Heavenbound was Merillite's True Name, and it was not unearned. Though his peoples were a mountain peoples, Nalastella yearned for ever more. He yearned higher. He yearned for the stars. He would lay awake at night and watch them dance, would reach for them, would whisper his deepest secrets to them. And the stars were silent. Every day, Nalastella would train, he'd climb and he'd climb and he'd climb. The other villagers would always say, 'that Nalastella, always climbing, he'll talk to the stars one day!' But the stars would never answer him back. One day, though, he knew he was ready. He went to the highest mountain in all of his tribe's lands, and he climbed. And he climbed. And climbed. For 12 days and 12 nights he climbed, until he finally made it to the top. And for the millionth time, he saw the stars. And he reached for them. And he felt them. He brushed the heavens with his fingertips, and for the very first time. The stars spoke to him.
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