Zenith

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The quest

"Wait!" Zenith dropped the teddy bear in front of her, but the toy was still under her protection. She also put her hands up, in a sign of peace, her wings started to glow like a small sun. "Please, listen to me! Can I tell you the reason of my presence here? It's quite a long story, so if you're willing to give me some time... If you prefer to see me leave, I won't disturb you anymore, but I know what it feels to be alone - or in your case almost alone - in the dark, with no one to see, no places to go. Maybe I could tell you my story too if you'd like to hear it, someday. I'd also love to hear yours!"

She waited for a reaction from the emperor and started to talk. She was used to guide lost souls in the night, the emperor scared her, of course, but she felt that the creature had some good in it's heart - or maybe it's hearts.

"Lady Towa, I would first of all like to apologize for taking the teddy bear, if you desire to keep it after my story, I'm not in the position to argue with that. I don't know your names, sir, but I'm sure you'll like to hear what I have to tell you. Well the story starts a few days ago, I was at the shadow festivities and everything was fun and tricks until I met a young pearlcatcher that was crying and asking for help near the dark woods. I asked her what was wrong and tried to comfort her. She then told me that she had been scared by a noise behind her. In her hurry, she lost her beloved Mrs Bigglebuns, her teddy bear. When she came back, nothing was there and she was so desesperated. So I decided to help her, now knowing how things would really happen. My first problem was when I arrived to a clearing with three exits, a riddle was to solve so I could choose the right path to the bear toy. I choose the north path because I felt the answer of the riddle was the Pole Star. I continued my way in the dark, a light rain falling on me, making me chilled to the bones. I could barely see in front of me," Zenith paused for a moment, caught her breath and continued her story, "then I heard wierd noises next to me and I felt face to face with an agressive Wendigo. The creature probably just didn't wanted an intruder in his territory, but I felt that my life was in danger. I might have been scared and attacked the beast in front of me. Nothing could stop me from my quest. I ended victorious, but wasn't happy at all, lost lives are never to be happy of. But as I walked right in front of me, the rain stopped, letting me see the stars again. I came across another clearing, filled with glowing mushrooms of all sizes and shapes. A wisp talked to me, asked me if I needed some help. I couldn't say no, to be honest, I was absolutely lost. It made me choose between two wierd mushroom that I should eat to get smaller and be able to cross a small hole. I ate the second mushroom, it was smaller and maybe contained less... glowing things than the first one. The results were stunning. Maybe I'm already small, but I got even smaller and quickly ran into the tiny hole. I suddenly found myself in front of another decision to take. This time, it was between a piece of linen fabric and a wooden unicorn. I choose the fabric, but now that I see that you like toys, I could maybe have made a better choice with the toy... But how could I know after all? The fabric seemed to me to be more polyvalent, I can create things with it, I think it could have been more useful! And for the rest of the story, I'm here, in this cavern, trying to achieve my mission. But I might have found another one."

The Nocturne lady looked at the emperor. Poor creature, here forever... They have probably never seen the daylight in so long, how sad.

"Now that I think about it, we could make a sort of deal, maybe even something better. I don't know if I can trust you, how could I? But I feel that you need something. Not something tangible, but there's something missing for you. Do you need a confident? A friend? Well now I think I'm wierd to offer my friendship to an emperor, but I can't help, I need to help others. And if you don't want my friendship, I can still try to make you something you like with that fabric scrap", Zenith took it out and showed it to the emperor, "Maybe all of us together are creative enough to make something beautiful out of it! Or I could go outside to see if the wooden unicorn toy is still there..."

The nocturne's lights trembeled in the dark, she swallowed her saliva nervously and prayed in the name of the sun and the stars to still be alive at the start of the next day.

She whispered in a small voice, "Maybe I could be your sun?"