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209 Ava: Moon Goddess (II)

209 Ava: Moon Goddess (II)

Traveling like this is nothing like appearing in Sister Miriam’s home. O

It’s just a rush of white and nothing.

A lack of sound.

There’s no wind. No air to breathe. And yet I don’t suffocate in its absence, almost as if I don’t need to breathe at all.

Even so, I’m falling.

I can feel it deep in my soul.

Until I crash into a nebulous something and the world coalesces around me again.

The world blinks into focus, and I find myself somewhere… else. Somewhere decidedly not my room at the lodge.

I spin slowly, taking in my new surroundings. Towering rock cliffs encircle me, their jagged peaks reaching into an impossibly blue sky, uninterrupted by even a wisp of cloud. The air carries a crisp, clean scent, untainted by the usual odors of civilization. It fills my lungs with a refreshing coolness that I’ve never felt before, Something I may never experience again.

In the center of this hidden vale, a crystalline pond sparkles, its aqua waters more vivid than any I’ve seen before. The surface is still, like a polished mirror reflecting the heavens above. I’m drawn to it, my feet moving of their own accord until I stand at the water’s edge.

As

209 Ava: Moon Goddess (1)

Stare into the mesmerizing depths, a thought drifts through mind–that this place is imbued with magic. It’s a strange

notion, but one that feels undeniably true. The very air seems to

hum with an unseen energy, making my skin tingle.

“That’s because it is,” a melodic voice says from behind me. “It’s the magic within your soul.”

Startled, I whirl around to face the speaker. A woman stands before me, her beauty almost ethereal. Silver hair spills over her shoulders, puddling against the ground. And yet there’s no frizz. Not a single hair out of place. Impossible, with that length.

And her eyes? Bright and colorless. Inhuman. And yet somehow kind.

She regards me with eyes that seem to hold the secrets of the universe, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

“Who are you?” I ask, my voice sounding small in the vastness of this place. “Where am I?”

The woman

takes a step closer, her movements fluid and graceful. “I am known by many names,” she says, her voice like a soothing lullaby. “But you may call me Selena. And this,” she gestures to our surroundings, “is a reflection of your inner self.”

I frown, trying to make sense of her words. “My inner self? I don’t

understand.”

Selena’s smile widens. “You are a being of great power, Ava Grey. The magic that flows through your veins is ancient and potent. This place is a manifestation of that magic, a sanctuary created by your own soul. This world has been screaming in drought, without

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209 Ava: Moon Goddess (II)

its children to bring life.”

Her words make no sense at all. “What drought? The world is thriving.” At least, that’s what the news says.

“Is it? I suppose that would be how humans perceive it.”

She extends a hand towards me, palm up in invitation. I hesitate, my mind reeling. But something deep within me, a part of myself I’ve always known existed but never fully acknowledged, draws me toward her.

The identity of this woman is no secret.

There’s only one person she can be in this world.

Slowly, I reach out and place my hand in hers. Her skin is warm and smooth, and a tingling sensation spreads up my arm at the contact. Selena smiles, her eyes sparkling with otherworldly light.

“Come,” she says, gently tugging me towards the pond. “Let me show you the depths of your own power.”

As we approach the water’s edge, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the still surface. But instead of my usual self, I see a glowing figure, radiant with an inner light. Selena’s reflection stands beside mine, her own form shimmering. She’s a vast light, contained and

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Mine? My glow is wild, like a living fire in the water.

The difference between a master and student.

“Look deep within yourself, Ava,” Selena murmurs, her voice seeming to echo from the very rocks around us. “Embrace the magic that is your birthright. It’s been locked away for far too long,

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and the earth begs for its return.”

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes and letting the tranquility of this place wash over me. And as I do, I feel a stirring deep within my soul, a spark of something vast and powerful. Something I’ve never been able to access before.

It grows, expanding outward until it fills every fiber of my being, until I am one with the magic that surrounds me.

When I open my eyes again, the world has changed. The colors are brighter, more vibrant. The air hums with a tangible energy, and I can feel the life force of every living thing around me. And at the center of it all, I sense the pulsing core of my own magic, a wellspring of power that has always been there, waiting to be tapped.

It’s tiny–little more than a spark.

And when I glance within the water, my reflection is no longer blazing with light. It’s just me, with the faintest glow in my chest.

Selena squeezes my hand, her smile radiant. “Welcome home,

child.”

“What am I supposed to do with this power? Why am I so special?”

Selena’s expression grows serious. That is for you to discover, Ava. Your path is your own to walk. But know that you are not alone. There are others like you, others who will guide and support you on your journey.”

“So–not the chosen one with the entire world on her shoulders?”

Even her laugh is musical. “No. Just a new beginning, returning

209 Ava: Moon Goddess (II)

what was lost.”

She steps back, releasing my hand. “Trust in yourself, Ava Grey. Trust in the magic that flows through you.”

With those final words, Selena fades, her form growing translucent until she vanishes entirely. And as she does, the world around me starts to shimmer and dissolve, the colors blurring together until everything is consumed by a blinding white light.

I feel myself falling again, tumbling through that endless nothing once again.