Kael Orion had never seen a sky so alive. Nova Prime's twin suns bathed the floating city in golden light, while distant stars shimmered like scattered diamonds against the void. But Kael wasn't staring at the sky for its beauty. Something inside him thrummed—an energy that pulsed like a heartbeat, a magic he could not yet name.
He closed his eyes, and the hum grew stronger. In his hand, a small shard of starlight flickered into existence, hovering above his palm. Kael gasped. This was forbidden. Only the oldest wizards in the Astral Circle could summon starlight. And yet… here he was, a fifteen-year-old boy, standing in the middle of the city square, holding a fragment of the cosmos.
A voice echoed behind him:
"Finally, the Starborn awakens."
Kael spun around to see a cloaked figure, face obscured, eyes glowing like nebulae. "Who… who are you?" he stammered.
"I am Lyren, your guide—and your test has begun," the figure said, stepping closer. "The galaxy waits for you, Kael Orion. Are you ready to wield the stars?"
Kael's heart raced. Ready… or not, the adventure had already begun.