Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris)'s Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

Polaris walked to the edge of the harbor where fishing boats bobbed in the water. She needed to practice being steady, like a star that never moves. The wooden dock creaked under her feet. She planted herself at the end and waited. A woman with tangled hair wandered past, squinting at the horizon. Polaris stepped forward and pointed toward the town center. The woman nodded and walked that direction without looking back. Polaris smiled. One person guided. Many more to go. The next week, Polaris found North Star Academy near the edge of town. The building stood tall with glass windows that reflected the sky. She pushed through the front doors and walked to the main desk. A schedule board hung on the wall showing classes about maps, compass reading, and emergency signals. She signed up for the morning session. If she wanted to guide lost souls, she needed to understand how direction worked. On her third day of classes, Polaris climbed the stairs to the hospital roof. A metal beacon sat at the center, its surface polished and bright. The instructor showed her how to aim the light and adjust its strength. She pressed the switch and watched the beam cut through the afternoon haze. People below looked up and waved. The beacon made her visible from far away, just like she needed to be. After class, Polaris knelt beside a small garden near the academy entrance. Glowing plants with shimmering petals grew in neat rows. She picked several stems of the supernova herb and bundled them in her pocket. The instructor said healers used these to help tired travelers recover. Polaris stood and brushed dirt from her knees. She could point people in the right direction now. Soon she would learn to help them heal too. Each lesson brought her closer to becoming the guide she wanted to be.