The stranger arrived with the morning mist.
He wore a charcoal coat dusted with stardust and eyes that shimmered like silver frost.
He didn't ask for directions.
He walked straight into Edenvale's little town square—like he already knew it.
Like he'd been there before.
---
The Bakery Bell
Ayden heard the bell chime over the bakery door and turned, expecting a customer.
Instead, the boy met his eyes with unsettling calm.
> "I'm here for her."
Ayden's hands stilled. "Who?"
The boy glanced toward the back kitchen, where Arielle's soft humming drifted like sunlight.
> "The Star. She's forgotten. But I haven't."
---
The Past Walks In
Arielle came out holding a tray of croissants, but when she saw the stranger—
The tray slipped from her hands and shattered on the floor.
She didn't know him.
And yet…
She felt him.
Somewhere between her ribs and her soul, something twisted sharply.
> "You," she whispered, breathless.
The boy stepped closer, gently.
> "My name is Calen. I was… your guardian."
Ayden stepped between them.
> "She doesn't remember. She chose this life."
Calen's silver eyes darkened, not in anger—but in grief.
> "And the stars have respected that. Until now."
---
The Sky's Reckoning
That night, the star that had appeared days ago began pulsing. Not flickering—pulsing, like a heartbeat.
Calen stood outside Arielle's window and whispered into the wind.
> "She's not just a girl. She's the anchor. If she doesn't awaken soon… the fracture will spread."
The wind didn't answer.
But the sky crackled faintly, like something vast was stirring behind the veil.
---
Arielle's Dreams
The locket glowed brighter.
Arielle began to see herself in mirrors—but not always herself.
Sometimes… she saw Kael.
Other times… a girl with wings of fire.
And sometimes… nothing at all.
> "Who am I really?" she asked Ayden.
He brushed hair from her face.
> "You're whoever you choose to be. That's all you've ever needed to be."
But deep
down, Arielle could feel it:
A choice was coming.
And this time… it wouldn't be as simple as staying or leaving.