Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris)'s Arc

Chapter 1 of 2

Polaris stood at the edge of the lighthouse keeper's cottage, staring out at the dark sea. Her yellow shirt flapped in the wind. She wanted to become a guide for lost souls, like the North Star she was named after. But first, she needed to learn how to see them. The next morning, she walked into town to find the tools she needed. A tall wooden sign greeted her at the border, its carved letters reading "Welcome to Circumpolar." She stopped and studied it. The sign stood high enough that anyone wandering in the dark could spot it from far away. That's what she needed to be—something visible, something constant. Inside the Celestial Healing Sanctuary, nurses moved between beds with quiet steps. The walls shimmered like starlight on water. Polaris pressed her hand against the cool surface and felt a gentle hum. This place called to people who needed help. She could learn from that. Near the entrance, she found an oxygen tank decorated with a map of star patterns. She traced the paths with her finger, memorizing how each route connected to the next. Polaris stepped back outside with the tank tucked under her arm. She would practice giving directions to anyone who asked. She would stand tall like the welcome sign and shine steady like the sanctuary walls. Lost souls needed someone they could count on, and she was going to become that person.