Stardom: Heaven's impenetrable defense system that cloaks each major city located in the Heavenly realm. Fueled by the light of billions of trillions of stars, Stardom has kept the Heavens safe from the fires of Hades that constantly seek to destroy the many worlds that make up the universe. Due to the immense power that is needed to operate Stardom, each star that arrives in a star shower is kept within an abode that is protected by their guardian angel. It is within this abode where the stars are meant to spend their eternal lives.

Guardian angels are created for the sole purpose of protecting prominent figures, prophesied heroes, and stars. While the other angel classes – warrior, healer, ambassador, and actaeon – are either active members of Heaven's Division of Defense or live peaceful lives wherever they choose, guardians are bound to whomever they were created to protect. It is their life's mission to ensure their patron's well-being.

Stars do not fully develop until they reach 1,000 years of age. Although their physical state reaches its peak between 150-200 years of existence, stars do not reach the full extent of their abilities until ten centuries have passed. Castyr, the most recent star to arrive in a star shower, had just passed his 114th year of life when his curiosity bubbled to dangerous levels. Ithyos, Castyr's abode, was where the star was meant to live his never-ending life, forever and always producing light to be farmed and provided to Stardom.

Unlike the other stars who had come before, Castyr was incredibly inquisitive. He hated being trapped within Ithyos, never able to roam free and experience life on the multitude of worlds that existed in the universe. Kilo, the guardian angel created to ever care for Castyr, had grown fond of the star over the many years he had silently watched over him. Kilo would do anything and everything to ensure Castyr's safety and health, so when he was notified that the biosphere surrounding Ithyos had been destroyed, he cast all other responsibilities aside and rushed to the aid of his star.

To Kilo's horror, Castyr was on the verge of being kidnapped when he found him. If it had not been for the slightest glance at just the right second, Kilo would have lost Castyr. Just as he passed the pair of travelers whilst exiting the space station, Kilo caught a small view of a bright silver head. At first, he brushed it off; there were many travelers who had silver hair. But, when the silver-headed traveler's supposed partner hurriedly threw the hood back over his head, Kilo knew something was off.

Upon receiving word from a fellow angel soldier, who was posted at Ithyos, that the star was nowhere to be found, Kilo instantly turned back and chased down the suspicious traveling pair. The angel wasted no time in aiming very carefully and shooting the star's captor in the leg. Kilo was relieved when the star broke free from the man's grasp and began running to him, but Kilo's reprieve lasted only a few seconds. When four smugglers emerged from the docked craft that was clearly the star's captor's destination, Kilo knew saving the star was not going to be so easy.

But, despite the odds, Kilo did everything he could to reach Castyr. As if slicing through the roof of the craft was not enough, he immediately killed the four smugglers without a second thought. And, when his hand finally grasped Castyr's and Kilo had the star in his arms, he knew it was all worth it. He had saved his star. So, right as he was knocked unconscious, Kilo prayed that wherever the two fell, he would take the brunt of the impact.

Kilo was unconscious for what felt like a millennium, and when he came to, it was the brightness of a shining sun that greeted him. Inhaling a raspy breath, Kilo moved his eyes around to observe his surroundings as best he could. White mounds of snow surrounded the small crater created from the impact of the fall. Other than the glistening snow, Kilo could not see much else.

Turning his eyes down, Kilo looked to see a small, silver head nestled in his neck. The star was still unconscious and wrapped safely within the angel's arms. Sitting up as best he could, Kilo carefully leaned Castyr against his chest. He checked the star's pulse before looking over Castyr's body. Seeing the wounds the star had sustained from the explosion, Kilo hurriedly ripped off shreds of his shirt and wrapped the star's gashes that oozed thick blood. Kilo then removed his jacket and swaddled it around the small star.

Wet warmth caught the angel's attention as he made sure Castyr was warm enough. Huh? Kilo touched his side and retracted his hand to see hot blood covering his fingers. Looking down, Kilo noticed a deep gash in his abdomen. Quickly tearing off  another piece of clothing, Kilo was prompt in tying it around the wound to stop the bleeding.

Once his abdomen had been wrapped, Kilo gently lifted Castyr into his arms and held him against his chest. Spying a road in the distance upon climbing out of the small crater, Kilo chose that as his destination. The angel's feet grew numb in the snow, but he continued trudging until he reached the road. Using his small accomplishment as a pausing point, Kilo knelt on one knee and gently pressed his fingertips to Castyr's neck and felt the star's pulse.

He'll make it. Kilo sighed with relief when he felt the star's pulse growing stronger. Wrapping his jacket tighter around the little star, Kilo made sure Castyr was protected from the cold as much as possible before standing and continuing down the road with his back to the sun. The sound of the grinding of wheels in winter slush reached the angel's ears a few hours into his trek. Turning, Kilo watched as a small, open-back wagon approached him, and he quickly waved it down.

"Woah there!" The man pulled on the horse's reigns as he reached the stranded duo. "Are you lost?"

Kilo pressed his wind-chapped lips together as he nodded in response. The man looked over the wounded angel before moving his gaze to the unconscious form in his arms. Yeesh. What kind of trouble did these youngsters get themselves into? Being a kind-hearted man, the farmer decided to help the two unfortunate lads, so he offered, "...Well, hop on. I can bring you to the nearest town."

Kilo bowed his head in thanks as he gratefully accepted the man's kind offer. "Is he, uh, alright?" The man asked as he peered at the unconscious star while Kilo climbed into the back of the farmer's wagon. It was empty, but there were stray strings of hay scattered about indicating he had just returned from dropping off a load of hay at his farm.

Sensing the man's eyes on the star, Kilo protectively pulled Castyr into him and hid the star's face in his chest. Catching the hint, the farmer was quick to look away. Although he had no ill intentions, the man respected Kilo's gesture of warning and let the angel have his privacy. Once sure the angel was safely in the back of the wagon, the man clicked his tongue at his horse, and the wagon began making its way down the slushy road.

The wagon rolled along for six leagues before the silhouette of a town appeared on the horizon. The sun was nearly set when the wagon entered the mid-sized town. The farmer was kind enough to drop Kilo off at the nearest inn and bid them a quick farewell. "Take care now."

Kilo reached into one of the many pockets in his cargo pants and extracted a small purse from which he selected a few *lorne to offer the farmer in exchange for his help. "Naw, I can't take your lorne," the farmer declined the angel's offer with a wave of his hand. "Use it to get yourselves back to where you came from," the man insisted as he clicked his tongue at his horse once more and continued on his way. The farmer shook his head as he pitied the two. Poor things. They are very, very far from home, aren't they?

Kilo understood the man's intentions, so he bowed once more to the wagon as it left the front of the inn. Slipping the lorne back into his pocket, Kilo tightened his hold around Castyr before cautiously entering the inn. The angel's brows furrowed as he stepped into the rudimentary establishment. He had not been in such an undeveloped place before. It was then that Kilo realized just how much he and Castyr stood out amongst the townsfolk. The farmer had noticed it, but Kilo only understood the man's reaction when he compared himself to those dining in the inn's tavern.

Dressed in his uniform, Kilo was equipped with the best weapons and gear. His hair was also well-kept, and his skin was flawless. His body was also extremely well-trained; this contrasted greatly with the town's inhabitants. Though Kilo's blue and silver uniform stood out amongst the townsfolk's browns, tans, and greens, it was the angel's purple eyes that made it instantly clear he was not human.

Those present in the tavern immediately cast their gazes at Kilo the moment he entered the inn. Their eyes then fell on the silver-headed male in the angel's arms as Kilo walked up to the front counter. "One room, please," Kilo said as he greeted the girl at the counter.

"Follow me," the girl said as she selected a key hanging from the wall behind the counter and started toward the stairs. The girl led Kilo to the second story before unlocking the third door on the left. "Pay is due at checkout," the girl said as she opened the door and handed the key to Kilo. Kilo nodded in understanding and thanks as he accepted the key and entered the room.

"Dinner at the tavern is an extra expense," the girl explained as she watched the angel step past her. She was interested in the town's strange guest. It was not usual for their town to get visitors who were not bounty hunters. He's kinda cute. After watching the angel close the door, the girl silently blushed to herself before heading back down the stairs and returning to her station to immediately begin gossiping about the handsome male.

Upon entering the room, Kilo immediately locked the door and gently set Castyr on the bed. Kilo's brows furrowed as he checked the star's pulse. He should be waking up already. Being still too young to heal, Kilo immediately set to removing Castyr's bandages and cleaning the star's wounds. The angel's eyes widened slightly when he saw the star's flawless skin behind the strips of cloth. The wounds had closed.

That was when it clicked, and Kilo understood what had happened. Stars normally emitted a small glow that surrounded their body nearly 24/7. Their glow could only go away if the stars were using it to self-heal or if they had trained themselves to suppress it. However, even if Castyr had trained himself to suppress his glow, it would have returned the moment he had fallen unconscious. The fact that he was not glowing was evidence that he was healing his wounds. The cloak that Marc had dressed Castyr in when the two left Ithyos was an attempt to hide the star's faint glow.

Kilo smiled softly when he realized what the absence of the star's glow meant. You were healing. Content that Castyr was healing and safe, Kilo pulled the bed covers over the star before sitting in the chair against the window. The angel then re-bandaged his wound and peered out the frosted glass. Snow had begun to fall, blurring most of the view of the town.

Turning to check on the star only to find him shivering, Kilo left the chair and walked to the bed before gently getting on the thin mattress. Slipping under the blanket, the angel wrapped his arms around the star, and after a few moments, Castyr stopped shaking from the cold and subconsciously snuggled into the angel who was now his only source of heat. When the star was comfortable, Kilo tightened his hold around Castyr and let himself eventually fall asleep.

+++++++

A bright light woke the angel. Kilo opened his eyes to see the entire room illuminated, and he was not surprised to discover the source was the star. Castyr was glowing happily in his sleep. Kilo's scrunched brows relaxed as he looked down at the glowing star; he was captivated. The angel held his breath as he took in the heavenly sight before him, and his heart sped up the longer he stared at the beautiful star. That was the closest Kilo had ever been to Castyr. He could feel the star's small breaths; he could count the strands of hair that had gone rogue and fallen into the star's face. It was too much for Kilo; he had to shake his head to rip free of the trance that was Castyr's beauty.

Realizing that he had slept for several hours and that it was best if they returned to the heavens as quickly as was possible, Kilo voiced the star's name gently in an attempt to wake him. "Castyr...Castyr..."

"Mmmm," was the star's response as Kilo gently shook his shoulder. Opening his eyes sleepily, Castyr looked around for a quick moment before his sight landed on the male in front of him, locking his gaze with the angel. Kilo was stunned by the star's eyes. I've never been this close to him. He's so beautiful.

The angel swallowed as he stared at the big eyes peering at him. Castyr's eyes were the color of the night sky — a deep, dark, rich blue — that held a meaningful twinkle. The star's eyes shimmered as if an entire galaxy was housed within the midnight blue canvas.

After a long moment of staring into the angel's purple eyes, Castyr cocked his head to the side and cutely asked, "Who are you?"

Lorne - the most common type of intergalactic currency.