The Same Cloth

Noctis Aster was three months old.

The Aster Clan had learned many things during those three months.

The first was that babies required an astonishing amount of food.

The second was that babies apparently needed to sleep at the least convenient possible times.

The third was that Elara had transformed into something nobody had expected.

Turbo-grandma.

She was everywhere.

If Noctis sneezed, Elara appeared.

If Noctis yawned, Elara appeared.

If Noctis made a strange noise, Elara appeared at a speed that Marcus swore should have been physically impossible.

And if Noctis cried?

The entire household knew about it.

"What's wrong?"

Elara burst through the door.

Leo looked up.

"Nothing."

"He's crying."

"I know."

"Why?"

"He's hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Maybe he's tired."

"Mom."

"Maybe he's cold."

"Mom."

"Maybe—"

"Mom."

Elara stopped.

Leo smiled.

"He's hungry."

She looked at Noctis.

Then back at Leo.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

She nodded.

"Good."

Then she walked away.

Five seconds later, she returned.

"Do you need anything?"

Leo laughed.

"No."

Elara frowned.

"All right."

She left again.

Marcus appeared in the doorway.

"She's been doing this all morning."

Leo nodded.

"She’s been doing it since Celine announced her pregnancy."

Marcus smiled.

"She's happy."

Leo looked toward his son.

"So am I."

Noctis was changing rapidly.

At three months old, he was already far more active than anyone expected.

And increasingly powerful.

At first, everyone thought the strange things happening around him were accidents.

A spark when he sneezed.

A flicker of flame when he became excited.

A strange shimmer in the air when he reached toward something.

But the incidents became more frequent.

And stronger.

Much stronger.

One morning, Celine placed Noctis on a blanket in the training room while she practiced her spatial exercises.

The baby watched her.

Then he laughed.

A small flame appeared above his hand.

Celine froze.

"Noctis?"

The flame vanished.

Then lightning crackled between his fingers.

Celine stared.

"Leo!"

Leo came running.

"What happened?"

She pointed.

Noctis giggled.

A tiny ball of plasma appeared between his hands.

Leo's eyes widened.

"That's plasma."

Celine nodded.

"I know."

The sphere pulsed.

Then disappeared.

For several seconds, neither parent spoke.

Noctis looked at them.

Then laughed again.

A tiny tear opened in space beside him.

Leo immediately moved.

"Celine."

"I see it."

The rift vanished.

Leo stared at his son.

"He's three months old."

Celine smiled nervously.

"I noticed."

The elders were summoned.

Tomas arrived first.

He stared at Noctis.

Noctis stared back.

Tomas slowly raised one finger.

"Don't."

Noctis smiled.

Tomas took a step backward.

"Please don't."

Noctis giggled.

A tiny spark of lightning jumped from his hand.

Tomas's eyebrows rose.

"Oh."

Seraphine examined him carefully.

"His elemental development is extraordinary."

"How extraordinary?"

She looked toward Leo.

"Extremely."

Edran examined the residual energy.

"Fire."

He pointed toward the lingering warmth.

"Lightning."

Another reading.

"Plasma."

Then he examined the spatial distortion.

"And space."

Tomas folded his arms.

"That's quite a combination."

Marcus smiled.

"He gets it from his family."

Tomas looked at him.

"That doesn't make me feel better."

Noctis's powers weren't merely present.

They were instinctive.

He didn't understand what fire was.

He didn't understand lightning.

He didn't understand space.

He certainly didn't understand plasma.

But somehow his body did.

When he became excited, sparks appeared.

When he became angry, flames flickered.

When he reached for something, space sometimes bent toward his hand.

And when he laughed especially hard, the air itself occasionally shimmered with a faint plasma glow.

The elders were fascinated.

The hunters were terrified.

Elara was delighted.

"Oh, look at him!"

She clapped.

Noctis laughed.

A small flame appeared.

"Isn't he wonderful?"

Leo stared at the flame.

"Mom, that's fire."

"I know."

"He could burn the house down."

"He wouldn't."

"He doesn't know what fire is."

Elara shrugged.

"He's smart."

Leo looked at Marcus.

Marcus simply smiled.

"She's gone."

"Completely."

Catherine watched all of this with fascination.

But something else occupied her thoughts.

Her visions had changed.

Before, they had shown monsters.

Battles.

Fragments of possible futures.

Sometimes the catastrophe-class beast.

Sometimes the Hollow.

Now there was something new.

A child.

Her child.

She didn't know the child's name.

She didn't know whether the child was a boy or girl.

She only saw fragments.

Small hands.

A laugh.

Blonde hair.

A familiar face.

And a sense of immense power.

Every time Catherine saw the child, she felt an overwhelming warmth.

She knew somehow that this was her future.

Her baby.

But the visions never showed her how she got there.

That uncertainty fascinated her.

One evening, she told Celine.

"I'm seeing the baby again."

Celine smiled.

"Your baby?"

"Yes."

"Anything new?"

Catherine nodded.

"I think it's a girl."

Celine's eyes widened.

"Really?"

"I think so."

Leo smiled.

"Do you see what powers she has?"

Catherine shook her head.

"Not clearly."

Then she paused.

"She's important."

Leo frowned.

"How?"

"I don't know."

Catherine touched her stomach.

"Every time I see her, I feel like I'm looking at someone who changes something."

That evening, the three of them went for a walk.

Noctis was wrapped comfortably in a blanket and carried by Leo.

The sun had already begun to set.

The valley was peaceful.

Lanterns illuminated the roads.

The rebuilt town was bustling.

Children were playing, while sneaking glance at Noctis.

Farmers were returning from the fields.

Hunters were coming back from patrol.

The Aster Clan had become a living community.

Celine walked beside Leo.

Catherine walked on his other side.

Noctis slept peacefully.

For once, everything felt normal.

Then Catherine stopped.

Leo immediately noticed.

"What?"

She looked toward the trees.

"Someone is watching us."

Celine turned.

"Where?"

"Over there."

Leo followed her gaze.

At first, he saw nothing.

Then a figure stepped partially from behind a tree.

A young woman.

Perhaps seventeen or eighteen.

She had long golden hair.

Her features were striking.

And there was something about her face that immediately unsettled all three adults.

Celine stared.

Leo stared.

Catherine stared.

The young woman looked remarkably familiar.

Not just familiar.

She looked like Catherine.

And Leo.

Their eyes.

Their facial structure.

Something about the way she carried herself.

Catherine whispered.

"Who are you?"

The young woman froze.

She looked frightened.

Then she slowly stepped toward them.

"I'm sorry."

Leo tightened his grip on Noctis.

"Who are you?"

The girl looked at him.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Father."

The world seemed to stop.

Celine stared.

Catherine's mouth fell open.

Leo couldn't speak.

The girl looked toward Catherine.

"Mother."

Catherine took a step backward.

"No."

The girl smiled timidly.

"I didn't mean to frighten you."

Leo stared at her.

"You're..."

He couldn't finish.

The girl looked toward Noctis.

"I just wanted to see him."

Celine's heart raced.

"See who?"

The girl smiled.

"Noctis."

She looked at the baby.

"When he was little."

Leo stared.

"What?"

The girl looked embarrassed.

"I've never seen him this young."

Catherine's face had gone pale.

"You came from the future."

The girl nodded.

"Yes."

Before anyone could ask another question, another figure appeared behind the young woman.

Catherine gasped.

Leo stepped backward.

Celine stared.

The woman standing behind the girl looked exactly like Catherine.

Only older.

Much older.

Her hair was longer.

There were faint lines around her eyes.

Her posture carried years of experience.

But there was no mistaking her.

It was Catherine.

An older Catherine.

Future Catherine.

The younger Catherine stared at her future self.

"That's me."

The older woman smiled.

"Yes."

Young Catherine's eyes widened.

"How powerful are you, that you can travel through time?"

The older Catherine laughed softly.

"That's your first question?"

"Of course."

The older Catherine shook her head.

"I remember asking the same thing."

"Tell me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I can't change what you know."

Young Catherine frowned.

"That doesn't make sense."

"It will."

The older Catherine looked at her younger self.

"You'll understand with time."

Young Catherine crossed her arms.

"That's incredibly frustrating."

The older Catherine smiled.

"I remember thinking that too."

Young Catherine studied her future self.

"You can travel through time."

"Yes."

"How far?"

The older Catherine smiled.

"Far enough."

"How difficult is it?"

"Very."

"How much power does it take?"

"A great deal."

"Then how did you bring her?"

She pointed toward her daughter.

The older Catherine smiled.

"She brought herself."

Young Catherine stared.

"Is she stronger than us?"

"Vastly."

Young Catherine looked fascinated.

"Can I do that now?"

The older Catherine laughed.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you have a lot to learn."

Young Catherine frowned.

"I don't like that answer."

"I know."

The older Catherine then looked toward Noctis.

Her expression changed.

For the first time, the playful amusement disappeared.

She looked almost emotional.

"He's so small."

Leo looked at her.

"You remember this?"

"Of course."

She smiled.

"I remember holding him."

She looked toward Noctis.

"His first steps."

"His first words."

"The first time he used his powers."

"The first time he accidentally opened a portal."

Leo stared.

"He did what?"

The older Catherine laughed.

"That story is for another day."

Celine smiled.

"Does he grow up happy?"

The older Catherine looked at her.

"Yes."

That answer seemed to calm Celine immediately.

Then the older Catherine looked toward Leo.

Her expression became serious.

"But your greatest tests are still ahead."

Leo's smile faded.

"What do you mean?"

"You're powerful."

She paused.

"Much more powerful than you realize."

"But it's not enough."

Leo stared.

"For what?"

The older Catherine looked toward the mountains.

"The things coming."

She looked back at him.

"You will need to become stronger."

"How much stronger?"

The older Catherine smiled sadly.

"I can't tell you."

Leo sighed.

"I figured."

"You'll understand."

She glanced at her younger self.

"Eventually."

The young girl stepped forward.

"Can I hold him?"

Leo looked at her.

Then at the older Catherine.

The older Catherine nodded.

Leo carefully handed Noctis over.

The girl held him gently.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Hi, little big brother."

Noctis opened his eyes.

He stared at her.

Then smiled.

A tiny spark of lightning appeared between his fingers.

The girl laughed.

"I remember that."

Young Catherine stared.

"You really are my daughter."

The girl smiled.

"Yes."

She kissed Noctis's forehead.

"You were so cute as a baby."

The older Catherine stepped forward.

"We have to go."

Young Catherine frowned.

"Already?"

"Yes."

"Will I see you again?"

The older Catherine smiled.

"You will."

"When?"

"You'll know."

Young Catherine sighed.

"I hate time magic."

Her older self laughed.

"You'll love it eventually."

She reached toward her daughter.

The girl stepped beside her.

The air began to shimmer.

A temporal field surrounded them.

Catherine stared in awe.

The older woman looked toward Leo.

"Remember."

Leo nodded.

"Become stronger."

"Yes."

"Protect them."

"I will."

"And when the time comes..."

She paused.

"Trust your family."

Then the temporal field brightened.

The two figures vanished.

The road became silent again.

Nobody spoke for several seconds.

Celine finally broke the silence.

"What just happened?"

Leo stared at the empty road.

"I have absolutely no idea."

Catherine was still staring.

Then she placed a hand against her stomach.

Leo looked at her.

"Catherine?"

She smiled.

There were tears in her eyes.

"I know."

"What?"

She looked at him.

"I think..."

She paused.

"I think she's coming."

Leo's eyes widened.

"What?"

Catherine laughed softly.

"The baby."

Celine stared.

"You mean..."

Catherine nodded.

"I think I'm pregnant."

The next morning, Seraphine confirmed it.

Catherine was pregnant.

The news spread through the house.

Then the clan.

Then the town.

And once again, Elara lost her mind.

"ANOTHER BABY?"

Marcus covered his face.

"Oh no."

Elara immediately began making plans.

"WE NEED ANOTHER CRADLE."

"Mom—"

"AND MORE BLANKETS."

"Mom."

"AND WE NEED TO BABY-PROOF THE OTHER ROOM."

"Mom!"

She turned toward Leo.

"What?"

"We already have everything."

Elara stared at him.

"For Noctis."

"Yes."

"This is a different baby."

Leo closed his eyes.

Celine laughed.

Catherine smiled.

And Noctis, sitting peacefully in his mother's arms, suddenly sneezed.

A tiny burst of flame shot into the air.

Everyone froze.

Elara smiled.

"See?"

Leo sighed.

"What?"

"We're going to need more fireproofing."

And somewhere far beyond the valley, beneath the northern mountains, ancient stone shifted once again.

Because while the Aster Clan celebrated another new beginning...

Something in the darkness was preparing for the future they had only just begun to glimpse.

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