The forest breathed with an almost sentient rhythm. Every leaf, every rustle of wind seemed to respond to Lyra D'Solis, as if acknowledging her presence. She paused on a mossy knoll, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders, fingers brushing against the glowing petals circling her.
"I… why am I here?" she whispered to herself, eyes scanning the trees. Memories danced at the edges of her mind — fleeting images of a boy with golden eyes, a mark that burned in the moonlight, and a voice that seemed to call her name across the void.
Lyra's heart thumped in her chest as the air shimmered. There! Movement in the shadows. Her pulse quickened.
"Who's there?" she called, trying to steady her voice.
From the treeline, a figure stepped forward. Dark cloak, golden eyes reflecting the moonlight. Aiden Vale. He looked at her with a mixture of curiosity, caution, and… something else she could not name.
"You shouldn't be here," Aiden said, his voice calm but firm, a sword hand brushing the hilt instinctively. "This forest is dangerous for someone like you."
Lyra's brows furrowed. "Dangerous… how? I feel… safe. But also… I feel drawn. To this place, to… you?" Her words faltered. She had no idea why she said them, only that the truth lingered on her tongue like a half-remembered song.
Aiden's mark glowed faintly beneath the moonlight, reacting to her presence. Heat raced through his veins. "You… feel drawn to me?" he asked cautiously. "That's… not safe."
Before she could answer, her hand brushed his, an accidental, fleeting touch. A burst of energy flared between them, warm and tingling. Leaves rustled violently, and a petal-like glow enveloped them both. Lyra stumbled back, startled.
Aiden's gaze softened, though the gold in his eyes still held caution. "Who are you?"
"I… I don't know," she admitted, voice trembling. "I just… I just know I was supposed to be here. And somehow… here is where I found you."
Neither of them noticed the pair of golden eyes watching them from the shadows, a figure cloaked in black who did not belong to the forest nor to the village. Silent and still, he smiled.