Page 76 of Ecliptic

Dyani’s eyes widened. “That sounds like an Ever-burn star. My mother used to tell Demil and me about them when we were younglings. She said she had only ever seen one in her lifetime.”

“What’s an Ever-burn star?” Madds and I asked in unison, exchanging an unamused stare.

“Ever-burns are extremely rare,” Dyani began, her voice taking on a reverent tone as she shared her mother’s memories. “When they fall to the earth, they do not diminish or die. They burn forever—a bright light that never fades.”

“That sounds exactly like what we need,” I said, hope flaring within my chest. “But this one slowly flickered out. You’ve never heard of that happening?”

Dyani’s sharp eyes flared with concern. “No. That should not happen. Ever-burns are supposed to be eternal.”

“Let’s get Nepta’s opinion,” Rowen said, his hand on the small of my back. “She might have come across something like this before.”

Dyani nodded in agreement. “Nepta’s knowledge is vast. If there is an explanation, she’ll find it.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my whirl of emotions. I knew it was a long shot, but maybe, just maybe, this meteor was the solution we were so desperately seeking.

As we walked the short distance to the crater, Nepta followed, her slender knuckles curled around her crescent moon staff. She’d forgone wearing her quartz headdress, leaving her fine, silver hair in a low, elegant bun.

Two master bladesmiths accompanied us, their faces eager yet curious, ready to examine the fallen star.

Nepta’s steps were slow and measured, but her presence was commanding as if the very earth responded to her authority. I’d witnessed the Elven-head create a portal and had even traveled through it after the Battle of the Crypts. Yet now, she walked beside us, her movements deliberate.

“Why didn’t you create a portal to the crater?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t a foolish question. The scope of her powers interested me, especially since they were so different from mine.

“I can only travel to places I know, or that I can feel a direct path to,” she said, her wise, rheumy gaze turning to me. “This crater? I have never been there, so I cannot simply arrive there. I must have a connection to a place. Unlike you, I cannot appear out of thin air.”

“That makes sense,” I replied with a small laugh. I admired how knowledgeable she was regarding her abilities, but I alsofelt a twinge of envy. Every day, I learned something new about mine.

Nepta smiled softly. “I didn’t learn it all overnight,” she said as if she sensed where my mind had gone. We brought up the rear of our party, her staff tapping rhythmically against the ground. Ahead, Rowen led the way, followed by Maddock and the bladesmiths. “Many believe energy to be limitless, but that is far from the truth. It is reciprocal with rules and limitations. It is not always about the power one has, but how one wields it. There is always an exchange.”

“Where does it come from?”

“It should come from your own inner well of energy. If you do not have enough, you can always ask the earth or spirits to aid you. Anyone can tap into this power, but it must be used with reverence. Elves have always had a deep understanding of the earth, but there are those who do not understand it is a give-and-take relationship.”

Her connection with the earth and heavens was intrinsic and powerful. Unlike Erovos, she didn't steal energy for her own gain but asked for it reverently. “Have the spirits ever said no?”

“Sometimes I ask, and the spirits say no. When they do, I must respect their decision. Those like Erovos, Caeryn, and Aliphoura disregard this sacred connection, taking by force and any means necessary. Look at the devastation that follows when they do,” she said, her free arm sweeping over the dead and barren forest we now walked through.

I nodded, recalling my own experience. “When I summoned the water, I didn’t understand that even if you ask, and the spirits agree, they can give you more than what you asked for.”

“Ah, yes,” she replied, quiet approval lighting her face. “The balance can easily tip the other way. You are gaining insight every day. And I thank you for risking your life to bring water back to my village.”

Her words stayed with me as we continued to the crater. Even though I was certain her abilities could rival those of Erovos, there were boundaries she would not cross. Knowing when to hold back and when to honor the energy around you was a power in itself.

The pale-yellow sun had lowered in the sky when we finally reached the crater. It was even bigger than I remembered, especially in the daylight. The sheer impact left me awestruck.

“This stone called to you?” Nepta asked, her gaze piercing as we stared down the crater’s edge. Though its silvery glow had flickered out, the meteor seemed to hum with energy.

“It felt . . . like a part of me, as if it knew I was here,” I replied, feeling the weight of her question.

“And almost killed us in the process,” Maddock said with tension in his jaw.

“Dyani said it sounded like an Ever-burn star, but it was only aglow for a few minutes,” I added. “Have you ever heard of that?”

Nepta’s eyes closed, her senses focusing intently on the stone. “Ever-burns do not simply fall to the earth by accident. They have a reason for appearing. They are meant to be eternal. That it has flickered out is yet another bad omen. It could be the same corruption that drains life from our world.”

The bladesmiths exchanged glances, their interest piqued. Bailon, the older and more experienced of the two, said, “We will take a sample to be sure.”

Nepta nodded, and the two elves carefully descended into the crater. From our vantage point, we watched them navigate the rocky terrain, eventually reaching the black-and-silver rock that towered over them.

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