PART TWO - STARLIGHT NIGHTS AND RISING STARS

Chapter Twelve - Affinity

“Arette.”

The name was whispered into the night, almost reverently, said so softly as if she feared the word would break on her tongue and disperse into fragments.

She still couldn’t really believe it.

She wasn’t some nameless girl anymore, she was...someone. A person. Arette.

I am Arette.

The thought fluttered through her mind in wonder, even now that a few hours had passed ever since she and Liz gave each other names. It had been magical.

To feel a power so old and ancient that she was sure it came from Chaos itself seep into her through the blood circle Liz had drawn on her forehead, to feel it run through her veins to finally settle inside her flame, where it drew letters that were not letters and branded a name on her.

Arette.

It was written inside of her so clearly that no one could ever doubt that she was, in fact, a genuine person. That alone made her grin like an idiot.

On top of that, she’d made a friend. A real friend, that didn’t want to be around her out of necessity, but one that could stay by her side. A companion, like those she’d made in the woods, just one that could speak with her and walk next to her.

She was glad to have asked the young woman, not just for her name.

They had talked, after the name giving, about their lives and the world. Liz had told her about her powers and her misfortune, and Arette had told her about her life in the woods and the life she’d let up until now.

It was the first time that she told someone everything, from the moment she woke up until now. It was also the first time someone had asked her to tell it.

It connected the two of them, somehow, even if Liz’s story had left both of them in tears.

They talked for hours on end, until Liz almost fell asleep and Arette remembered that others didn’t exactly share her ability to stay awake for months. Thus, Liz returned to her own room in the top floor of Redhall, leaving Arette to her own devices.

She however hadn’t felt inclined to return to a room with a ceiling and no stars, especially since the night was clear, and instead returned to the gardens.

Climbing one of the trees to its crown, she balanced on a few thin branches and stared up at the stars, her eyes gleaming.

A lot had happened today, but there wasn’t one thing she was unhappy about.

She’d joined a school where she would learn, had made a friend and got a name.

Looking up at the stars, she felt their light filter into her, nourishing her, filling her up until she was sated and happy.

Then, she closed her eyes and waited for the sunrise.

The next day, Arette returned to the classroom to meet up with the teacher who had promised to give her a special lesson, only to find Liz sitting behind her desk with no one else in sight.

“Liz?” Arette called her.

Liz looked up, startled but with a hesitant smile when she saw her.

“Good morning, Arette,” she said brightly.

“What are you doing here? I thought I was getting a special lesson!”

“Oh, that,” Liz chuckled, “Our teacher saw us talking yesterday and said since I’ve been in her class for so long that I know almost as much as her and seem to get along with you, I could as well teach you the basics so that she didn’t have to waste her time.”

Liz’s eyes glowed as she spoke and Arette noticed just how much better her complexion looked compared to the day before.

Arette nodded and then gave a small shrug, “Oh, well then I’ll have to annoy you after all!” She grinned and hopped onto the window sill, where she could lean into the sun and let her legs dangle in the air.

“You won’t annoy me,” Liz whispered with a coy smile.

“We’ll see,” she snickered but didn’t say much more.

“So...what do you want to know? Please, ask anything you need.”

“Hmm…” Arette’s legs dangled forth and back and the multitude of questions that swirled in her head made it quite hard to choose which one to ask first, “Right, this strength system thing. I don’t really get it. I mean, I do get that you turn from a Saint into something-or-other when you get stronger, but...it’s something big isn’t it?

Ever since Neiro had explained it to her, she’d tried to wrap her head around it but found it difficult. After all, what was strength? How did one change from one into the other?

She, apparently, was a freak in that department as well, so she probably should try to understand what separated her from others.

Liz nodded and a soft glow lit up her eyes.

“It is. It’s a principle of this world actually, though no one really knows why. But what you said isn’t entirely correct. It’s not always about strength. It’s more about...affinity.”

“Affinity?” She barely had an idea what the word meant!

Liz frowned, clearly trying hard to put her knowledge into words.

“The general belief is that while this universe was born from Chaos, it is not completely random. It follows laws and paths that remain a firm principle, even if they can sometimes be broken or bent.

“We believe there are underlying principles to everything, from the structure of a single blade of grass to the structure of life itself. And by understanding some of those principles, we increase our affinity and with increasing affinity, we begin to assert control over the principle. And with increasing control comes increasing strength and that process is what makes you change from a Saint to an Emperor and so forth. Of course, it is different when one attempts to ascend to become a Lesser God, but I’m not too sure about that myself.”

While she spoke, wonder sparked in Liz eyes, a happy glow that showed how much she loved talking about the things she learned by herself for these last years. Arette, however, was stumped.

Understanding principles...structures...paths…

They were abstract concepts, making things more rather than less confusing, but something about Liz’s words resonated within her. A part of her felt stirred, as if somehow, she knew what her friend was talking about. As if she was already supposed to know it without being told.

“I’m not making myself clear, am I?” Liz sighed dejectedly but didn’t give up, “I’ll try again. Me, for example, I’m an Empress of Misfortune. I was a Saint when I was born here, and like any other Saint I did not have a determined path yet, only an affinity. Most Saints have some sort of direction when they are born, but technically, we can follow every path we like. Originally, I wanted to walk the path of wisdom, of books, and tried to amass knowledge into my brain. Only, I already had an affinity for misfortune,” a shadow fluttered across her eyes again and the darkness around her flame drew tight around her, still thick, though not as thick as the day before, “And I just have a lot of bad luck. I trip, I fall, I make a fool out of myself, and sooner or later it became a part of me. This misfortune, as much as I hate it, grew onto me and before I knew it, I was an Empress instead of a Saint.”

The bitterness swam around her again, making Arette a little angry when she saw how quickly Liz fell into her sadness again.

“That misfortune, as you call it, is it really so much of a bad thing? In your flame, it looks very tranquil and gentle, like you. Didn’t you say it was possible to control it?” Arette said firmly, still unwilling to believe her new friend’s powers were as much of a curse as she put them to be.

Her words only made Liz sigh, though.

“Technically, I should be able to control it. But...I don’t know how,” her words trailed off into a whisper, almost ashamed.

“So what?” Arette said, determined, “I don’t really know much about anything either. But if I can learn, so can you. We’ll just have to learn it together, right?”

Liz’s eyes teared up a little at her words, but her mouth pulled into a smile.

“I suppose we will. I’d like that,” she glowed again, “But you should be careful about which path you choose. Once you become an Empress in one path, it’s hard to start a completely new one from the beginning. I mean, it’s possible to morph or merge your path, but a new one -”

“I’m not a Saint,” Arette cut her off, deciding to be honest. It wasn’t as if it was a secret to begin with.

“...what?” Liz frowned at her, as if expecting a joke.

“I’m not a Saint. The Principal tested me before I joined the class. Apparently, I’m already an Ascendant,” she shrugged, trying to pass it off, but Liz froze the second the words left her mouth.

Her friend stared at her, mouth hanging open.

“That’s impossible,” she blurted, her expression caught between laughing and plain ridicule.

“It’s not like I asked for it. I don’t really get it either. I’ve always been like this,” Arette said defensively, a spark of indignation in her heart. She knew that Liz didn’t mean harm but being told that her reality was impossible stirred her fighting spirit.

“But…” Liz still didn’t believe her.

“I’d prove it to you, but I still have no idea what being an Ascendant means,” she shrugged, “I know I’m stronger than those around here, except for Ze- Murron. He’s a bit stronger than me.”

“Murron?”

“He’s a teacher here. He was one of the people that found me, back in the woods. Black hair, tall, moody.”

“Oh him! He usually gives the advanced courses I never qualified for, but I hear he’s really amazing!” Liz’s eyes sparkled but then turned conflicted again, “Look, it’s not like I don’t want to believe you. It’s just...I’ve never heard of someone being born higher than an Emperor for a really, really long time!”

Her voice grew higher and higher and Arette felt only more estranged. She didn’t really understand it, why they had a strength system like that and why she fell out of it. Was it because she was Firakha? Was she a freak, then?

But Liz words held a small flicker of hope.

“A really long time? So it did happen before?”

Liz looked a little torn, but nodded.

“In one scripture, it’s described that long, long ago, it wasn’t weird for Chaos-forged Immortals to be born stronger than a Saint. There were even some born Lesser Gods and Goddesses, and, if you believe the legends, one of the oldest High Gods was born a High God as well. That was literally billions of years ago, though and I’m not sure if it’s not just stories…”

“But if it was possible years ago, then it's not too impossible for me to be an Ascendant now, right?” Arette said strongly, struggling to prove that her existence wasn't as weird as it seemed.

“I suppose so…,” Liz said, but the frown didn't slip from her face.

“I don’t know if this is proof, but…,” Arette pursed her lips and then finally thought of something to do.

She jumped from the window sill and stood in front of Liz, raising her hands.

Then, with but a thought, she ignited the flames under her skin on her hands, watching as the air expanded and burst into flames.

With a smile on her face, she let the flames wist around her hands and sneak up her arms, keeping them just enough above her clothes to not burn them.

The fire danced around her like a snake, and as always, it didn’t really feel like something she controlled, not like a sword in her hands. More like an extra limb, one she didn’t have to force or beckon, one she just moved.

Surrounded by fire, she understood a little of what Liz had tried to tell her before.

Affinity. Understanding the path.

She had never really thought about it, but she did understand fire, on a most instinctual level. She was a part of it, in some way and it didn’t take more than a wish from her to let thousands of smaller flames ignite all through the classroom.

The smaller flame wisps danced and cast myriads of shadows around the room, their flickering casting a pattern of light and dark across Liz’s skin.

Liz just stood there with her mouth hanging open.

Arette shot her a grin and then softly blew out the flames on her hand. With it, she extinguished all others throughout the room and it return to its half-lit state.

“Shortly after I woke up - well after I was born, I actually had to put effort into learning how to walk, or speak. Just this, calling fire, was always natural. Like breathing. I never even thought about not doing it. From what the Principal told me, I guess that’s not something any Saint can do…”

She tried to explain, but it was hard to find words for the deep connection she felt to the dancing flames inside of her.

After a while, Liz finally closed her mouth again.

“I believe you. Of course I do,” she whispered, her voice hushed, then suddenly louder, “That, that was amazing! I’ve been in the element control class for years, but I’ve never managed much more than a spark...such fine control, it’s indeed something no ordinary Sovereign even could do…”

She lowered her head then, “I’m sorry for doubting you.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Arette said lightly, not really angry, “I kinda understand. I never really understood why I’m the way I am, either.”

“Maybe we’ll find out one day.”

“Yeah...I’d like that.”

They were silent for a while, then, but the silence didn’t seem heavy.

“Oh, right!” Liz suddenly said and flicked her forehead, “I totally forgot. You need to choose your classes. We all have to join at least two extra classes, depending on what direction we want to pursue. You’ll need to pick, but you can also do more than two.”

“Oh?” Arette raised an eyebrow, interested, “What classes are there?” She did come here to learn, after all.

“Well, there are quite a few. There’s Martial and Weapon Arts, then History of the Plane of Gods, Element Control, Music and Dancing, Beast Taming, Medicine and Healing, Crafting and Agriculture, Transfiguration, Literature and Culture and...that’s about it, I guess? I think there’s special classes for higher grades than ours, but I don’t know about these.”

“Wow,” Arette whistled, “That’s a lot.”

“I know, right?” Liz sighed, but with a smile in her eyes, “I chose three, Element Control, History and Literature and Culture. They’re all pretty fun, mostly...well Element Control is a little hard since I don’t have much talent and no one likes to hang out with me.” She tried to shrug casually but failed.

“Well, that’s going to change now,” Arette smiled and patted her on the shoulder, “I think Element Control sounds fine for me? No one can say I’m not good at fire, at least. As for the others...I don’t think I can join you there, sorry.”

Her face drew into a frown as soon as she even thought about sitting down and learning about literature for hours.

“Oh? Why?” Liz schooled herself into a neutral expression, but there was a little sadness in her words.

Arette grimaced.

“Well, there is the tiny, little matter than I can’t read…”

“What?” Liz laughed, but soon froze when she realized that she’d been serious, “At all?”

“Err, no,” Arette rubbed her neck awkwardly, but refused to feel bad for something she’d never been able to influence.

“Oh, well, that’s a problem. But it’s gonna be fine. I can teach you, if you want to.”

“Really?” Arette’s eyes lit up, even if she disliked the thought of having to learn something so tedious.

“Sure. But still, I don’t think you’d like History or Literature all that much,” Liz chuckled.

“Ehh, that could be true.”

“So, Element Control. And since you carry a sword, maybe Martial and Weapon Arts?”

Arette nodded at that, “Sounds good. I do like swords,” she grinned, thinking of the way Neiro’s weapon had felt into her hand, humming.

If she could learn how to make it dance, she could only imagine it’d be fun.

“Okay,” Liz shrugged and then smiled, “That should be fine, then.”

“Great!”

With that, they steered towards other topics. Arette was actually quite looking forwards to her classes - even though it dawned on her that learning might not be all that pleasant as she imagined it when she was still living in the woods...