Aaric stepped onto the ethereal soil of the Moon Realm, the domain of Eilistraee, with Fleur walking closely by his side, her hand firmly clasping his.
"Watch zis..." Fleur whispered, a playful glint in her eyes as she raised her free hand toward the silver moon hanging in the twilight sky.
Aaric took a step back to observe as the beams of moonlight obeyed her call. They coalesced into silver wisps in Fleur's palm, swirling and condensing before taking the distinct form of a luminous butterfly.
With a gentle flick of her wrist, the creature took flight, fluttering away into the moonlit forest.
"Impressive," Aaric said with an appreciative nod, earning a radiant smile from Fleur.
"Impressive indeed. You learn fast, child," came a beautiful, melodious voice that seemed to resonate with the very air around them.
Eilistraee emerged from the canopy of trees. The silver butterfly Fleur had just created rested gently on the Goddess's dark shoulder, contrasting beautifully against her obsidian skin.
"Zank you, My Lady," Fleur bowed respectfully towards Eilistraee.
However, the Goddess merely waved her hand, dismissing the formality, and brought Fleur in for a gentle, motherly hug.
"It is good to see you, Aaric Hawthorne," Eilistraee's shimmering silver eyes turned towards Aaric. She spoke with a gentle voice like the most beautiful song, accompanied by a beautiful, welcoming smile.
"And you as well, My Lady," Aaric gave her a slight bow and a warm smile in introduction.
"Shall we?" Eilistraee asked with that small, melancholic smile she always seemed to wear.
A shadow of sadness that made her beauty all the more profound. She held out her hand, gesturing deeper into her woods.
Fleur nodded and took Aaric's hand again before they started walking through the divine woods.
They walked deeper into the realm, the moonlight filtering through the leaves like liquid silver.
Eventually, they found a serene clearing with a magical bonfire kindling in the center, casting a warm, inviting glow. Beside it sat a simple but elegant table set with food and comfortable chairs.
"Sit, dears," Eilistraee guided them to their seats and sat across from them after serving them food onto their plates with a wave of her hand. Her long, ankle-length silver hair unspooled like a river of starlight, coiling gently beside her seat as she settled.
"Thank you..." Aaric whispered as he sat in his seat. He paused for a moment, looking from the Goddess to the girl beside him. "For taking care of her as well," Aaric added, bumping his shoulder gently against Fleur's.
"There is no need for thanks," Eilistraee said softly and turned her silver eyes towards Fleur. "You are good company, child." She reached out across the table to caress Fleur's cheek with her finger.
"You as well, My Lady," Fleur said, a genuine smile lighting up her face.
Aaric and Fleur ate in a comfortable, peaceful silence. Eilistraee seemed content simply watching them, not eating herself, but sipping from a silver goblet from time to time, her gaze distant yet warm.
"Can I explore around? I will be back in some time," Fleur asked Eilistraee after she finished, looking towards the woods.
Eilistraee gave her a confirming nod. Her realm was the safest place in existence for Fleur; there was no danger here, only moonlight and song.
Fleur gave Aaric a quick kiss on the cheek and left the table with a skip in her step and a smile on her lips.
Aaric watched her go before turning his gaze back to the Goddess.
"I'm... sorry you are alone now," Aaric muttered, giving Eilistraee a solemn glance.
He had seen the melancholic shadow that loomed behind her expression, even when she smiled.
He assumed it was the weight of grief, knowing her entire pantheon, her mother, her brother, her people's gods had been erased, leaving her as the sole survivor.
"I was alone even when there were more in my pantheon," Eilistraee said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
She reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Aaric's forehead in appreciation for his concern.
She had always been the outsider, the anomaly in the Dark Seldarine.
Her mother, Lolth, would have killed her in a heartbeat if given the slightest opportunity. Her existence had been one of exile long before the others were destroyed.
"And... as much as I lament they did not get a chance for redemption... their deaths have spared whole multiverses from their cruelty," Eilistraee said with a contemplative tilt of her head, accepting the reality of Vasuki's judgment.
Aaric nodded and studied her for a long moment, seeing the strength beneath the sorrow.
"You... can join me. If you wish," He offered after a moment of silence.
"Do you mean, on your island?" Eilistraee asked, her melodious voice tinged with surprise.
"Yes. You would be the first God there. And when me and my family ascend, I hope you will be a part of our pantheon," Aaric nodded with a hopeful, sincere expression.
Eilistraee froze for a microsecond. She reached out her hand and brushed her thumb against Aaric's cheek lightly, sensing the truth in his words, before a soft, airy chuckle escaped her lips.
"I would love to, Aaric," Eilistraee said tenderly, her eyes shimmering. "Thank you." she added softly.
Aaric nodded to her thanks. "You'll love it," he said confidently, looking into the fire burning beside them.
"I am certain I will. Come now. Let us celebrate this occasion with a dance," Eilistraee said, standing up gracefully.
She held out her hand to Aaric as an invitation.
Aaric saw that the deep melancholy behind her eyes had faded significantly because of his invitation.
He smiled as he took her hand.
Eilistraee led Aaric towards the bonfire, her silver hair shimmering behind her like a cloak of light as she walked.
She took Aaric's hands in hers, and a radiant smile bloomed on her face as they started swaying to the rhythms of her soft, divine humming.
Aaric just let go of his inhibitions. He moved with the divine guidance of the Goddess of Dance, and a smile of his own formed on his face as a sense of true, unburdened freedom took hold of his spirit.
Fleur joined them after almost an hour, giggling as she danced freely with Aaric and her Goddess under the eternal moon.
"Zat is great!" Fleur exclaimed with a bright smile when she learned Eilistraee would be moving to their island permanently.
"There is something I wish to do first," Eilistraee said. She waved her hand, and the bonfire beside them disappeared, transforming instantly into a magnificent wooden throne covered in dancing silver flames.
Eilistraee guided Fleur to sit on the throne. The silver flames licked around her body, not burning, but caressing.
The fire did not harm Fleur; instead, it gave her a comforting, empowering feeling, like sinking into a warm bath.
"Fleur Delacour. Your spirit sings to mine," Eilistraee whispered, standing before her. "If your heart answers in kind, will you be my Chosen?" The Goddess asked with a tilt of her head, her voice resonating like a melodious song of old.
Fleur gave Aaric a glance and smiled, her heart full. "It would be an 'onor," she declared. Her eyes gazed at Aaric a moment longer before locking with Eilistraee's silver orbs.
"I shall name you... The Moonlit," Eilistraee whispered.
She raised her hand, and a stream of dark red divine blood flowed from her palm and entered Fleur through her chest.
The transformation took place instantly.
Fleur's blonde hair faded into a brilliant, shimmering silver, and her deep blue eyes lightened until they reflected the moon itself. A dark, flowing dress woven of shadows and starlight shimmered into existence around her form, replacing her clothes.
After the process was complete, Fleur stood up and twirled to check the changes in her form.
She brought a lock of her new silver hair in front of her face, inspecting it with wonder.
She smiled brightly and wrapped her arms tightly around Aaric the next moment.
"I can stand beside you now..." she whispered to him, her voice thick with emotion.
"You never needed power for that..." Aaric whispered back, holding her waist firmly. "You look beautiful." He added, giving her a thorough once-over.
Fleur then turned to Eilistraee and bowed deeply. "Zank you..." she whispered, and was immediately enveloped in a hug by the Goddess.
"It should be me who must thank you for walking into my life," Eilistraee said warmly, brushing Fleur's new silver hair lightly.
"Shall we?" Aaric asked, opening a swirling portal beside him that led back to his island in the Dreamlands.
Eilistraee looked around her realm, the home she had built in exile. "Yes... Can I merge my realm with yours?" Eilistraee asked, referring to grafting her divine territory onto the island's geography.
"Of course," Aaric shrugged easily.
Eilistraee smiled and stepped through the portal.
Fleur took Aaric's hand, and they entered the portal together the next moment.
They emerged on the island, the Golden Tree standing tall in the distance.
"You have one of those..." Eilistraee muttered, gazing at the Golden Tree with slight surprise.
"I think you will need to talk to him about merging realms," Aaric said, gesturing towards the tree.
Eilistraee nodded in understanding and vanished in a soft flash of silver light, heading towards the tree, leaving only Fleur and Aaric behind near the cabin.
"Oh! I have some thing for you," Aaric said. He brought out the skill scrolls he had prepared to give Fleur her own Ultimate Skill.
Fleur tilted her head curiously.
She willed her transformation to undo, returning to her blonde hair and blue eyes, and observed Aaric as he scattered the scrolls around her in a precise formation.
It took about fifteen minutes as Aaric guided her through every step of the integration process.
The knowledge flowed into her, structuring itself within her soul until Fleur possessed her own Ultimate Skill, named Moonsilver Compendium, a power on par with the skills held by Luna and Daphne.
"Wow! Zis is great," Fleur muttered as she accessed her new skill, seeing the vast analytical and magical capabilities it offered.
"Thank you!" she exclaimed, beaming towards Aaric.
A/n: Give me your thought on the chapter and reviews on the fic.
And.. you got any power stones? Well, hand em over then.