How Stars Came to Be
By Polina Zinger
Once upon a time the Goddess of Life, Ternia, created a large palace called Galixia. Out of pure gold dust Ternia created a King, Gorgan, his Queen Arten, and their twins, Octavia and Lumera. Both Gorgan and Arten had magnificent powers. The power of darkness belonged to Gorgan, and the power of light belonged to Arten. Even with their differences, they had lived in harmony, with Gorgan mentioning the moon every 12 hours, and Arten bringing up the sun afterwords. As a result of the marriage between these two powerful beings, came the birth of their twins. Both were given powers; however, they didn’t understand how to unleash them or find the true potential. Years passed, and both girls are now sixteen. Soon they will need to get married but face the harsh truth of not having their powers to do so. Octavia and Lumera need to continue their family lineage to keep their family name from being tarnished.
“Octavia, wake up!” Lumera fussed waking her sister. Octavia slowly stirs getting up. “What happened? There is nothing to do today.” Octavia lied back down. “We need to go find our powers to keep our family legacy!” Lumera fought back, not backing down. “Fine.” Octavia grumbled as they left for the garden trying to contact spirits that could help the two girls find their power. Lumera continued trying to find her power, but Octavia didn’t care. She let her pride go over her morality and empathy.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. One evening, Lumera met the gnome, Gnorbit who helped her find Ternia’s crystal of life giving her the power of light. Regardless to the turn of events, Octavia still didn’t care and was still powerless. “Octavia, you need your powers!” Gorgan yelled. “Soon I will have them” Octavia stated. “Its easy sweetheart, you just have to fall in the standards of light, and dark.” Arten comforted Octavia. “What if I won’t follow the standards?” Octavia questioned, getting up and walking away up to her balcony.
On the roof she started to pray to Ternia, asking how she could find the needed power. However, Ternia just answered, “Find your heart first.” Octavia didn’t understand. She asked for Ternia’s guidance again, and if there is any task, she could do to gain the power. Ternia brought up the quest of finding light in the darkness by defeating a witch who lived in a cave with the light she stole. Octavia earned a shield from Ternia made from light rays for protection.
The next day Octavia embarked on her journey, walking through the woods until she stumbled across a cave. She walked inside. “Is anyone here!” she shouted. She grabbed her shield and turned its light on as she continued walking through the tunnel. Fear swallowed Octavia the deeper she went remembering Ternia’s words. “Who are you?” asked the old woman in raggedy clothes who emerged from the shadows suddenly. She filled the cave with her large power and fear. She stood on a ledge with long grey hair, and her eyes filled with rage. Her name was Vaarkuda. “I’m Octavia! I am here to take back the light you stole from the darkness!” She told the witch, fearlessly. “No! I stole the light from the darkness long ago! It belongs to me!” the witch bellowed. Then the woman used her powers and threw rays of shadows at Octavia missing each shot. Octavia threw the shield at the witches’ body, turning her into gold dust. Octavia picked the shield up walked over to the large hidden sack. It isn’t over yet.
Octavia left the cave and opened the sack. The light flied out quickly, going in the bare night sky. A beautiful scene with all different shapes sizes and colors of light flying out all having one job being to fill the sky around the world so everyone could adore the beauty. Octavia looked around trying to understand what she did. She broke the standards and found a way out from her destiny making her own.
Once she made it back home, she went on her balcony looking at the sky. “You’ll be stars due to your divinity.” Ternia reappeared. “Octavia, you finished your journey triumphantly crossing obstacles and overcoming your ego finding your heart and soul. Now you’ve unleashed your true power. Knowledge.” Octavia looked at Ternia in confusion not understanding her power. Time passes and Octavia is now married. However, she doesn’t follow the standards like Lumera. She gives people the choice of their own destiny. The stars in the own path, and their own discovery, and every day from now Octavia walks onto her balcony looking up at the stars. Her own creation.