My Grandmother used to tell me stories about the stars. She would tell me how her and Grandfather would set up their telescope and watch the stars all night long. She once told me when they were in there late teens they saw the stars fade from the midnight sky.

“It was a marvelous and devastating sight my dear Ava. Your Grandfather and I set up the telescope like any other night. The stars shown brightly overhead, and I remember the light of the full moon casting it’s pale light upon us. It was nearing midnight when the stars brightened up the night sky. Ever star shown ten times brighter than normal. Your grandfather and I had never seen something so beautiful. Then as fast as they had blazed they fell from the sky. Some streaking across to the horizon and some vanishing on the spot. It was only ten seconds of beautiful light and falling stars before the sky was left vacant. The only thing lighting the now black canvas was the lone full moon. How I wish to see those beautiful orbs fill the night sky once again.”

My Grandmother would always tell me this on nights she would catch me looking up at the sky for any indication of a star that had once danced beside the moon. She would tell me stories about the stars, and her memories of gazing up at their brilliant faint light. Then she would look up at the black sky like a lost lover. My Grandmother had been 18 at the time when the stars vanished, and they haven’t been seen in 60 years.

Nobody knows what happened on that fateful day. Some say all the stars exploded in some cosmic domino effect, some superstitious and religious folk say that it was the punishment for their sins and wrong doings, and some greedy and treasure hunters say that the stars fell down to earth to be picked up and owned by the humans who found them.

For me I don’t know what to believe, but I once found this legend in the Old Library on the far side of the island that tickled my curiosity. I had been sitting in the depths of the abandoned looking building pouring over the old legends, myths and prophesizes that are kept in it’s dark caverns when I stumbled upon a book that dated back to the time of the Dawn.

The legend I found was called The Empty Sky. It was written in an old script dating back to the beginning of the dawn period. I read slowly deciphering each phrase and putting together the story that they had painted. It said that before the dawn the land was cast in darkness. The darkness poisoned the minds of the humans, and brought them down the path to chaos and destruction. The sun would rise giving the humans the hope of the light, but at night the darkness would return and take advantage and squash that hope that had blossomed. The guardian of the night sky, the lone moon, watched in despair as the humans suffered below him. He was weak in his waning state and was unable to help the humans from the darkness. The guardians of the stars took pity on the moon and wished that they could help. One star that shown brighter than the rest fell in love with the moon and promised that she and her brother’s and sisters would help the moon guide the humans into the light. The stars appeared in the night sky lighting the dark canvas with their brilliant light chasing away the darkness that lurked below. They became loved and cared for by the humans and peace descended over the night sky. The stars became a beacon of wonderment and beauty in the eyes of the humans.

That had been the end of the legend but I found another entry not long after. It had been added as a prophecy.  It was called “The Star Gazer”. It read that the darkness that cascaded over the sky and land so long ago would return.  The darkness that poisoned the minds of the humans would return and the love of the stars and moon would not be enough to keep it at bay. The stars would be shot from the sky to be retrieved by the one who is worthy. When the Empty Sky returns only the one chosen and worthy can return the light to the midnight sky and become the keeper of its harmony.

Out of all the bizarre and crazy theories that float on the breeze to my little island, this legend is the one that I put my faith in. I may not completely believe in its words, and it may not have any scientific or religious property, but it brings a personal side to the now vacant sky. It gives me hope. Hope that one day the stars will appear in the night sky once again. Hope that my dream will one day come true. 

2: Chapter One

 

            An old stone building hid in an alcove on the far side of a tropical island. To a stranger it would have looked like old ruins covered in layers of veins and lost to the new advanced world. Piles of rubble waiting too fade into the thick growth of the forest around it. To the Keepers of the island it was a treasured old source of knowledge that was kept intact and held some of the most precious pieces of the world’s history.  It was one of the many buildings that were scattered around the island earning its name as the Island of Knowledge.

            Deep in this stone structure. Past the large cracked and veined pillars. Past the large wooden doors that had the etched sign of the Keepers decorating its door. Past the large shelves holding the scrolls and old books of History in its pages. Underneath the large glass domed roof that encompassed the old knowledge sat a dusted table stacked with old scrolls and dusty books. Pages lay scattered, and a single bottle of ink lay unused and forgotten. The only source of light came from a lone lantern that gave off an eerie and flickering light from its burning candle.

            Now many would suspect that an old man downed in dusty robes, grey hair, and cracked glasses would be locked away in this dark and desolate place. Instead the young and energetic, eighteen year old Ava Serean sat there pouring over the ancient words written on the sheets in front of her. Only one certain subject stayed consistent through the many books and scrolls, and that topic was on the lost stars. It was old knowledge she searched for, depicted through myths and legends dating back thousands of years to the time when civilization began anew. Including Old legends and Prophecies, all painting different pictures. One scroll lay open at the side, never leaving and never being put back onto the dusty shelves. The scroll depicted the myth of the Empty Sky and the prophecy of the Star Gazer.

 Ava was young and still in her first stages of becoming a Keeper of the Island. An educational journey that let her discover her own interests in the many forms of knowledge that the island provided. Her signature cherry red hair cut down her back in erratic loose curls and added the only colour to the dull shelves around her. Shifting her head she pushed up her traditional black headband with its intricate pattern that kept her hair at bay and away form her face. Two stray pieces of hair swung down and framed her face. Two black beads were attached to them and danced under her jaw as she bent her head to decipher the words in front of her. She wore a pure black strapless dress that had a sweetheart neckline and a burgundy pattern decorating the hem. The dress fell gracefully around her figure, billowing just above her knee and supporting the same burgundy accents at the bottom. Her black pants were pulled up to below her knees and her black flats were propped up on a nearby chair displaying the epitome of comfort. A pure white sash fell over her shoulder and flowed down her front and back, pulled close to her body by a slender black rope that hugged her hips. Her arms donned wrist and bicep bracelets that reflected in the limited light the traditional markings of the keepers.

            Ava flipped through several pages, her dark brown eyes almost looked black as they scanned the page before her. She heaved a deep sigh before closing the book and placing it gently on one of her growing piles. She dragged her hand down her face in exhaustion as she looked at the stacks of books in front of her. She had looked through so many different legends, myths and prophecies on the stars and had transcribed them into her journal. She had found tons of lore and many different stories, but the Empty Sky was still the only one she wanted to remember and believe. She felt her heart lift a little at the hope that that story had restored in her. She smiled at the flickering light and closed her eyes basking in the low glow of the candle.

            A loud drum sounded off in the distant, echoing down the stone chamber to where Ava sat. Her eyes snapped open and she hurtled herself forward falling out of her chair at the sound. Ava groaned as she rubbed her head and slowly stood up. Panic reflected in her dark eyes as the loud drum sounded again echoing through the stone corridors. She leapt up and snatched her ceremonial black clock from a nearby chair. She quickly united the black rope around her waist and slipped the long sleeved cloak on as she blew out the candle. As she ran down the long corridor she flipped the white sash to the outside of the clock and then retied the black cord. This simple gesture changed her whole appearance into a more dignified and refined look then the one before.

            Ava ran down the long corridors, running past the many shelves lined with dust. She shoved her shoulder against the large wooden doors and they squealed in protest as they opened into the humid air. Stumbling past the large pillars that held the winding vines she ran out into the afternoon sun. Momentarily blinded she shielded her eyes as she picked up the edges of her long cloak. Running as fast as she could she took off down the cracked stone path and into the tropical forest. Large trees with high canopies passed by the girl dressed in black and white. Monkeys squawked in protest and birds took flight at the disruption. She passed through several stunning stone archways, she passed beautiful flowers and other old ruins, but she never gave them a second look as she ran towards the sounding drum. She ran through arch after arch as she ascended up a small hill. As she crested the top she stuttered in her step and came to a stop.

            She doubled over panting as she attempted to catch her breath for the last run to the town’s center. Behind her panting form a beautiful scene stretched out like a canvas. The hill Ava stood on slopped down into a small city that was known as Vienta, the hub of the Keepers. It had beautiful stone arches decorating the border of the village, with paths stretching out in every direction. Stone domed houses with beautiful stained glass windows decorated the intricate woven streets of the village. The narrow roads converged of a large domed building that sat in the middle of the small city. Large trees doted the streets keeping the city in the shade from the blazing sun that shown high above. It looked ancient and beautiful. A large green square sat in front of the large domed building. The park was decorated in flowers and trees with a raised platform standing out amongst the green. A large drum was stationed on it. Ava looked up still breathing heavily as the drum sounded again. She could see a group of people already standing in the square. Letting out another deep breath that sounded more like a growl she ran down the hill and into the city.

            Ava ran through the narrow winding streets. People would wave at her or shout out to her running form as she flew by them. Many laughed when they saw her bright cherry red hair fly by them in a panic. The sight of Ava running to the center of the city was a common sight for the people who lived in the only city on the island. They would laugh and say “Every Time” before turning back to the little chores. This tended to be a common sight for the people of Vienta. She was so focused on getting to the square in time that she wasn’t completely paying attention to her surroundings. Ava cut a corner and ran right into a hard surface. Arms circled around her as they both crashed to the hard cobblestone ground.

            “Oh my. I’m so sorry,” Ava said lifting herself a few inches off the person she crashed into.

            The first thing she noticed was a man’s surprised green eyes. Then his shaggy brown hair that fell a little into their eyes, but that was all she had time for. She tried to get up but strong muscular arms were still encircled around her waist. She raised an eyebrow down at the surprised figure below her and the arms retreated immediately. Ava rolled off of the person and got up lending him a hand. She straightened her robes making sure she still looked presentable. She looked up to the man that now towered over her. He was taller than her and supported strange clothes that she had never seen before. She assumed he was from one of the distant cities that lay across the ocean, but she wasn’t sure.

            “Are you okay?” she asked the green-eyed man.

            “Yea I’m fine,” he said with an accent as he rubbed the back of his head with a confused and pained expression.

            “Good. Sorry again,” Ava said before dashing away down the street leaving the green-eyed man look confusingly after her.

            Ava continued her trek, fleeting thoughts of the green-eyed man floating through her mind. Where was he from? Why was he here? Thoughts about the distant cities continued in her mind until she heard the final strike of the drum right as she entered the square. Pushing her curious thoughts away she ran to the end of the line of other cloaked figures, all with the same white sash over their shoulder. There were about thirty other people here all around the same age. Ava stood at the end of the long line panting and the young girl beside her looked down at her. She had sleek black hair that and had the same styled headband that Ava wore. She had a slim face and a straight nose and little beady eyes that held nothing but distaste. She smirked and huffed at the sight of Ava panting beside her.

            “I see you’re as late as usual,” she sneered at the still panting Ava.

            “Ah come on Carmen. I’m not that late,” Ava said straightening up. She brushed her hair back in an effort to tame it and whipped the sweat off her forehead.

            “You know what today is right. You already missed the beginning of the ceremony,” she sneered keeping her eyes trained on the tall figures at the front.

            “Yea, Yea, I know,” Ava said waving a hand in front of her not wanting to get scolded at the moment.

            “Just because you’re a Serean doesn’t mean you get special treatment. Don’t think you have an advantage,” Carmen whispered harshly as a hush came over the group.

            “I’ll keep that in mind,” Ava whispered back before settling her attention on the tall figures by the drum that now faced the crowd.

            Two men and two women stood in front of the large drum. One man was a league taller than the other. The taller one had dark black hair that was cut unnaturally short, his bright blue eyes scanning the crowd through large spectacles. The shorter one had light blonde hair and had a huge smile plastered on his face. He had Ava’s same dark eyes that seemed to sparkle with amusement. He caught her eye and beamed at her, which Ava returned in full force. The taller of the two women had a long willowy figure that was swallowed by the long black cloak she wore. Her mousey brown hair was pulled back in a tight pony the black headband slicked back so no hair came astray from her ponytail. The last female was the shortest there. Her dark red hair shown deeper in the sunlight and her tan skin held a healthy glow. She had the same button nose as Ava and her calculating blue eyes were scanning the crowd before landing on the beaming Ava. Ava’s smile faltered as the woman gave her a cold stare, an all to knowing look plastered on her beautiful face. Ava shrunk back knowing she would get a talking to later. The shorter woman with the deep red hair stepped forward and began to speak.

            “Greetings Students. You have all become eligible for stage three of your Keeper training. Stage One has taught you the importance of our job. It has taught you the history of our ancestors and the soul purpose to our order. It has taught you the traditional processes, and way of our people. Stage Two has prepared you for the more educational side of our traditional ways. You have learnt where and why certain bits of knowledge are stored. You have studied multiple broad subjects, and have honed your skills to become keepers. Throughout your journey you have learnt what doors can open for you when as a Keeper. Stage Three prepares you for what lies beyond the books, and what can be learnt from them. In this stage you have the option to choose your own path of knowledge. Many stay here to dedicate themselves to learning the knowledge that this island provides and protecting what secrets our island has, and some have ventured off into the distant cities to find the hidden knowledge that lies beyond that great ocean and bring back what knowledge they have learned. Each of you can take this time to refine what you have learnt to become masters at your job. It can take years to finish this stage or only a single year, and only when one is ready will they proceed to the final ceremony. Whatever door you open, it is your own path that you follow,” she said with a beautiful and authoritative voice. She gracefully stepped back and the tall man stepped forward.

            “Up until now we have only provided you with the tools you need in order to become a Keeper. However there is much more you all need to learn in order to become a part of the order. It is now your time to take fate into your own hands. Today you will inform the council in private what it is you intend to do with the time you have been offered,” The tall man said in a stern voice.

            Ava sighed wanting nothing more than for the formalities to be over. It was really just a formal ceremony setting them off into the next stage. They needed to get the documents sorted out, perform the formal announcements, and get the public traditional display done. Then they would have a formal parting ceremony were they will be lectured about the rules and regulations, and lastly a small gathering for goodbyes, good lucks, food, and good conversation. It was all tradition and Ava understood that, but Ava just wanted the end of the week to be here already.

 Most of them had already decided what they wanted to do long ago and have been preparing to set off into the unknown or for most, the unknown of one of the many buildings on the island. Many students didn’t leave the island in hope of refining what knowledge they could before landing a job as a Keeper. The jobs that pertained to the Keepers included researchers, masters, scribes, and messengers. For the Keepers of the island their jobs were too became master’s of their subjects and provide what knowledge they could to people who sought it and protect it if need be. Knowledge was the greatest weapon in the world and could create great destruction if used in the wrong hands. That’s why the island and the Keepers existed to learn and protect the history and knowledge of the world for those who sought it or wanted to exploit it. The students stood as the next generation of this Order and the traditions it upheld. It was a great responsibility for someone to become a keeper but also a great privilege and Ava was proud to call herself a Keeper.

Ava knew what Carmen was going to choose. She was going to spend the next few years studying and memorizing the knowledge of the Dawn period. She was fascinated with the end of this period. The birth of technology and science, the separated countries with its star crossed lovers, the wars fought and the political scandals. Carmen was drawn to drama like a mouth to a flame. She plucked these stories out of the ancient texts and thrived in them. She loved how behind each political change, war, or binding of a country lay some kind of dramatic story. However her love for scandals, and drama tended to fall onto the people around her, especially those she didn’t like. Ava and her little group of friends tended to be Carmen’s prey.  

            The final drum sounded in the courtyard as the formal ceremony came to an end. The entire court began to mull as the young students began to discuss their decisions. Carmen pushed past Ava, her bony shoulder making contact with Ava, making her stumble to the side. Carmen sent her a satisfied snort before continuing to her snooty friends. Ava huffed and straightened her robes. Why did Carmen hate her so much? She had never done anything to antagonize the girl. Ava and Carmen had a complicated relationship but she took it in stride. They had never seen eye to eye and always had differing opinions. Their past had always been like this, complicated and full of never ending bickering. They were always at other ends of debates during class, often leading the discussion to become heated and intense. They had grown up together and had developed a long-term rivalry. Their parents were colleagues but that didn’t’ change Ava and Carmen’s strained relationship. Ava didn’t necessarily dislike Carmen she just didn’t appreciate the drama that was thrust upon her.

            She moved across the green grass, moving swiftly around the cloaked figures until she found a little group of people that smiled at her appearance. Three figures stood in front of her. A short young girl stood at the side. She had raven hair that was tied in a long braid that hung down her back; she had thin lips, a tan face, and big golden eyes. A smile spread across her youthful face that could melt the heart of any human. Beside the smiling girl stood two guys. One was tall and lean with short blonde hair, tan skin and dark grey eyes that landed on Ava as she approached. Ava noticed the small smile that pulled at his lips and the slight amusement that shown in his grey eyes. The other guy was short and broad and had longer reddish brown hair that was pushed away from his joyful face. He was beaming at her with his joyful face but Ava had to stifle a giggle as she saw him stick close to the golden-eyed beauty.

            Ava beamed at the small group before her. They had met when they were all very young, and had all been best friends ever since. They had gotten into lots of trouble together, mostly involving getting lost in the forest, or sneaking into one of the forbidden libraries. They were the greatest team, and the best of friends. They did almost everything together, never going far without one of them coming along. She couldn’t image ever leaving them behind, but some things couldn’t be helped.

            “Ava! Where were you? I thought you weren’t going to make it,” the young girl exclaimed as she clasped Ava’s hands in her own.

            “I’m sorry Millie. I couldn’t help it. My grandmother told me of a library on the west side of the island that held old mythologies and I just couldn’t stay away. I’ve been there almost every morning all week,” Ava said as she was dragged forward.

            “What were you looking for?” the taller man asked with an indifferent tone, but Ava could hear the slight curiosity hidden in it.

            “Oh come on Julian you know exactly what I was looking for,” she said with a roll of her eyes.

            “Ah our little Ava always chasing the stars,” the short guy said as he laughed and lightly punched Ava’s shoulder.

            “Hector!”  Ava said dramatically as she clutched her shoulder in mock injury than burst out laughing at his guilt ridden face. At Ava’s incisive giggling the others broke out in laughter and it echoed over the serious conversations around them.

            Once their laughter died down they began to make their way towards one of the trees in the square. They all lounged underneath it. Julian with his back up against the rough bark, Hector and Millie leaning against each other’s backs for support, and Ava laying on her back with her head propped up on Julian’s leg.  Ava stared up at the beautiful tree above her. The bright green leaves danced in the afternoon breeze and a small smile graced her lips as her cherry red hair tickled her face. She could hear Hector and Millie already arguing off to the side and her smile only grew at the noise. She felt Julian’s leg shift underneath her and she turned her head towards him, looking up at his face. She could see the discomfort in his drawn brows, and the worry in his soft eyes. She already knew what he was thinking about. They were best friends, and very close. They had been friends for years and always knew when the other was troubled. She sighed knowing what he was going to ask.

            “Ava. Are you sure about your decision?” he asked the question she had anticipated in a low voice.

            “Julian. I’ve told you this already,” she sighed and brought a hand up to play with the edge of his black cloak.

            “But~” he began but she cut him off with a firm look. “No but’s Julian. It’s what I have decided to do,” Ava said as she began to fiddle with the hem of his cloak again.

            They were silent for a long time as the group of them fell into a comfortable silence. Millie and Hector attempted to keep up the conversation, but soon gave up on the two sulking members of their group, and engaged back in some heated argument about a moment in history. Ava risked a glance at Julian, tilting her head ever so slightly to look back up at him. His head was tilted back exposing his neck to the humid air, his dark grey eyes trained on the canopy above. Julian was her best friend and they cared for each other deeply. She valued his opinion the most and wished that he wouldn’t worry for her, but she understood why he was.

            He looked back down at her then. Dark grey eyes meeting dark brown. They didn’t move away from each other’s glances. She could see the worry and fear swim in his steely eyes. What passed through them next made her want to scream in frustration. Determination flashed through his grey eyes and she wanted to hit him. She knew that look, when he got it he had come to some kind of conclusion and would stick with it. Ava didn’t know if he had accepted her decision, or come to some rash conclusion. His next words confirmed her confusion.

            “Then I’m coming with you,” he stated and the group of them instantly fell silent. Millie and Hector stared in disbelief at their friend, and Ava’s mouth opened in shock. Her anger flared and she shot up into a sitting position and hovered in front of him.

            “No you will not!” she practically yelled at him. “What about your plans to study the history of science and energy! You can’t give up your dream!” she yelled while poking a firm figure into his chest. He grabbed her wrist with a gentle hand halting her next poking action.

“I will be going Ava. It’s my decision and I’m not letting you go alone. Anyways I’ve given it some thought and the books will always be here for me to return too. Out there I can learn more than what is offered here and bring back what I learn, much like what you are doing Ava,” His grey eyes were steeled with determination as his words hung in the air. He still had a firm hold on Ava’s wrist and neither of them shied away. It was a long time before Ava finally replied.

            “Fine,” she said a little defeated. If he so desperately wanted to join her on her adventure she wasn’t going to change his decision, however she could give him something more to think about.

            “You do know that I plan on traveling to all the cities right. I don’t know how long it will take, or what will happen. We could be gone for months or even years. Are you willing to commit to that,” Ava said as she matched his determined gaze with her own. She could feel his hand tighten on her wrist but his gaze never wavered.

            “I know that Ava. Why can’t you just accept that I want to join you? Your going to be among strangers, mingling in different cultures, and seeing places completely different from here, don’t you want at least one familiar face so you don’t have to go through it alone,” Julian said and his eyes finally left hers as he glanced down at his hold on Ava’s wrist.

    He slowly let go and Ava could see hurt flashing across his eyes. He really thought that she didn’t want him to join on her adventure around the world. Sighing to herself she returned to her previous position with her head resting on his leg. She looked up at Julian. His eyes were still locked on some distant object but she didn’t miss the small tint of pink dotting his tan skin. Smiling she tugged at his robe getting his attention.

    “I do want you to join Julian, it’s just I know how much you wanted to stay as well. I don’t want you throwing away all your plans just to join me on my crazy adventure. But your right if you want to join and learn first hand and I can’t stop you. It can be like old times. Me and you going on an adventure of a lifetime,” Ava said and her heart swelled as she watched Julian’s face break out into a rare genuine smile.

    “Just like old times,” he said reaching out and ruffling her bright red hair, which she tried to prevent by swatting at his hands. Millie and Hector shared a knowing look before joined back into the no longer tense conversation and they talked about everything and nothing at all.

    Ava laughed along with her friends and couldn’t help but feel more secure in her decision. Sure she hadn’t wanted Julian to join but she had been positive that he had wanted to stay and learn from his brother. If Julian was looking into writing and bringing back the knowledge he learned from the cities, then going with her would be perfect. He had always been a sucker for science and energy and was fascinated with the birth of technology and the progress made since the Dawn period. Going out into the cities and seeing it first hand would be an adventure in a half. Even Ava, a book worm stuck in mythologies, was beginning to get excited at seeing the Lightening Catchers who supported electricity, the Tidal Energy from the cities within the vast Ocean, the Wind Turbines of the sky, and the Miners and Forgeries hidden deep in the caverns of the land. It was going to be an adventure and a half she knew that to be true. She was glad that Julian was joining, he was her best friend and they were bound to have a great time.

    Ava was a little sad that Millie and Hector wouldn’t be joining them, but she knew they weren’t as adventures as Julian and herself. They both loved ancient civilization and often argued about different points in History. They were so alike, and yet so different. Ava wasn’t blind either, she could tell the two really cared for each other and wondered in the next year or so if they would actually come out and tell each other. Smiling at the thought she couldn’t help but hope that when she returned the two would be together, and if they weren’t it would become her goal to set the two of them up.

    A loud drum brought Ava out of her thoughts and ceased conversations within the little square. The same four figures had disappeared and another Keeper stood at the front holding a long scroll of names. Ava’s heart leapt up into her throat as she saw the list of names of the young Keepers around her. The time was finally here. They would call out each name and then they would go into the ancient stone building and tell the head Keepers what they planned to do with their time. Ava would finally be free of the books that only brought her so much knowledge to the subject she so desperately wanted to seek. She would travel to the cities across the ocean and record people’s stories, and other legends yet to be stored.  She was ready to travel the world and find out the stories of the stars.