The forest grew stranger as they went deeper. The air was colder, heavy with the scent of damp earth and starlight. Even the moon seemed to dim above the ancient trees, as though light itself feared to linger here.
Erian followed Aster in silence. Neither had spoken since the battle with Seren. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant whisper of flowing water. Then, just beyond the fog, they saw it.
An old temple stood at the heart of the March. Its pillars were cracked, its roof half swallowed by vines, yet faint silver light still glowed from the carvings on its walls. The runes looked familiar, almost alive.
Erian stepped closer, his voice barely a whisper. "I've seen this place before."
Aster turned. "In your visions?"
"In my dreams," Erian said, touching the stone. "This was where Lumis made his vow."
The moment his fingers brushed the ancient surface, the runes flared to life. A wave of energy rippled through the air, and the fog began to move spiraling upward like smoke drawn toward the heavens. A low hum filled the clearing, the sound of something awakening after centuries of silence.
Aster moved beside him, his hand instinctively going to his sword. "Be careful."
Erian nodded, though his eyes were fixed on the carvings. They depicted two figures standing beneath a shattered sky. One held a blade of light, the other a crown of flame. Between them, a single star floated broken but still burning.
"This was no temple to worship," Aster said quietly. "It's a tomb."
Erian swallowed. "Then whose?"
Before Aster could answer, the air shimmered. A vision unfolded in front of them a faint echo of the past. The temple was whole again, shining with radiant light. Figures in white and silver robes knelt before the altar, chanting in an ancient tongue.
At the center stood Lumis.
His face was calm, his eyes filled with quiet sadness. He held a crystal sphere in his hands, its light flickering like a dying star. Opposite him stood another man the one with silver eyes. The resemblance to Aster was unmistakable.
"I cannot let you destroy it," the silver-eyed man said.
"It's already dying," Lumis replied. "If the heavens fall, everything will fall with them. The only way to save the cycle is to break it."
"Then you will be cursed," the man warned. "You will lose everything."
Lumis smiled faintly. "Then let the curse begin."
The vision shattered. The temple fell silent again. Erian staggered back, breathless. His chest burned where the mark pulsed.
Aster caught him. "Erian. What did you see?"
Erian looked up, eyes wide. "It wasn't just a temple. It was where Lumis broke the will of the gods. Where he changed the stars themselves."
Aster frowned. "And the man with him?"
Erian hesitated. "He looked like you."
Aster's expression darkened. "Then our fates have always been tangled."
The ground trembled softly. From deep within the ruins, a faint light began to glow. A doorway, hidden beneath the altar, slid open with a soft rumble. A path descended into darkness.
Erian took a step forward. "Whatever's down there, it's calling to me."
Aster followed. "Then we answer together."
They descended the spiral stairway, the light from Erian's palm guiding the way. Symbols flickered on the walls words from a language neither could read, yet somehow Erian understood their meaning.
When the heart of the stars awakens, the heavens will weep, and the bond will burn.
At the bottom of the stairway lay a circular chamber. In the center floated a crystal shard, suspended in midair. It pulsed faintly, the same rhythm as Erian's heartbeat.
Aster approached cautiously. "What is it?"
Erian reached out, his voice trembling. "The Heart of Lumis."
As his fingers brushed the shard, light engulfed the chamber. Images flashed before him worlds collapsing, stars bleeding into the void, and a promise whispered through time.
Find me where the sky ends.
Erian fell to his knees, gasping. Aster grabbed him, steadying his body. "Erian! What did you see?"
Erian looked up, eyes glowing faintly with starlight. "The truth. Lumis didn't die. He's still here. Somewhere beyond the stars."
Aster's grip tightened. "Then that's where we'll go."
But as the light faded, a new voice filled the chamber. Cold, distant, and familiar.
"You won't have to search for him," it said. "Because he's already watching you."
They turned toward the entrance.
Seren stood there, bloodied but smiling, his blade gleaming in the dim light.
"Did you really think I'd lose twice?"