Chapter 1

“Nonna, what does polvere di luna mean?” my grandmother smiled down upon me, a touch of sorrow and anger reflecting within her grey-tinted iris’.

“It means moonlight my little Stella. It is the magic that makes our world float in the sky. The almighty God blessed us with the beauty that comes with the celestial moon, which is what our race is named after. Without the celestial orb, we wouldn't be able to do this…” she trailed off, touching her pointer finger to the floor of our stone house. Little specks of silver bounced along the floor, as a white-tinted light shined from Nonna’s finger.

“You see? I call upon the celestial’s glow to create polvere di luna. You can too, you just have to call upon the magic within your heart.” she pointed to my heart, and gave me an expectant look.

“Have you been practicing? Show me your polvere, my child.” I glanced about the room nervously, I could only call out a tiny silvery fleck.

“Come on Aylin, show me polvere. Call upon the emotion within your heart…” she paused, her eyebrows knitting together in pure fury. “Remember your parents, and their deaths because of those unworthy Inferni. Call upon your revengeful spirit!”

“But Nonna, you told me polvere di luna was suppose to be created out of beauty and contempt.”

My grandmother growled, and slammed her hand against the floor. “That was before your parents, my famiglia was murdered! That was before our world was taken from us, and joined together with the Inferni’s hellish one, now call upon your power… now!” then she struck me across the cheek, my head lashing to the side as I fell to the floor.

I still remember the sting of her hand on my face, the redness growing from the imprint of her hand.

I touched a hand to my cheek, feeling it as if it happened seconds ago.

“Aylin? Aylin, are you alright?” I looked over to see my friend Cato staring at me worried. His hazel eyes skipping around my face, searching for an answer.

I finally shook myself out of my daze and nodded. “Sorry Cato, I just… got a little distracted. What were you saying?” Guilt tore through my heart for getting so distracted so easily, and I knew that now Cato was worrying about me, he wouldn’t stop.

The sapphire curls of grass tickled my feet, before being blown away by the wind. Plum colored trees with ivory white trunks swayed in the wind. Fourth Winter must be coming, and soon after that, First Spring, my favorite season.

“I was just talking about the exams we had last Fourth Winter, and how the ones coming up will be ten times harder.”

I growled, shaking my head, my silver curls bouncing along with the movement. “Ugh, you know how bad I am at magic tests,” I said, my mind going back to the memory of my Nonna…

“Letter for Ms. Aylin Scelta?”

I looked behind me to see a Luna messenger bird floating in the air above my head with a cream-white envelope in its beak.

“Yes?” I replied, my eyes still on the letter. Who could it be from, Nonna maybe?

“Letter from the Lontana Region?”

Cato gasped and looked at me. “The distant region, Aylin, do you know how close that land is to the Luna-Blaze Border? Who could it possibly be from? What-”

I held up my hand, silencing him. Cato may be my best friend, but he can sure ask a lot of questions… more than he should.

I took the letter from the cerulean-colored bird, “Thank you.” I said and opened the letter. It was didn’t say exactly who it was from but had an initial instead.

Dear Aylin Scelta,

The fire may be hot, but the cold can still burn. An opportunity will arise, and you must take it, no matter how dangerous it seems. We must become one, remember this before you strike the enemy, for there are secrets that lie within, and must be told.

Be careful, and destroy this letter after your done. You will find me when the time is right,

L

“Who’s it from?” Cato asked, trying to look over my shoulder to read it.

“Probably some povelvere harvest plant in need of youthful laborers.” I lied, sliding the mysterious letter in my pocket. I’d look at it later when Cato’s curious eyes aren’t around.

Cato gave me an annoyed look, his grey hair with streaks of sapphire falling across his face, getting me to realize how handsome he really is. He has a lilac button-down shirt, that outlines his muscles, tucked into silver pants.

He squinted at me, “What are you looking at?”

How handsome you are- “Just taking in your outfit, silvery-blue pants would probably go better with you button-down.” I said bashfully, my cheeks turning pink.

Cato looked down at his pants, “You think? I thought silver went well with lilac.”

A bell rang in the distance. “Time for Polvere Creare class, you better change your pants quick if you want to look nice for Layla,” I said, and lightly punched him on the shoulder, an amused smile began to grow on my face, as I walked away. Cato hinted to me that he liked this girl named Layla in his class, and he always acts so stupidly around her, forgetting words and sounding like an idiot. I find it absolutely hilarious.

“Wait, Aylin! Do you really think I need to change, is it really that bad? Aylin, please help me!” he called, and I chuckled, turning back to face him.

“I was kidding Cato, you look great!” I admitted, a scowl grew on his face, but he couldn’t hide the hint of a smile in his eyes.

Instead of walking to magic class, I decided to examine the mysterious letter, since Cato wouldn’t let me earlier. Nonna knows how much I lack in Polvere di Luna, so it wouldn't be a surprise to her if I skipped class. I know I’d still get chastened by her, but this letter is so mysterious, that I know it’s worth it.

The first thing my eyes went to was the first line, ‘The fire may be hot, but the cold can still burn,’ what does that mean?

I looked up into the leaves of a mint-colored tree, its viney-like branches blowing in the wind. The Fourth Winter’s chill breeze crept up my spine, sending me shivering. Cold… Ethereal winter cold…

“It’s talking about Ethereal!” I observed, “But what does the fire represent?”

I look closer at the letter, Fire, as in Inferni fire?

The next line also puzzled me, ‘An opportunity will arise, and you must take it, no matter how dangerous it seems,’ An opportunity? I haven’t experienced one of those since Nonna began dictating my life. I understand where her stern and anger comes from, the Inferni, but she is overly-protective. She always tells me of a horrid story about the Inferni, and how the mercilessly kill any Celeste they come across in the Lontana Regional Luna-Blaze Border.

I can just imagine what she’d say about this letter; “How dare you even read such a letter, let alone think about the concepts within a possible Inferni-written letter! Do you not recall what they did to your parents, how they ripped the skin off their bones and tormented them in unimaginable ways, all for no reason?” Nonna would probably slap me for my insolence, and throw the letter in the lunar-hearth, watching in wrath as the blue flame tore apart the cursed letter.

Sighing, I tucked the letter back into my pocket. She’s right, I shouldn’t even consider the lines in this possibly written-by-Inferni-scum. I must keep my eyes on the main goal, and that is to take my revenge in the most terrifying way to the Inferni, whatever that may be, but I will find out what it is.

I walked in the direction of magic class, “Maybe if I make it to class at least twenty ticks before it ends, I can tell Nonna I had a project with Cato for Lunar-History class and had to finish it, she’ll believe me.” Cato would definitely go along with whatever I say.

“So, that’s your planned-excuse for skipping class.”

I whirled around, seeing Cato staring down expectantly at me, a smile playing on his lips.

“Wha-how did you know I was skipping class?” I glanced down at his pants, which had now changed to the silvery-blue slacks I had recommended.

I smiled, “Did you really change your pants just because I told you to?”

Cato laughed, but it came out as a nervous choking sound, as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I...um… went home to change pants, because I spilled polvere on them... and saw you here.”

I snorted, “You spilled polvere on your pants?” Well isn’t that the worst excuse I’ve ever heard in my life.

Cato shrugged, “Hey, you're not exactly the best Polvere di Luna caller either.”

Suddenly, frustration prickled up within my heart. “Cato, you know how I feel about my calling upon Polvere di Luna magic,” I whispered angrily and looked away. He knows how much I hate it when my weakness in Lunar magic is revealed. My Nonna always pushes me too hard when it comes to magic practice.

Cato must’ve seen my anger, and reached out his hand to hold mine. “I’m sorry Aylin, I shouldn’t have said that. I know you’ll get better at your magic, it just hasn’t happened yet.”

Cato’s thumb trailed across the back of my hand.

I sighed, squeezing Cato’s hand. “Sorry for the sudden anger Cato, you know how hard it is for me and my Nonna when I can’t call upon my Polvere di Luna.”

He nodded, taking a step closer and enveloping me in a hug. “I know, Aylin, I know.”

The blare of a Luna alarm screeched in the distance. I ripped out of Cato’s arms, my eyes wide as Polvere dishes. “It’s a- an Inferni attack alarm!” I stuttered in surprise. We hadn’t had an attack since First Winter, which was a long time ago.

Cato looked around at the small school meadow we were standing in, equally surprised. He looked down at me, his arms hovering over my waist. “Do you think it’s an accident?” I shook my head, In Ethereal, accidents were second to none.

Cato anxiously rubbed his forehead. “If it’s a real alarm, then that means I need to go to the Luna-Blaze border to-”

“Fight!” I exclaimed. I put a hand on his arm. “Cato, you can’t go! You’ll be killed!”

Cato growled, shrugging off my touch. “I would not!” His chin jutted up. “I guess I do have to go.”

“Aw Cato, please don’t go!” I pleaded, grabbing his arm again. I don’t want to lose him.

“I do, Aylin,” he said and walked away. He looked at me over his shoulder. “Maybe if I come back, you can see how I didn’t get killed. But don’t be too sure, since you obviously don’t believe in me.”

“No Cato, that’s not what I meant!” I cried out, but he didn’t hear me.

I sat on the curly bluegrass, and put my head in my hands.

“This is a disaster.” I sighed.