Page 178 of Bonds of Starfall

Sabine and Talor were not here.

His feet grew numb from standing, but he wasn’t allowed to sit.

Finally, Kit was told to return, and as he stalked back into the dark room, his left hand shook faintly, as if in anticipation of seeing her again.

Only—

The chair was empty.

Vesperin was gone.

The one thing that had made him feel something again had disappeared.

Kit’s hands clenched. He needed to do… something.

Find her.

Hunt her down.

Atlas staredinto the dark abyss of deep space.

It was time.

The Celestialthought, and so, a planet was formed.

As if he were a conductor leading a symphony, he raised his shadowed hands and created mountains, swept them out and softened them into valleys, brought them down and formed craters to fill with water, raised them again, and seas were created.

Trees grew, their roots sinking deep into the dirt. Birds formed from nothing, wings spanning out as they flew in the newly born skies. The moons hung as a trinity, each varying in size.

The sky blushed pink and purple with dawn, speckled with white clouds.

Atlas stood amid it all, feeling the ripple of a pleasantly warm breeze on his face, the scents of blooming flowers andlife, untainted by pollution.

A small butterfly flitted in the air before him. Its wings were marbled with grey and black. The Celestial raised a hand, and its wings turned baby blue. The tiny creature perched on the tip of his finger.

"Polis," Atlas said. "I will name this place Polis."

And so Polis it became.

He turned to the valley before him. The sea stretched far in the distance. Tall, snow-dusted mountains rose further behind him.

This would be a perfect spot.

He willed it; structures rose into being.

A castle, white spires reaching high into the sky, so tall the tips were obscured by the clouds. Magnificent arched windows, stained glass in delicate pink and blue, cast rainbow shadows on the meadow outside.

It was missing something.

Steps, laden with gold, appeared, a pathway snaking up to the grand entrance.

"Perfect," Atlas said.

He closed his eyes, imagining Vesperin here, running up the golden path, brown hair blowing behind her. A single tear fell from his eyes. He could almost hear the sound of her laughter in the breeze.

But when he opened his eyes, he was alone—the only being on the planet. Soon, she would be here.

Atlas had much to tell Vesperin, but most of all, he wanted to whisper,Hold on. Endure.

Grand things awaited her. If only she knew, she would walk toward her fate on Earth with a smile.

He could not wait to bring her home.

To be continued…