The faint hum of energy surrounded Aiden as the mist cleared. The girl who had appeared through the unstable rift looked around, confusion and awe written across her delicate features.
She had short, silvery hair that caught the light of the violet sky and pale blue eyes that seemed to glow faintly with magic. Her clothes were foreign—nothing like anything from Aiden's world. They shimmered faintly, woven from a fabric that looked almost liquid.
Aiden broke the silence first. "You're… from another world, aren't you?"
The girl hesitated before nodding. "I think so. I was in the middle of a containment test at the Arcanis Institute—then everything exploded. Next thing I knew, I was falling through light."
Eryndor studied her with quiet intrigue. "Another dimensional traveler. Rare, but not impossible. The Lost Dimension is where threads from countless realities intersect."
The girl frowned slightly. "Threads?"
Aiden explained, "It means this place is like a crossroads between worlds. Time, space, everything gets tangled here."
She blinked. "That explains the headache."
Despite the strangeness of their situation, Aiden found himself smiling. "I'm Aiden. This is Eryndor."
The girl gave a small nod. "Selene."
---
For the next few hours, they rested near the glowing tree. Selene examined the landscape with curious eyes. "It's beautiful… but it feels lonely," she said softly.
Aiden glanced around. "It's quiet, yeah. Too quiet."
Eryndor spoke without looking at them. "This realm once held life—cities built by the Astralborn, beings who mastered the harmony between light and void. But they fell to the same corruption that now stirs again."
Selene turned to Aiden. "And you're connected to it somehow?"
Aiden hesitated, then nodded. "I was born with something called the Starborn Mark. It links me to the same energy that created—and destroyed—this realm."
Her eyes widened. "Then maybe fate brought me here for a reason."
"Or maybe it's warning us both," Aiden murmured.
Eryndor interrupted. "Enough talk. You both must see what remains of the Astral Sanctum. It holds answers—and dangers."
---
They traveled through the ruins for hours. Floating platforms bridged impossible gaps between fragments of broken towers. Strange runes glowed faintly beneath their feet, reacting to Aiden's presence.
Selene traced one with her hand. "These symbols… they resonate with your aura."
Aiden frowned. "You can sense it?"
"I was trained to read magical frequencies," she said. "Yours is… unstable but powerful. Like it's pulling from two sources at once."
Eryndor gave a slow nod. "The mark binds Aiden to both creation and void. It's a gift—and a curse."
Aiden sighed. "I've heard that one before."
Selene smiled faintly. "You sound like someone who's tired of destiny."
"Wouldn't you be?" he replied.
"Maybe," she said, looking away. "But sometimes destiny isn't a chain—it's a compass."
Her words lingered with him long after they resumed walking.
---
Eventually, they reached the heart of the ruins—a massive circular platform surrounded by broken statues and crystal spires. In the center floated a crystalline orb, pulsating slowly like a heartbeat.
Eryndor's tone grew reverent. "The Astral Core. The last remnant of the realm's power."
Aiden stepped closer. "It feels… alive."
Selene approached beside him. "It's reacting to you again."
As they reached the platform, the orb flared with light. Images flickered within it—cities of golden light, winged beings soaring across the sky, then darkness swallowing everything.
Aiden stumbled back, gripping his head as the visions overwhelmed him.
He saw a war—one side bathed in radiance, the other in shadow. And at the center stood two figures who looked eerily familiar: a woman with eyes like Seraphina's and a young man bearing the same mark as his.
> "The Starborn and the Shadowborn," Eryndor whispered. "Twin forces meant to balance existence."
Aiden's voice was faint. "That was… me? Us?"
"An echo of the past," Eryndor said. "The mark you bear is the inheritance of that cycle. Every age, the Starborn returns—and so does the darkness that seeks him."
Selene looked at him, concern in her eyes. "Then the creature you mentioned—the Void Serpent—"
"Is the same darkness," Eryndor finished. "And its awakening is tied to Aiden's power."
A heavy silence fell between them.
Aiden looked down at his glowing wrist. "So I'm the reason the Void keeps coming back."
Eryndor met his gaze. "Or you're the reason it hasn't won yet. Choice determines which you become."
---
Before they could speak further, the ground trembled. The orb cracked—thin lines of shadow spreading across its surface.
Selene gasped. "What's happening?"
Eryndor's eyes widened. "It senses Umbra's presence!"
Darkness spilled out, swirling into a vortex. From it emerged ghostly silhouettes—the fallen Astralborn, twisted by the void.
Aiden summoned his starlight, his body glowing silver-blue. "Selene, stay behind me!"
But Selene raised her hands, summoning a wall of crystal energy that blocked the first wave. "I can fight too!"
Aiden grinned despite the danger. "Guess I'm not the only reckless one here."
They moved together—his starlight and her frost magic intertwining in dazzling bursts of light. The corrupted spirits screamed as their energy dissolved into mist.
When the final one faded, the orb shattered completely, leaving behind a single fragment that floated into Aiden's hand.
It pulsed faintly, warm against his skin.
Eryndor approached, eyes full of wonder. "The Heart Fragment… it chose you."
Selene tilted her head. "What does it do?"
Eryndor's expression turned grim. "It's the key to repairing the barrier between worlds. But to use it… you'll need the other fragments scattered across this realm."
Aiden stared at the glowing shard. "Then that's our next goal."
Selene smiled softly. "Guess we're partners now."
He met her eyes, his expression firm. "Partners—and maybe, the only hope left for every world connected to this one."
As the violet sky darkened and distant thunder rolled across the void, Aiden felt the mark on his wrist pulse again—stronger this time, as if something was watching.
Somewhere far beyond, in Astraeus Academy, Seraphina stood beneath the same sky, whispering his name.
The stars trembled in answer.
---