anyone could understand her need to know about her heritage—then it would be Joshua.

—-

I won’t let you down, Dad, Joshua thought. His eyes burned, and his heart ached with loss.

Preventing the tears from falling, he snapped his eyes open, staring at the journal in his lap. It wouldn’t do any good to weep in front of the girl, but he needed the moral support from his father right now. Taking up the small book, he grazed the worn out leather binding, holding it tight in his hand. It almost felt like he was touching his father. At least he told himself that it was the same—it was the only thing he had. It helped him to cope, even if it was just for a moment.

Inhaling deeply, he unclasped the buckle and found the loose piece of papers. The sight of his father’s handwriting stung deep inside him, and he had to force himself to continue reading. He needed clues.

’11th of October - Pavo

I have reason to believe that The Elders have not been honest with me. After Peter and I delivered the pregnant woman Jasmine in the care of the Elders, they forbade us to go to her. Tonight though, my presence was requested.

Upon arrival, I saw the woman, situated on a steel table. Her labor pains had already begun, and the room was filled with terrifying screams from the woman, who begged someone for help. I had not been briefed on what the woman had done, though as Errai and Garnet spoke, I pieced the information together.

They spoke of a secret prophecy. With no way of knowing the contents of said prophecy, I had no chance of understanding their apprehension for the child that Jasmine bore. They talked of a ‘Rising Star’ while ignoring the woman in distress on the table. A doctor was summoned in the last minute, and he brought not only one, but also a second child to the world.

This wasn’t foretold, causing havoc among the two Elders. They sent the doctor away, and continued to discuss the matter in subdued voices. I wasn’t close enough to hear the words that were said.

My job was to keep the Elders from potential threats, so I was frozen when Garnet took out a knife and slit the throat of the passed out Jasmine. Anger seared through me, and I looked towards the two children that were wrapped in an old cloak. Not a sound was heard from them, and I feared they were dead.

Thinking of my own son, I fought my instinct and stayed put. Garnet called me to him and handed me the two children. His orders were clear: I had to get rid of the children, and put an end to their life before it even begun. The Elders left after that, and for a long time, I just stood still, contemplating what to do with the two silent children I had in my hands.

When the veil slipped away from their heads, I found myself staring into two sets of eyes—one pair blue as the sky, and the others brown as the earth.

I sat down on a chair and placed the children in my lap. A tiny hand reached out to me, and it was clear what I had to do. The tiny palm reminded me of my own son and the joy I felt when he was born. Looking toward the murdered Jasmine on the table, I sent a silent prayer to the stars, to have mercy on her soul.

I ran from there shortly after that. Riding my horse, I kept going until I reached Cygnus. There, I covered my tracks, by getting in touch with an old friend, who knew of a woman, which was in great sorrow for the death of her own child. He promised to take one of the girls to Yildun and bring her to her new home.

I took the other girl with me to Hydra to avoid suspicion. I rode in the nighttime, covered by the darkness of the trees, and with only the stars to guide me. As I reached Hydra, I laid the baby on the doorstep to the orphanage accompanied by a letter to my confidante. After three knocks, I went home without meeting anyone.

I plead my forgiveness from the Stars if I acted wrong. However murdering children, isn’t something I’ve ever done, or plan to do.

— Jason Mallock.’

Joshua slid his fingers over his father’s signature. He missed him. In the first fourteen years of his life Jason Mallock had been his role model—his hero. His father’s death had been a loss for not only him, but for the world as well. Joshua’s emotions were a mix of anger, sorrow and an unstoppable desire for vengeance.

Joshua glanced at a cheery Annabell, who was now covered with three cubs. He was aware that her upbringing at the orphanage had been far from happy, and he had seen her failed attempts at fitting into society. For years, he had watched her from a distance, and he always thought that her behavior reminded him of the people at the town’s asylum for crazy people. His father had tried to explain his theory about Annabell—how she lacked a vital part of her soul. However, Joshua had never bought into it. Right now, he could easily see a change in her though.

He was convinced that if Annabell knew the risks his father had taken for her. Then she wouldn’t behave like such a bitch to him. Granted, Joshua didn’t particularly want her to become attached to him, but a sincere ‘thanks’ for saving her could have been gratifying. Instead, he was forced to be patient towards her childish manners.

So many times had he seen men come to take his father away, and many nights had he been sleepless, wondering whether he would get to see his hero return. Jason Mallock was one of the greatest men to have ever lived, and Joshua wanted to honor his memory by carrying out his last wish.

The lion gave out a small roar, shaking him out of his dark thoughts, and soon after the whole family was around him and Annabell. Plopping down on the ground, they all lay down and closed their eyes. The sun had disappeared, and he squinted to see Annabell’s face as she came to his side.

“You hungry?” he asked, not meeting her eyes. When she nodded, he took the bag to take out the bread and cheese once again, placing the little book back safely in his blue backpack.

“They are so brilliant. I always loved animals, but these. These beings here are so much more than just an animal,” Annabell said.

He nodded absentmindedly as he chewed his food. His thoughts were on his father, and the emptiness inside him that ached.

“Is something wrong?” Annabell asked.

He shook his head no. “It’s just been a long day, I’m tired.” He turned his back towards her, hoping that she hadn’t seen the tears that glinted in his eyes.

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