"Un-named Origin Story"

...But the drums consumed her. With every moment passing the stardust grew more intense, now dancing chaotically between them as if she didn’t act soon they may both just implode.  Her body begged her to step forward but her mind was racing and she couldn’t bring herself to move.

“Aylamou” Astellio's face with growing concern watched her. “There is no other way.”

She recognized the grief and sadness in their eyes. They silently asked again “Are you ready?”

Ayla breathed in deeply and in her true surrender, she nodded. 

The stardust between them whirled, faster and faster around them. Miralun approached with both hands forward. A circular marking burned in the palm of her hands as she began to speak. 

"Ex lae astrael thel velaeth et ad lae astrael thel raeth. Danaeth lae mira quid thel mirath. Nōs en alaeth forma. Sine en mortaeth thel vel." 

Ayla could barely hear the words over the pounding drums and celestial wind ripping at her braid. She tore her eyes from the flames and found Astellio’s. Clear, deep, unwavering. On the last word of her grandmother she reached her hand forward as her ring finger found theirs, the stardust exploded around them. Their fingers interlocked and the light slammed into her filling every cell of her body. Her head flew backwards as Astellio pulled her towards them. She felt every part of her soul being ripped open. Emotion poured out of her like debris being swept away in a river. The waves of darkness being replaced by a river of light. Her nose was filled with the sweet comforting scent of burning santo leaves as she lifted her head she heard the final words pour from her grandmother's mouth. Ayla’s eyes found Astellios and the wind began to settle around them; she was unwavering in her stance- grounded in the power and magic that poured between them, uniting them in a sacred union unfaltering even in death. Astellio’s eyes gleamed as the words poured from their mouth softly into her ear “I will be with you from this world to the next, in any form through this sacred union. It is done” their fingers still interlocked Ayla reached for their other hand. “It is done” Ayla said. Her grandmother nodded, tears filling her eyes and bowed deeply towards them. Ayla smiled softly and with their fingers interlocked they turned and walked directly into the flames. 

Ayla’s eyes flew open, she couldn’t breathe and flung herself upwards gasping for air...