“Calm down, Virgo,” said Callisto, barring her way. “You can’t do that. It’s not right.”

  “Not right?” Virgo repeated, trying to surge past her, but finding Killyria there too. “You were going to kill it before.”

  “There’s no point if he’s going in,” Callisto continued, waves rebounding from Virgo’s surge into Killyria and herself. “He/it’ll be toast in a day or two.”

  “I’d like to make someone toast,” said Andromeda. “So well-done you have to scrape with a knife.”

  “At least yours isn’t one of - them,” Virgo replied. “Knock some sense into him or give him a fright.”

  “Don’t listen to her,” said Killyria, trying with Callisto to push Virgo back. “I’ve already warned him not to mention Pegasus.”

  “Something you’ve just done,” Astraea drawled, peacock butterfly perched on her hand. “This is like a bunch of bouncing asteroids.”

  “I’ll send you up to them when I’ve finished with that outside,” Virgo replied, stepping back from the pair. “Last warning you two.”

  “Warning?” Andromeda repeated, stepping back from the table and the air beginning to shift. “That means he hasn’t learnt his lesson….”

  “No-Androm-” Killyria began, then saw the Princess burst into flight for the opposite pillars of the pavilion. “On it,” Callisto said, also launching and reaching the gap a moment before Andromeda, but still ending up being carried with her outside.

  “Just One,” said Virgo, as Killyria turned back, but saw her in flight for another space halfway round.

  “Make that Two,” said Astraea, appearing in front of the space, arms spread.

  “No need for Three,” Virgo replied, catching Astraea in an oncoming tackle flying across the lake. “It’s on.”

  * * *

  “Get out of the way!” Serencia cried.

  Naritsune saw Haronsal and Feldaner spring away in opposite directions: the former like a ballet dancer; the other like a cat. Glancing at the lake, he spied two shimmering forms rocketing towards him. So fast there wouldn’t be any time to-.

  One blink and everything seemed to slow. The shimmer was almost on him, but he was - airborne and - moving away from the snail-gliding pair. Hands unbidden seemed to reach towards them, rather than whoever had him by the waist. Then, with another blink, the dual comet was replaced by greenery as he bounced or rolled over what wasn’t a flower carpet.

  A carpet in which lay a figure in clothes as dark as their face was light.

  “Kyray, Naritsune,” Serencia’s voice came along with rapid foot beats. “Are you both alright?”

  “I-I think so,” Naritsune managed to say, grass still wanting to carry him into another roll.

  “Couldn’t - be better,” Kyray whispered, inching onto his side.

  “Thank goodness,” Serencia continued, kneeling down. “They were moving so fast.”

  “They’re up in the sky,” Haronsal said from further away. “Like shooting stars.”

  “That climb rather than fall,” Feldaner added. “In fact, there’s another two.”

  “Thought that they were going to hit me,” Naritsune added, still able to see the stellar trails from both. “But the next moment, it was like I was being taken away from them.”

  “Might want to thank Kyray for that,” said Killyria, appearing beside Serencia. “Are you able to take care of this - I’ve got some disagreements to break up.”

  “Yes, but can’t say which pair would be the best to try first.”

  “Already have one,” Killyria replied, leaping back, sinking towards the ground as the air rippled, then shot skywards as if launched from a bow.

  “She-” Haronsal said, pointing up. “She-”

  “Flew away,” Feldaner said. “Just like that.”

  “She’ll need it against those four,” Serencia added. “Celestes’ or not.”

  Naritsune sat upright. “They’re-they’re-”

  “Your patrons. And I’m not sure when they’ll be back.”

  “…Not sure if I want mine to come back,” said Kyray, looking up at two sets of lights that had become a flashing three. “At least, not whilst I’m still here.”

  “Well, since you have all decided, there’s nothing else for it except to go to Outeransei,” said Serencia. “Unless you have any questions.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Do we need to take anything with us?” Haronsal asked.

  “What you already have is more than enough, Haronsal. And if you’re worried about weapons, an item should be at the starting point.”

  “That’s a relief,” said Naritsune. “Haven’t got so much as a knife.”

  “Wouldn’t let me bring them,” Kyary added.

  “I take it not everyone in Outeransei is Dark or Night-aligned, My Lady,” said Feldaner.

  “Just as the stars shine in the dark sky,” Serencia replied. “They can be a great help in time of need. As you can be for them. But it would be wise not to speak of why you are there; at least to begin with.”

  “How do we - get there?” Kyray asked.

  “As easy as closing your eyes here and waking up there. But first,” as a shimmering bottle poured its sparkling contents into a set of glasses. “A goodbye drink.”

  Naritsune watched as two of the glasses left the cluster and floated over to him and Kyray; light dancing on the surfaces as he saw a gaze that mirrored his own.

  “Thank you.”

  “Not much point being wary when it’ll help on the trip,” said Kyray.

  “I mean, for getting me out of the way of that-”

  “A moment of instinct. Plus, it wouldn’t do for one of us to not get to Outer-what’s-it because of a twin-comet.”

  “Either way, I’m in your debt,” Naritsune continued, lifting his glass. “And I won’t forget - I can taste lunar berries.”

  “Berries, yes,” Kyray said, lowering his glass. “Like Nargrenacht’s finest, but with a - sparkle.”

  “Refreshing,” said Feldaner, his empty cup returning to Serencia. “Right down to my toes. It makes me want to-”

  “Whoopee!” Haronsal yelled, spreading his arms wide as Naritsune and Kyray both went sideways. “I’m floating!”

  “And nearly made me jump out of my-” Feldaner said, getting back up, but then yawning. “I - feel - sleepy….”

  Naritsune wanted to reply, but the words seemed to come out as a yawn of his own. He wanted to get upright - to the point of being on an elbow and staring a keeled over Feldaner - but the grass looked and felt so welcoming. Even more welcoming as he fell toward it but couldn’t seem to reach it; whilst he and Kyray floated toward an also airborne Haronsal and Feldaner. Whilst an arms-spread Serencia stood a little to the side; shining like an earthbound sun.

  “What was in that dri-” he tried to say.

  “It’ll keep you going on the journey and beyond,” Serencia replied; everything shimmering, spinning, then darkening. “Speak to you at some point on the other side. And sleep tight.”

  * * *

  Virgo shot through the air. Not forwards but backwards. As if she was launched from a distant point. The whoosh was quietening, but the lightness had not gone. Had it really been that strong? Did asteroid training produce aftereffects like this?

  Questions for later she blinked, spin-stopping at the sight of the rapidly approaching figure who had sent her flying.

  “Don’t do it, Virgo!”

  She looked down at the clouds and the lake far below that. No sign of Andromeda, and yet it had been her voice.

  “Too late,” said Astraea, right in front of her and coupled with a punch. For the second time everything became a backward spin jumble as Virgo closed her eyes and latched onto the momentum; using it to flow out of the cartwheels, then fly round in a speeding arc; right at an oncoming-

  “Asteroid?” she gasped, shifting angle and flying past it. Only to see Astraea come in from the side with punches and kicks. High, low and retreat blocks were her reply; followed by a back-float as Astraea kicked again; then a surge-forward with an oncoming punch; fist flashing white as it struck and sent Astraea back like a stone from a catapult.

  “You just had to have one,” Virgo said, floating over to the oversized rock. “Didn’t you?”

  “You wished, so I granted,” Astraea replied, coming to a stop. “Can’t say that you hit like one.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Even after this?” said Virgo, back fisting the rock surface and turning it to ripples of stardust.

  “You can always try,” Astraea purred, flowing into an aerial en G?rde.

  Star silver seemed to glow out from her. As if a storm were building. Virgo didn’t need to look at the gleam of her own hands; now filled with a beating light. No count from three; just a single blink and she was flying - no rocketing forwards; leaving a trail of pale blue light. Astraea had done the same; only her light was star-silver like an angry comet, waves radiating back as barriers were burst. Two more blinks and it was certainly on. Two more blinks and they could settle this once and for-

  A single jet of light shot up through the space ahead, forcing her to swerve. She continued to fly, but the charge became a tumble. A tumble followed by a stop against a pair of firm hands.

  “Got you,” a familiar voice said, even as Virgo could see the great light burst into four stars that twinkled in the stellar distance.

  “Was that you as well?” Virgo said, turning to see Andromeda.

  “More Serencia,” Andromeda replied, letting go. “And it provided a bonus.”

  “So it has,” Virgo continued, looking at Astraea, who was trying to get out of the grasp of Callisto and Killyria. “I can carry on with a slight matter by the lake.”

  “A bit - difficult when they’re no longer - there,” said Killyria, between pulses from Astraea.

  “Eh?” Virgo repeated, then saw the four points of ever distant light. “No-”

  “You can speak to him in the morning,” said Andromeda. “When you’re calmer.”

  “I don’t want to speak to him; I want to-”

  “For the last time,” Astraea said. “I’m not going to go for her. At least, not till this is over.”

  “Promise?” said Callisto.

  “We were just following your lead,” said Virgo. “You and Andromeda being in air combat before we got started.”

  “But stopped at the sight of the triple rainbow,” Andromeda replied. “Thank you, Killyria.”

  “Had to do something,” Killyria replied as she and Callisto released Astraea. “Or they might not have got on their way in one piece.”

  “Still might,” Virgo beginning to glow.

  “They are now the Selected and you are the Celeste,” Serencia said, floating in front of her. “They are in another’s hands now and we can only wait.”

  “Not if the pool’s still working…” Virgo replied, spreading her arms and falling clouds, lake and garden wards.

  “No, Virgo,” Andromeda said, plunging after her. “That’s not what it’s supposed to be used for; even if you want to see him dead.”

  “What pool is she talking about?” Astraea asked Callisto as Killyria and Serencia looked at each other and dove after the other two. “There’s almost a dozen in the gardens.”

  “Beats me,” Callisto replied. “The basin does a fine job when it’s up and - Don’t you dare,” she roared, plunging surface ward. “That’s my viewing point, Virgo!”

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