We Illuminated were bold souls who, upon consuming a stellar core, embraced a destiny beyond mortality. This act awakened a latent power within us, an inner fire that propelled us to ascend through the levels of a path, a supernatural journey that redefined our existences and connected us with the deepest forces of the universe.
The paths were specific routes of mystical progression that determined the abilities, characteristics, and supernatural nature of an Illuminated. Each path represented a thematic set of skills tied to a class or profession, such as warriors, mages, warlocks, or priests. Though each path shone with its own identity, some were intertwined by invisible threads, sharing echoes of abilities or philosophies that suggested a common origin in the fabric of the cosmos. Far from being mere tools of power, the paths shaped the psyche of the Illuminated, imprinting their minds with instincts, desires, and fears linked to their journey.
As a newly awakened priestess, I had conceived of stellar energy as a mysterious and ethereal force, but upon learning to manipulate it through one of the ancient grimoires of the medallion, I experienced an indescribable transformation. My body seemed to float, freed from the chains of gravity, while a new and powerful energy flowed through my veins like a river of light. It had been indescribably comforting to see my deepest fantasies come to life beneath my fingertips.
However, the energy that now permeated the air, the earth, and the space around us in the form of subtle energy fields, dispersed in invisible yet perceptible currents to my newly awakened sensitivity, was entirely different from anything I had known until then.
It was pure terror, distilled. The more I perceived it, the harder it became to breathe, as if an enormous invisible stone pressed relentlessly on my shoulders, threatening to crush me against the ground.
For the first time, I understood that true fear doesn't even manifest as a scream. It is silent, paralyzing, absolute in its dominion over body and mind.
There was no omen, no warning sign. As if it had been there since the beginning of time, awaiting the precise moment to reveal itself.
The monster stood right in front of me, at a distance so close that I could have touched it by extending my hand.
I wondered, with a strange clarity amid the panic, if it was an illusion, that sensation of making eye contact with the entity. The impression was too vivid, too real to dismiss it as a mere product of my terrified imagination.
I hugged myself, trembling uncontrollably. Even with my eyelids firmly closed, I could feel the monster's penetrating gaze upon me, as if my defenses were transparent to its eyes. I had the absolute certainty that if I opened my eyes, even for an instant, I would find myself staring into its annihilating gaze.
As extraordinary as it seemed in that life-or-death situation, Arceus placed his hand on my head with a gentleness that clashed brutally with the surrounding horror, and my fear partially dissipated under that protective touch.
I am the older sister, I shouldn't be afraid! An older sister must protect her younger siblings, not tremble like a leaf before adversity. To me, despite his strength and wisdom, Arceus would always be that small, vulnerable boy who arrived at the orphanage needing a family.
Arceus had been a reserved child from his first day at the orphanage. At first, I couldn't decipher what was going on inside him, and his lack of response when I tried to approach him with words or affectionate gestures deeply discouraged me.
But it didn't take long before I realized that Arceus wasn't an unpleasant or unfriendly child. I understood that my silent brother constantly observed the makeshift family we had formed and listened attentively to every word that left my lips, even if he didn't show it openly.
My taciturn brother was simply a less expressive child than the others, a wounded soul who had built walls to shield himself from the world.
I longed to see him react, even minimally, so I clung to his presence whenever I could, recounting with enthusiasm every small joy I had experienced during the day. One day, I even took his hand and led him to the courtyard to introduce him to another lonely child, Reinhardt, who would become our inseparable friend.
Gradually, I began to notice a subtly wonderful change in Arceus. Over the days, my little brother started to open up like a flower at dawn, accepting the presence of those around him and finding small moments of happiness in our company.
Muffled steps interrupted my memories, less intense than before but equally terrifying. My mind spun dizzily between past and present, between luminous recollections and the darkness that enveloped us.
The monster passed by us with a painfully deliberate slowness, as if savoring our terror. The air grew so frigid that each breath was like inhaling shards of ice that lacerated my lungs, and the darkness pressed against my closed eyelids, tempting me with a malevolent insistence to open them and behold what should not be seen. An almost inaudible sob escaped my throat, and Arceus, in a protective gesture that transported me back to our shared childhood, found my trembling hands in the darkness and clasped them firmly, instilling in me the courage that threatened to abandon me.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity suspended in that hell, the presence began to recede. The air gradually regained its lightness, the cold relinquished its hold on our bodies, and that oppressive sensation began to loosen its cruel grip that had ensnared our hearts.
I gasped audibly, releasing the air I had held in my lungs. A shaky sigh escaped my lips as tears continued to slide down my cheeks, tracing damp trails on my skin.
Arceus approached me and enveloped me in a protective embrace that reminded me how much we had grown since those days at the orphanage.
—It's okay, it's okay... It's all over... That monster is gone. You'll be fine... We'll be fine...
His words, spoken with that firm voice he had learned to adopt over the years, had a soothing effect on my tormented spirit. My breathing gradually normalized, and the frantic rhythm of my heart began to steady.