The void trembled.
Shards of light floated in the endless dark, each one containing fragments of broken worlds. For centuries, Aster Caelum had been bound here, a prison of light forged by gods who feared his lineage.
But now, the chains that once silenced him were gone.
The first breath he took rippled through the realm like a storm. Golden dust rose from the shattered floor, swirling into constellations that burned brighter than suns. His body reformed slowly—flesh woven from light, veins filled with celestial fire.
He stood tall, his silver hair floating in the airless void. His eyes, once dim and sealed, blazed with the reflection of countless stars.
So this is what it feels like… freedom.
He lifted his hand, and the fragments of his shattered crown hovered before him. Each piece hummed with divine resonance, still linked to the ancient throne he had once abandoned.
He clenched his fist. The shards fused together, forming a new crown—sleeker, brighter, alive with the pulse of starlight.
But as he placed it upon his head, visions flooded his mind.
He saw Erian, surrounded by smoke and flame, fighting within the underground ruins of the Academy.
He felt his pain, his exhaustion, his determination.
And beneath it all, the faint thread that connected their souls vibrated again.
Erian…
His voice echoed across dimensions, carried by starlight itself. The mark on his chest flared, resonating with Aster's heartbeat. For the first time in years, they felt each other—completely, without barrier.
Then came the whisper. A sound that crawled beneath the fabric of existence.
"So, the fallen heir awakens."
Aster turned sharply. From the far end of the void, a figure emerged—a man cloaked in darkness, wearing a golden mask shaped like a sun. His presence distorted the air, bending light around him.
"Solarius," Aster said coldly.
The masked being smiled. "Did you think your awakening would go unnoticed? The moment your chains broke, every priest in the Holy Order felt it. You should have stayed buried."
Aster raised his hand, and the stars around him ignited. "And yet, here you are. Still hiding behind that mask."
"Not hiding," Solarius replied, stepping forward. "Preparing."
The void shook as golden energy gathered in his palm. "You were born of starlight, Prince, but I am the fire that consumes it."
Aster's eyes flashed. "Then burn."
The explosion of light that followed tore through the darkness. Silver collided with gold, their clash echoing through every plane of reality. Fragments of stars were crushed, constellations shattered, and the remnants of forgotten gods screamed as their prison unraveled.
When the light dimmed, both figures stood amid a storm of energy, neither yielding.
Solarius's mask cracked slightly. "You're weaker than before."
"Perhaps," Aster said softly, stepping closer. "But I'm no longer alone."
And at that moment, across the mortal world, Erian lifted his gaze to the stars. The mark on his chest flared, sending a surge of power through his veins.
The starlight descended, threading through the clouds like rivers of light, wrapping around him.
Aster's voice echoed in his mind.
"I'm coming back."
The stars pulsed once, then went still.
The Crown Prince of Starlight had awakened, and the world would never be the same again.