The world beyond the Astral Gate was nothing like Aiden had imagined.
Instead of the vibrant glow of magic he expected, he found himself standing on the cracked surface of a floating island suspended in endless twilight. Above him, shattered fragments of stars drifted through the dark sky like dying embers. The air was thin, humming faintly with energy that tasted of dust and time.
"This place…" Lyra whispered, stepping closer to him. "It feels… alive. Like it's watching us."
Aiden nodded slowly. "It's the Shadow Realm — a fragment between dimensions. My sister must've crossed through here."
Behind them, Seraphina drew her radiant sword, its golden glow piercing through the mist. "If Celene really came here, then we're not alone."
A sudden rumble answered her words. From the far end of the island, black mist began to rise, coalescing into shifting forms — humanoid shadows with gleaming red eyes. Their whispers echoed like a thousand distant voices overlapping.
Kael unsheathed his twin daggers, grinning despite the tension. "Well, looks like the welcoming committee's here."
"Form up!" Aiden commanded, raising his staff. His starlight flared, illuminating the ground beneath their feet. Glyphs appeared — part of a defensive formation he had learned from the Academy's archives.
The first shadow lunged. Seraphina moved faster than lightning, cleaving through it in one motion. But as her blade passed through, the creature simply reformed.
Lyra's eyes widened. "They're feeding off the realm's energy! We can't destroy them — not like this."
Aiden clenched his fist, trying to think. Then, he remembered Celene's words from the duel: "The real enemy isn't in this arena — it's coming."
Maybe she had meant these things… or something worse.
"Everyone, buy me ten seconds!" Aiden shouted.
Seraphina nodded, moving in front of him. "Make them count."
As his friends held off the advancing shadows, Aiden pressed his palms to the ground. His eyes glowed as he whispered an ancient incantation. Constellations formed in midair — stars connecting through silver lines.
"Celestial Sigil… Lumen Arcanum!"
A massive wave of starlight erupted from him, flooding the island. The shadows screamed and dissolved into mist. For a moment, the entire realm seemed to pause — then, silence.
Kael whistled. "Remind me never to make you angry."
But before Aiden could respond, the air in front of them shimmered — and a new figure stepped out from the void. A woman in dark armor, her silver hair flowing behind her like moonlight.
"Celene."
Her expression was unreadable. The last time he'd seen her, she had vanished through a portal, warning him of danger. Now, she stood there — older, colder, her once-kind eyes filled with sorrow and power.
"You shouldn't have come here," she said softly.
Aiden stepped forward. "You told me to find you."
"I told you to meet me," she replied. "Not to drag the others into this. You don't understand what's happening."
Seraphina lowered her sword slightly. "Then help us understand. Why did you leave? What are these things?"
Celene looked at her sister, pain flickering briefly across her face. "They're fragments — pieces of what remains of the gods who tried to control this dimension. When the Rift opened, they were consumed by it. Now they exist only as shadows, trying to reclaim a body."
Lyra frowned. "And you're saying they'll use us for that?"
Celene nodded. "Especially him." She looked at Aiden. "You have something they need — the Starlight Core. It's the last spark of creation. If they take it, every world connected through the Astral Gate will collapse."
Aiden's blood ran cold. "So that's why they're after me…"
Celene took a slow step closer. "You have to leave. Now. The Gate is closing soon, and once it does, not even I can bring you back."
But before anyone could reply, the ground beneath them cracked. The darkness surged upward, forming a colossal shape — a towering creature made of shadow and bone, its face an empty void with burning red eyes.
"The Rift Guardian," Celene whispered. "It's already awake."
Seraphina raised her sword, golden energy crackling around her. "Then we fight!"
"No," Celene said sharply. "You can't kill it — only contain it."
Aiden's starlight flared again as he turned to his sister. "Then we'll do it together."
For the first time since her return, Celene smiled faintly. "You've grown stronger, little brother."
The Guardian roared, shaking the island. A wave of darkness crashed toward them. Celene and Aiden raised their hands simultaneously — their lights intertwining into a blazing shield.
Lyra chanted an enchantment that amplified the barrier while Kael leapt onto a nearby rock, throwing rune-infused daggers that detonated midair. The explosions carved space in the darkness, but the Guardian kept advancing.
"Now, Aiden!" Celene shouted. "Focus your starlight on its core — the chest!"
He closed his eyes, summoning every drop of energy left within him. The constellation behind him glowed brighter than ever. "Celestial Form — Second Star: Astra Collapse!"
A beam of light pierced through the Guardian's chest. The creature howled, its body fracturing into millions of shards that scattered like stardust. The shockwave nearly threw everyone off the island.
When the light faded, the Guardian was gone. The realm fell silent again — but this time, it felt final.
Celene exhaled, her armor dimming. "You did it…"
But her relief didn't last long. The island began to crumble beneath their feet.
"The Gate's collapsing!" Lyra shouted.
Celene turned to Aiden, her eyes sad but resolute. "You have to go. I'll hold the passage open."
"What? No!" Aiden reached for her, but she stepped back, her magic flaring.
"Go!" she shouted. "You're not ready for what lies beyond. When the time comes, find me again — and bring the Core."
And before he could protest, the light swallowed him whole.
When Aiden opened his eyes again, he was back in the academy courtyard — alone, the stars dim above.
He clenched his fists, determination hardening in his gaze.
"I'll find you, Celene. Whatever it takes."
The night breeze carried his words into the distance, and somewhere beyond the collapsing dimensions, a faint whisper answered —
"I'll be waiting."
---