Starlight Life Of The Sage

Public Release: March 9th, 2019 - 6:30 am EST

A young grad student clutched at his research paper with shaking hands. He stood in the hall outside one particular Professor's office. The door was ajar, but he didn't enter right away. He thought of all the awards and achievements the professor had earned over the years and, for a moment, the student wondered if he was worthy to take time away from such a legendary man.

The student remembered his professor's words, though, words from the very first class: 'If you ever need me, come by my office during my open hours. I'll never mind the company.'

With a trembling but terribly brave hand, the student opened the door to the office and poked his head in to ask a simple question,

"Professor Avery, can you help me look over my paper?"

The old professor looked up from his desk and gave a gentle smile. His blue-gray eyes were soft and full of care. His wrinkles were deep but distinct. On his desk were piles of reports, studies, and proofs. Behind him were numerous accolades, framed on the walls alongside photographs of every graduating class the professor ever taught. There was no free space on those walls.

"Of course," said the professor. "I'd be glad to help any student of mine."

The two went over the paper and discussed the ideas within, but their talks soon segued to other topics after; before long the two men, one old and one young, were uproarious in their laughter.

They spoke of music, nuclear physics, and even computer programming.

The difference in age hardly mattered. The student soon realized that, like him, the legendary Professor Avery was just another human being full of life, stories, love, and laughter.

The two would continue to meet and talk at least once a week until the student graduated and moved on...

-

Cara woke from her dream. She laid still on the bed and stared up at the ceiling above, counting the seconds as they ticked by.

She lived for 50,000 years in her first life, but she only lived for about 87 in her second. Despite the disparity, her memories of her second life were vivid and real, and they filled her with warm feelings. The memories of her second life were precious to her.

In her first life Cara theorized that a cultivator could achieve Divinity through alchemy, but she wasn't entirely sure. It was something she lost many nights of sleep over, and it grated her back then when she thought there was a chance she led her disciples down the wrong Path.

But in her second life, all the way back in her second year of elementary school, she learned that she wasn't wrong. The story of a Great War ended with the greatest and most terrible invention of all mankind...

A person didn't need spiritual energy, mana, or elemental manipulation abilities to tap into the realm of Gods, and the Sage knew that because ordinary humans did it on a quiet blue planet many years prior!

Humans called down atomic fire and tapped into the power of a Divinity without ever even approaching the Houtian Rungs.

A Divinity went beyond the classical concept of strength or ability. It went Beyond the known.

What could and what couldn't become a Divinity? Only a few people knew the answer.

-

Cara walked down the streets of the Tin City, her mind roving and wild with thoughts. Her outer cultivation at the Third Rung of the Cracked Core stage caused her body to become more beautiful than before. Gray-eyed, she looked like a Greek Goddess walking down the street. She held a large halberd in her left hand and kept it on her shoulder; a small belt-strap helped hold it in place. The onlookers and gawkers could feel Cara's strength radiating off of her.

At Cara's side walked a green-haired woman whose aura couldn't be felt by anyone. She wore a long flowing white robe with silver hemming. It tapered out at the ends and billowed like a cloud.

Zara held a few plants in her hands and she continued to fiddle with them. She looked much like the a madwoman, but none of the passersby treated her like one.

It had been a full week since Zara erased the Blue Star over the Tin City. Her legend was one spoken in hushed voices and behind closed doors.

The people of the city knew that a Heaven Knight walked its streets, and, no matter how pretty the two girls were, no one would dare make a move on them anymore.

-

The two reached their destination, the Stonelight estate. After the battles a week ago, neither woman wanted to confront Cara's family, but they knew it was something they needed to do eventually. They couldn't put it off forever.

Two mages from the Dixon family manned the front gate. They opened it without a word, letting Cara and Zara pass.

The estate itself was in shambles. Buildings were cracked and broken, left unfixed since all the chaos started. Soldiers wearing the mark of the Tin City were lined along a path that cut into a large plaza. At the head of the processon stood the Dixon Head alongside three men in chains.

When Cara's eyes fell on those chained me, sparse memories surfaced in her mind.

Her body's original owner recognized a man named Tikki from a painting. Her father once showed it to her many years ago…

Cara covered her face with her hand.

"Miss Cara," said the Dixon Head, "I present to you the leader of the Stonelight family alongside their two most prominent elders."

Cara nodded her head and walked up. She crouched down until her eyes were level with Tikki's. He looked down and away from her, afraid to match her gaze.

"My father," said Cara, coming to terms with her own thoughts. "He had a painting of his family. I recognize you from it."

"I'm your uncle," said Tikki.

"Then uncle, pray tell, why did you try to sell me to the City Lord?"

…

The man didn't answer. He just looked down in shame. If he knew something, he didn't reveal it.

Cara didn't know that Tikki tried to convince the family against the actions they took. She didn't know that Tikki fought against the command of the family head and his echelon.

And she'd never know. Because not one of the Stonelights would reveal it. Tikki out of penance for how he treated his brother in the past, and the Stonelight Head out anger and pride.

-

Cara sighed. She wasn't certain why she wanted to see her uncle, nor why she bothered to question him at all. She stood up and looked over all three men.

"From this day forth," said Cara, "I am no longer a member of the Stonelight house."

The Head of the family looked up, then, with a spark of anger in his eyes. He spoke for the first time since Cara's arrival to question her, "What will be your family name, then?"

His venom-laced voice implied the importance of a family lineage, but Cara never much cared about something as petty or small as the history or weight behind a family name. To her, a person was meant to honor a name, not the other way around. She knew what she wanted her last name to be. She picked it out of a myriad of options, because she never wanted to forget her second life on Earth.

"I will take the last name Avery, out of remembrance for a long lost friend."