Lightning tore across the sky.
Everyone stopped moving.
Even the creatures that had risen from the ocean looked upward.
The clouds began twisting into a huge circle.
Something was coming through.
Shawshank tightened his grip on my hand.
"Bjei…"
"I see it."
A figure slowly descended from the clouds.
At first, I could only see a shadow.
Then two enormous wings appeared.
Not feathers.
They looked like they were made from silver light.
The figure landed on the water without making a sound.
The ocean became perfectly still.
Nerath stepped backward.
"You."
The figure looked toward it.
"You remember me."
Nerath's voice was suddenly filled with fear.
"I thought you were gone."
The stranger turned.
She was a woman.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
She wore a long silver dress that seemed to be made from clouds.
A crown floated above her head.
She looked at Shawshank.
Then at me.
"You have caused quite a disturbance."
I stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
She smiled.
"I am Celestia."
The name meant nothing to me.
But everyone around me reacted.
Azrael dropped his weapon.
Marina whispered,
"The Sky Queen."
My heart pounded.
"The Sky Queen?"
Celestia looked at me.
"Yes."
She pointed toward the sea.
"I rule what is above it."
Then she pointed toward Shawshank.
"And the sea has chosen him."
Shawshank stepped forward.
"I don't want a war."
Celestia smiled.
"Neither did the sea."
She looked at Nerath.
"But someone has started one."
Nerath growled.
"You have no right to interfere."
Celestia raised one hand.
A bolt of lightning struck the ocean beside Nerath.
The water exploded.
Nerath moved backward.
"I have every right."
I stared at Celestia.
"Why are you here?"
Her eyes settled on me.
"Because you broke the prophecy."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Everyone keeps talking about that."
"You should be pleased."
"I'm not."
She looked surprised.
"Why?"
"Because every time someone tells me I've changed something, something worse happens."
Celestia laughed softly.
"You have courage."
"I have questions."
"Then ask."
I pointed toward Shawshank.
"Why is he suddenly a king?"
"The sea chose him."
"Why?"
"Because he was willing to protect someone without owning them."
I felt my cheeks warm.
Celestia continued.
"That is rare beneath the sea."
Shawshank looked at me.
I smiled.
Then Celestia's expression became serious.
"But that is not why I came."
The smile disappeared from my face.
"Then why?"
She looked at Nerath.
"I came for him."
Nerath immediately attacked.
A massive black wave shot toward Celestia.
She lifted her hand.
The sky answered.
Lightning struck the wave and split it apart.
Nerath screamed.
The creatures scattered.
"Stay back!" Shawshank shouted.
But I couldn't.
Something about Celestia felt familiar.
Not comforting.
Familiar.
Like a memory I had forgotten.
I stepped closer.
"Have we met?"
Celestia looked at me.
"Yes."
My heart stopped.
"When?"
"The night you were born."
I froze.
Angela's face went pale.
"You were there?"
Celestia nodded.
"I watched your birth from the sky."
Marina lowered her head.
Celestia continued.
"I watched your mother beg the sea to spare you."
I looked at Marina.
"You knew her?"
Celestia nodded.
"She asked me for help."
Marina began crying.
"What did you do?"
"I refused."
My eyes widened.
"Why?"
"Because the price was too high."
"What price?"
Celestia looked directly at me.
"Your life."
Silence.
Shawshank stepped closer.
"What are you talking about?"
Celestia looked at him.
"The night Bjei was born, three powers fought over her."
"The sea."
"The sky."
"And the darkness."
She looked at Nerath.
"The darkness wanted her power."
Then she looked at Shawshank.
"The sea wanted her soul."
Finally, she looked at herself.
"And the sky wanted her dead."
My heart stopped.
"Why?"
"Because your power could cross every boundary."
I looked at my hands.
"I didn't know."
"You weren't supposed to."
Celestia walked closer.
"But now you are no longer a child."
She looked at the golden mark on my chest.
"You have broken the seal."
I swallowed.
"What happens now?"
Celestia looked toward the horizon.
"Now the sky must choose."
"Choose what?"
She looked at Shawshank.
"Whether to destroy the sea…"
Then she looked at me.
"…or protect you."
The creatures began murmuring.
Nerath smiled.
"You see?"
I turned toward it.
"What?"
"It has begun."
The clouds darkened.
Thousands of silver lights appeared in the sky.
An army.
Celestia's army.
Shawshank moved in front of me.
"Don't."
Celestia looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because if you attack the sea, I will defend it."
Celestia smiled.
"Good."
She raised her hand.
The silver army descended.
Shawshank's eyes widened.
Celestia looked at him.
"Then prove you deserve your crown."
I held his hand.
And as the sky and sea prepared to collide…
I realized something.
The real war wasn't between the sea and the sky.
They were both fighting over me.