March 20, Year of the Dragon's Wake
The City of Elders, Aetheria
The stone arches Lyra spoke of rose from the ground like giant fingers reaching toward the sky, covered in vines that bloomed with purple flowers. Beyond them stretched the City of Elders—a place where buildings seemed to grow from the earth itself, with walls made of polished marble and roofs that glowed with soft, golden light.
"Welcome to Aeridor," Lyra said, her voice filled with wonder. Even she seemed to be seeing the city with new eyes. "We rarely get to come here—it's usually only for important matters."
As we walked through the main gate, people stopped what they were doing to look at us. They were taller than the villagers we'd seen earlier, with hair in shades of white and silver, and their robes were embroidered with symbols that sparkled in the sunlight.
"Lyra of the Lumina Village," a voice called out from the center of the square. An old woman with eyes like amber stood at the top of a wide set of stairs leading to a large domed building. "And you must be the one who fell from the stars."
We climbed the stairs to meet her. She wore a crown made of twisted branches and crystal, and even though she looked frail, there was strength in her posture.
"I am Elder Maeve," she said, gesturing for us to follow her inside. "We've been watching the sky for you. The dragons foretold your arrival many years ago."
Inside the building, the walls were covered in murals that told stories of Aetheria's past. I saw images of people coming through a glowing portal, of dragons fighting alongside humans, and of a great darkness that had once threatened to cover the world.
"You come from a world called Earth, do you not?" Elder Maeve asked as we sat around a circular table made of a single piece of wood.
"Yes," I nodded. "My name is... well, back home they called me Cici. But here..."
"Here, you are known as the Star-Blessed," she said gently. "The portal that brought you here hasn't opened in over a thousand years. It only activates when Aetheria is in great danger."
I felt my heart sink. "Danger? What kind of danger?"
"Darkness is returning to our world," Elder Maeve explained. "Creatures that were sealed away long ago are starting to wake. The Forest Sentinels you encountered earlier have already been corrupted by its influence—they serve the Shadow Lord now, not the people of Aetheria."
Lyra gripped my hand tightly. "Is there anything we can do?"
"The old prophecies say the Star-Blessed will bring balance back to Aetheria," the elder continued. "You have power within you that you don't yet understand—power from your world and ours combined. But first, you must learn to control it."
She stood and walked to a shelf in the corner of the room, returning with a small wooden box. When she opened it, a crystal lay inside—clear as water, with tiny points of light dancing within it.
"This is a Memory Stone," she said, handing it to me. "It will show you what you need to know. But be warned—knowledge comes with responsibility. Once you see what lies ahead, you may not be able to turn back."
I held the stone in my palm. It was warm to the touch, and I could feel a gentle hum coming from within it. Part of me wanted to run—to find a way home and forget all about Aetheria's troubles. But another part of me knew that I couldn't leave these people to face darkness alone, not when I might be the only one who could help.
I closed my hand around the crystal, and light flooded the room.