"Star, our time is growing short. As much as I'd like to stay here for a very long time we must soon part and all go our own ways. Make no mistake, darling boy, one day we will meet again and that time there'll be no partings. One day, I'll travel the paths of the spiral back to you and so will Lauralie, but for now we'll soon have to go and there's something I need to talk to you about before we do."
Star frowns. "Do we really have to go?"
"Very soon, dear one."
"But it's been no time."
"Any time would be no time for this meeting and I'm not the one who sets the rules. As much as we rant about it, our time will run out very soon and, before it does there's something important I want to talk to you about."
"Don't do it, Astaria," I growl. "He's not ready."
"Not ready for what?" Star asks, startled.
"It is not fair, Luma. The boy has to know, he has to be prepared and it has to be now. You may not understand it but you must trust me in this. You've never failed to trust me before."
"But this is different. Why don't you leave it to me to tell him in my own time?"
"Because there is no time," she snaps and the frown on her face is real. "This is not a situation where you have the luxury of owning the time."
"Why is it so important to do it now?"
"You know I can't tell you that. I cannot influence the decision. I can only make sure he's as prepared as possible for when the time comes, and it is coming, sooner that you realise. If I leave it to you I know you won't even mention it to him, until it is too late."
Star watches our exchange with anxious eyes which then begin to snap. "I think, as you're both talking about me as if I'm not here, I should remind you that I am. Could one of you, any one of you please tell me what's going on?"
I give Astaria a stern look but she ignores me. "Star, my dear you need to think carefully about your position on the wheel. Do you remember what I told you about the wheel?"
"No I... Oh I see. The hub of the wheel... the different worlds, yes I think so."
"There are those who live outside the wheel. Some, like me, have been trapped inside it, in the hub, and some have been excluded from it to exist outside of time. They can touch the world and walk on the earth, but they can't become part of it: they don't die, neither do they truly live. They're eternal but eternally cursed to stay the same and never move on. Luma's one of these cursed beings."
Star looks up at me and I turn my head sharply to one side, lowering my eyes.
"I... think I understand. Normal humans like me; even if we stay here for a time, drink his blood and stay young; can still go back, live a life and die. We can move along the spiral until we reach the hub and then be completely free. Luma can't do that so, even though he doesn't die, he can't move on either."
"That's exactly it. It's a lonely existence, Star, but it can give you great perspective and a broad view of history. There are great events happening out there, most of which won't touch you here, nor even your world, but the wheel will eventually turn and the war to come will touch every one of the worlds and everyone in them.
"Luma's accidentally created the core of a very powerful force. It's not something any of you need to be concerned about right now. It'll become clear in time and it's a matter for a different day. However, what you need to consider and to think carefully about is when you'll take the decision to join Luma outside time."
"What? Me? Be like him?" His eyes widen and he stares at me in abject horror. "I... I don't know. It's one thing to come to terms with this whole thing-- the house, the boys, what Luma is, what he was, how all the crazy pieces of my life come together, the whole wheel thing. I can't process them all. But... but to give up my humanity... to become... changed." He stares at me anxiously. "It isn't I hate what you are, Luma it's just... just for me... to be... I don't know. I really don't know. I don't want--"
"I told her, Star. I told her you aren't ready to even think about this yet. You have too much to learn too much you need to know before you take the step; to even consider making a decision."
"Oh, but you must, Star, my dear. Luma doesn't know how wrong he is, but he will; you both will. I don't disagree the choice is yours and yours alone, but you'll be making it sooner than you think and you need to be prepared, you need to know what the step entails."
"I don't want to know. I don't want to even think about it."
"It's alright, Star," I say reassuringly. "We don't need to do this right now."
"Yes, Luma, we do need to do this and we need to do it now," she says firmly. "Trust me. Star, no one is going to force you into doing anything. I swear to you, when the decision's made, it'll be made by you with no coercion. You'll do more that consent, more even than ask, you'll beg for it and when you do you must know what you're asking for.
"Luma was placed in this position as a punishment. His sin was the same as mine. Part of the reason I was imprisoned in the wheel and he was exiled from it, was to keep us as far apart as possible. However, it's possible to be ascended to that state voluntarily. There's a ritual that needs to be performed and there has to be intent by the one being ascended. Therefore, it can't be done against your will, Star. If you're not fully intent on the process it can't happen."
"What does the ritual entail?" Star asks, curious but cautious.
"It's neither pleasant nor easy, Star, and I'd be a liar if I told you it was without risk. When the time comes, you'll be infused with an essence that's deadly to the human body. It will separate your soul from your flesh. While the ritual is being performed an entity will be summoned and will literally suck your soul from your body and bind it outside time. When your soul's returned to your body both will be irreparably changed. In short, you'll become as Luma is, except in your case there'll be certain important differences."
"What differences?" he asks, carefully neutral.
"The attributes your soul carries back to the shell of your body are flavoured by the nature of the soul. Luma's soul is... something he can choose to tell you or not later, but your soul is forged from the family Draco. You are, in short, part dragon. While Luma's soul was forged on the anvil of war, yours rose from dragon-fire and was touched by it. Dragons are no stranger to war, either, but they're also wise and their healing powers are very strong. The essence of what you are and what you'll be is shaped by that part of you. Also, part of your soul is mine and would be merged in the process, to make you unique. Even I don't know what the end result would be."
Star has been staring at her, his eyes growing more and more fearful. He shakes his head and swallows hard. "Would it hurt? The change... would it hurt?"
"Yes Star. It will hurt a lot. There are drugs Luma can give you to help with the pain after, but there's nothing that can ease the torment of having your soul ripped from your body." She shudders and raises her eyes to mine. The experience we share needs no words.
"Is it dangerous? I mean... of course it's dangerous but is it possible that it wouldn't work, that I'd never come back?"
