Unveiling

The Expunged History

She knows already.

Cascade stood by the window, gazing out at the view of the mountain from his castle, pondering who Celestine had spoken to. Although he did not hear or saw the whole scenario, he sensed that the kids are up to something now, and they're eager to search more for answers.

Achker... for long me and my family take care of this land and of the people here. It is because of our blood and sweat that entire Achkerians are successful. But recently, signs in the stars showed me things that are difficult to accept. How could we of all clans not survive that doomsday? We who sacrificed a lot for these reincarnated souls? This is so unfair! Cascade thinks. 

Cascade recalled that day when they were still constructing the glass hall where the Polaris Feast was held. He brought his son Vex there.

" Dad what is that for?" asked Vex. He was a kid at that time.

" It is the greenhouse of our family son" Cascade replied smiling to Vex, patting his head. 

" Whoaah! such a huge house for plants! " Vex exclaims. 

" Son, can you put a lock on our plant's house, so when it's time no one could not just go in and out from it", Cascade gently requested his son.

Vex nods excitedly. 

After that, he kneels half-bent. When his body makes contact with the ground, a dazzling bright light that resembles lightning emerges from the ground, moving upward to the hall's glass wall and roof.

"Finish dad", Vex said grinning wide as he wipes off his hands. 

" Hon, I felt the stars... how's our son? When is he going home"? Felon asks worriedly. 

His wife's frantic voice interrupted his thoughts. Cascade glanced at her irritably glanced at her. Felon is the Keeper's wife, but she's the most coward.

" Soon... I am just fixing things up", Cascade replied. 

Felon frowns, " How can you be certain they're going to give up their abilities?" he asked suddenly, there's doubt in her tone. 

Cascade raises his hands, " I'm sure of it...they trust me that much okay?!" he said with a raised eyebrow. 

" Now, why don't you tell our men to get the AV room ready?", he said to Felon, driving her away. 

Meanwhile, Celestine and her friends are now heading home. They have been quiet most of the time during the travel still thinking of the conversation they had with Adaia. 

" Are you going to stay in the astral's capitol?" Quasi asks Celestine, breaking the silent atmosphere inside the car. 

" No, I'll go home", Celestine replied. She's referring to their house with her human parents.

 " Besides, I don't want to see Cascade", she adds.

" How about you Abby? am I gonna drop you home?" Quasi turns to Abby. 

" Uhm..I'll just pretend I don't know anything and besides my family doesn't care about Gran," Abby said. 

Rrrrrrnnngg!!!!

" It's Dylan!", Quasi muttered. He presses the phone that's attached near the driver's seat. 

" Hey, bro have you seen this?" 

Dylan's voice is heard in the car. 

" I will be sending a video to you now," he said. 

Quasi swipe the screen of his phone and press the link which his brother sent, and adjust the volume. 

They see Cascade on the screen. 

"Achkerians the time we have been waiting is now approaching. The stars recently have shown clear, sure signs of Apocalypse. Yes! You heard it right! An Apocalypse is coming and no one will survive! Even us! if without the sacred stone! 

If you remember during the Polaris feast, I have given you three months to decide about your sacrifice for the sacred stone, we are not going to wait for three months anymore. It's now or never! Every Auribus and Astral is given the opportunity to demonstrate the nobility and purity of their souls by giving all of their strength to bring the precious stone back to life. We all know that our souls would be incomplete without the stone, and that we are at our weakest without it!",  

Cascade speaks in a tone so convincing and urgent, that anyone who could hear might panic rushing to give the abilities they have.  

" Haiisssht! How can we even sacrifice for the sacred stone when there's not a sacred stone?!" Abby mutters frowning. 

" We must find the eliminated part of Achker's history sooner, maybe there's help in there", Celestine said. 

" But where is that ripped page? you see, that events in the past have been erased even in the memory of every oldie in Achker, and the piece of its prints is thrown away. No one knows where it is!" Quasi lamented. His tone sounds frustrated. 

" Yeah! They made sure to keep it a secret forever!", Abby sighed. 

" We will find it. I will find it! For now, make sure your clan is not gonna give anything to Cascade. " Celestine said to her friends.                 

I promise I will find you...

receive this...? 

There I'm sure I will find you

And she sees a gleaming light covering her...

But then, the surroundings change. Suddenly, she's there in a medieval-themed museum. There's just a little light in her way, she could not see the whole room clearly, but there is this light going to the room in the end. Celestine walks slowly like there's some spotlight she's following to. Until she reaches the room. She holds the knob twists it tightly and there! It's like something inside the room is awaken. She saw gold letters dancing slowly in the air. 

" lies here are the untold history," the voice said.

" huh?"

She gasps as she hears that familiar voice she's been hearing since she's in her mother's womb. 

Celestine snaps her eyes wide open. She quickly gets up and sits on her bed. Her heart races as she breathed heavily. She had a dream. 

She rushed to her phone on the side of her bed and dial Abby's number.

" Hey, guys I know where the lost page is," she mutters. 

Meanwhile... 

" Adaia You've done a fantastic job on your part.... now it's up to her to find us." said the voice in the line, whom Adaia is talking to.

"Let's wait for her", the voice said.

"Okay," Adaia replied. 

The Next Day

 "So what does your mom says about this"? Abby asked Celestine. 

"Nothing, they're used to see me traveling alone", Celestine replied. 

"Cel, are you sure that the museum you see in your dream is in Norway? " Quasi asked her.

"Yes", she replied.

"Uhmm..okay " Quasi said. He leans his back on the aircraft seats. 

They're now on the plane flying to Verdens Ende, a town in Norway.  

" Sorry kids the museum is close today", the guard told them. 

They've been in the entrance for minutes but still, the guard would not let them in. 

 " Guys do you want me to use my tricks on him? " Quasi moves his finger from behind, whispering at them.     

 " Shut up!", Celestine grabs his wrist, trying to stop him from creating a scene. 

 " Not now, let's go back here later... come let's leave for now," Celestine said to her friends while she's glancing at the guards. She pulled them away from the entrance. 

Quasi irritatedly brushed his hair. 

"So when are we gonna go back?" he asked. 

"Let's go back here later at midnight," Celestine said. 

Meanwhile...hiding in the trees at a distance is a man at the same age as them, observing their every move. After a while, he reaches for his phone and dialed a number. 

"Dad, she's here and they're after the lost page." 

Cascade heard his son's voice over the phone. 

"That is why you've been there in Norway for so long son"  Cascade replied. 

"I understand," Vex replied. 

It's now midnight and the three teenagers are now back at the museum. The door creeks, their footsteps are heard clearly amidst this drowning silence. Windows rattling, as curtains are swayed by winds where the smell of wet papers and stone piercing through their nose. Yet despite the scary feels this place had, they are determined to walk forward and search for that room whom Celestine saw in her dreams. 

" Watch out"! Quasi shouted. It's some debris from old stairs falling from the second floor. Quasi quickly raises her hand moves his fingers and stops the debris from hitting Celestine. 

The debris freezes in the air. But then after a moment, they heard another noise cracking.

 " Guys! blades are coming!", Abby screams.

Celestine quickly flexes her hands. Shield! She whispers in her mind. And a red luminous light hinders the sharp metallic objects from slashing their flesh.  

"Let's go!" Celestine said with urgency. 

 And they rushed to the room at the end of the hallway. 

"We're here" Celestine slowly opened the door. This is the same scenario she had in her dream. 

This feels like a deja vu. She said to herself as she stares at the dusty room where old portraits are hanged on its cracking wall. 

They step in. 

" Where is the page here? Quasi asked in furrowed brows. 

" There must be a code or something?" Abby replied.

Where is it? how? she keeps on thinking about what to do next. Celestine asked herself. She continues to move around the room figuring out, looking for clues.

"Ok got it!" Celestine exclaimed seconds after. 

"Reveal!," she commanded as she motioned her hands on the floor. Then, just like in her dream, gold letters began to emerge from it, coalescing and combining into words.

Their jaw dropped in amazement. 

" Quasi!" Celestine called with urgency 

"Can you gather these all and lock them in your palm?" she said. He opened his palm as if urging the letters to follow him. 

" Faster Quas! someone is coming!" Abby muttered. Though at a distance she can hear his footsteps. 

Then after a while, a man with a black mask suddenly barged in from behind. He kicked Celestine, slamming her on the wall.  

Celestine cringe. She grasped her aching back. That was hard that wall broke up. She managed to stand as if she's not hurt. 

" Who are you?" she asked. 

" Give me the page!"  

Then the man in masked moved swiftly towards Quasi. He grabbed him on the neck. Lifted him, and shove him unto the wall still not letting go of him. 

Seeing that, Abby rushes towards the man and punched him on the back. The man glared at her and grabbed her too, using his other hand. 

Now he's got both Quasi and Abby. 

"Give me the page or I will kill your friends?" said the man in masked to Celestine. 

The man curved a mocking smile as he noticed Celestine's confusion.

" You aren't that strong to stop me... astral!" the man said with mockery. 

What? Why does he seem to know me? Celestine thinks. But I can't just give up like this. She said to herself. She said to herself. She glared at the unknown guy and clenched her fist. 

" Let them go!", she muttered.

Bluish luminous lines crept into her skin, starting from her hands, slowly going upward. And after a moment the color of her eyes changes into a mixture of different colors of the galaxy. 

Celestine smiled viciously and glared at the man, " the thing is I don't even know what I am", she mutters in a tone so threatening. 

" Isn't it more frightening?" Celestine said to the man walking slowly towards her. Her every step is sure and confident and brave. 

Now her entire face is radiant. She reached the man, grabbed him, and slammed him on the floor. Celestine jumped onto him and clutches his face. 

" Close your eyes...and sleep deeply", she whispered on his face. 

What is she? My eyes are drowsy and what is this? I feel suffocating. The man in the mask asked himself as he slowly lose his consciousness. 

" You shouldn't underestimate a trained Astral" Celestine whispered to man. 

Meanwhile

Vex... 

Cascade senses that something happened to his son. He closes his eyes. Cascade sees himself slowly melting like disappearing. He can't teleport. No Achkerian can. Yet, as the highest in his clan, he can teleport his soul somewhere he wishes, like what Astrals can do.  

I'll be there...son...hang on..Cascade thinks.