Silence.
A vast sea of light stretched endlessly, stars suspended in an ocean of mist. The air shimmered like liquid glass, reflecting countless constellations that pulsed in slow rhythm, as if breathing.
Erian awoke in the middle of it, floating weightlessly. His body felt both heavy and light, his mind echoing with whispers that were not his own.
He reached for something—anything—to hold on to, but his hand passed through the starlight as though it were smoke.
"A dream?" he murmured.
"No," a familiar voice answered. "Not this time."
Erian turned sharply.
Aster stood a few steps away, his silver hair glowing faintly under the celestial haze. His armor was gone, replaced by robes of deep indigo, embroidered with constellations that moved like living threads. His eyes, however, were the same—steady, fierce, and warm.
Erian felt his throat tighten. "You're real."
Aster smiled faintly. "You always doubt that."
Erian tried to move toward him, but the space between them rippled, bending like water. "Where are we?"
"The Realm Between Stars," Aster said, gazing upward. "A place that exists beyond the laws of time and light. Where souls bound by the same starlight are drawn together."
"So… this is because of the Gate."
"Partly." Aster stepped closer. "But mostly, because we share the same origin."
Before Erian could ask what he meant, the light around them flickered. Fragments of memory—scenes of war, ancient temples, and shattered thrones—appeared in the air, replaying like visions carved into the stars.
Aster raised his hand, and one image froze: a figure with silver eyes kneeling before a glowing orb of light.
"That is the First Heir of Starlight," Aster said softly. "And the one beside him… the First Sunborn. Two souls made from the same celestial spark."
Erian stared. "You mean…"
"Yes. We are their echoes. Their legacy reborn."
The realization hit him like thunder. The connection he had felt all along—the way their magic resonated, their dreams intertwined—it wasn't coincidence. It was destiny repeating itself.
"But if that's true," Erian whispered, "then why does the Order of Solarius want to erase us?"
Aster's gaze hardened. "Because the stars cannot be controlled. And the Order fears what they cannot bind."
As he spoke, the Realm trembled. Cracks of golden light split through the mist, and a deep rumble shook the stars.
"They found us," Erian said, voice shaking.
Aster reached out, gripping his wrist. "Then we leave, before the path closes."
"Where can we go?"
"To where it all began." Aster's eyes glowed with resolve. "To the heart of the Azure Empire. To the place where the First Heir fell."
Erian hesitated, glancing once more at the collapsing realm around them. The stars flickered, breaking apart like shards of glass.
He tightened his grip on Aster's hand. "Then let's finish what they started."
Aster nodded. "Together."
Light consumed them both, swallowing their forms as the Realm of Stars shattered completely.
Far away, under the ruins of the empire's capital, the night sky trembled. Two streaks of starlight descended from the heavens, vanishing into the horizon.
And in that silent moment, the world felt its balance shift.