The first lesson in controlling the astral bond began before dawn.
Erian stood in the center of the old observatory, surrounded by crystal mirrors and silver lines carved into the marble floor. Professor Kael's staff glowed faintly as he adjusted the array.
"Close your eyes," Kael instructed. "Feel the rhythm within you. The stars will not answer to your voice they answer to your truth."
Erian obeyed.
He could feel the air vibrating softly. The faint hum of celestial energy coursed through his veins, light and cold all at once.
Kael's voice echoed from somewhere behind him. "You carry a connection unlike any other, Erian. The soul that responds to you is powerful and dangerous. Tell me, who is it?"
Erian hesitated. "I… don't know. But I feel him. Every time I close my eyes."
Kael's gaze softened. "Then perhaps you already know more than you think."
As the words settled, a pulse of silver light burst from the center of the room. The mirrors shifted, reflecting endless skies. For an instant, the ceiling vanished, revealing constellations swirling like living creatures.
Erian gasped. The energy tugged at him, pulling him toward the center. He saw flashes again silver hair, moonlight armor, a lonely figure beneath a broken crown.
Then the bond snapped into focus.
Erian fell to his knees as pain seared through his chest. His consciousness blurred, and when he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the observatory.
He was standing in a vast expanse of light a dreamscape woven from stars.
And Aster was there.
The prince turned, eyes widening slightly as if he had been waiting for this moment. "You finally reached me."
Erian's breath caught. "This isn't real."
Aster took a step closer, his voice calm but heavy with emotion. "Maybe not in your world. But in the stars, truth has no boundaries."
Their gazes locked, and for a long moment, silence reigned.
Erian wanted to speak, to ask who he was, why their souls were bound but the words dissolved when he saw the sadness in Aster's eyes.
"You shouldn't be here," Aster said quietly. "They'll sense you soon."
"Who?"
"The priests… the watchers of fate. They've been waiting for this convergence."
The air trembled. Stars flickered and dimmed, as if reacting to his words.
Erian frowned. "Then why call me here?"
"Because you needed to remember."
Aster lifted his hand. A thread of silver light stretched between them, pulsing like a heartbeat. "This bond isn't a curse. It's our promise."
Erian's fingers brushed against it. Warmth flooded his chest. Memories flashed laughter, a battlefield, a dying oath beneath a crimson sky.
And then the vision shattered.
He awoke in Kael's arms, trembling, eyes glowing faintly silver.
Kael's expression was grave. "You crossed the veil."
Erian could barely speak. "I saw him."
"Then it begins," Kael murmured. "The Astral Convergence has started."
Far away, in the royal chapel, High Priest Orion knelt before the altar of stars. His eyes flickered open as the sacred constellations trembled.
"The bond has awakened," he whispered. "He has found the prince."
He looked toward the horizon where the dawn was breaking.
"May the heavens forgive what comes next."