The air above Sil'vara twisted with ancient magic as Zayn emerged from the temple, the First Celestial Star now merged with his staff. Behind him, the cursed ruins shimmered with faint traces of the past. The sky was no longer grey but stained with a strange violet hue, as if reality itself had blinked—something had shifted. Something had noticed.
And it wasn't just the world.
Across a hidden continent cloaked by illusion and time, a circular hall deep underground came alive. Seven figures stood around a glowing map etched in starlight. They were known as the Watchers of the Deep Veil, a secretive order bound by oath and prophecy to observe the balance of the realms.
A shard on the map—representing Sil'vara—flared with light.
"He has taken the first," a woman in silver robes said coldly. Her face was half-veiled, but her eyes were molten gold.
"Faster than expected," murmured an old man whose beard swirled like smoke. "He unlocked the seal without guidance. The Nameless One will awaken early if this continues."
A younger watcher frowned. "Should we stop him?"
"No," said the one seated at the highest point of the circle. His voice was thunder held in a whisper. "We cannot interfere directly. But we can... delay."
The golden-eyed woman smirked. "Shall I send the twins?"
The leader nodded. "Send them. And tell them—he must not reach the second Star before the Eclipse Moon."
Meanwhile, Zayn stood at the edge of Sil'vara, staring into the wildlands. He could feel the pull now—a faint thread in his soul pointing east, toward the Crystal Tomb of Eryndor, home to the Second Celestial Star.
But something didn't feel right.
The world felt heavier.
Like eyes were on him.
He didn't hesitate.
Zayn channeled a wisp of star power into his boots, leaping high into the air. With a burst of speed, he soared across the cliffs and meadows, his cloak billowing behind like a comet's tail. Every hour mattered now.
By dusk, he reached the Emerald Spine, a narrow forested range that bordered Eryndor. The trees here were tall and twisted, leaves dark as ink and bark as cold as bone. Zayn entered with caution, sensing unnatural stillness.
And that's when he saw them.
Two figures standing between the trees.
Twins.
One dressed in white silk, the other in black armor. Both with pale skin and long silver hair that shimmered under the moonlight. Their eyes, however, were what caught Zayn's attention—mirror images of the stars themselves. Cold. Timeless.
"I was told the Sealing Staff would choose someone... stronger," the twin in white whispered, a soft smile playing on his lips.
Zayn tightened his grip. "And you are?"
"I am Illarion," said the white-robed one.
"And I am Veyla," added the armored one. "We are the Eclipse Twins. Children of the Dark Moon. And your journey ends here."
Without warning, they attacked.
Veyla vanished and reappeared behind Zayn, blades drawn. Illarion conjured threads of silver light that turned into spears, launching them with terrifying precision. Zayn spun, deflecting the spears with his staff while summoning a dome of starfire to block the blades.
Boom!
The forest shook from the impact.
They were fast.
Too fast.
Zayn leapt into the air, releasing a wave of celestial flame downward. The trees ignited, forcing the twins to retreat—but only briefly.
Illarion weaved a spell, and the flames died instantly.
Veyla clashed swords with Zayn midair, their weapons sparking like meteors colliding.
"You're good," she said, eyes narrowing. "But not enough."
Zayn's body spun mid-strike, staff glowing with the First Celestial Star's power. He struck the ground—
"Starfall Echo!"
A pulse of pure energy exploded outward, forming star-shaped glyphs in the air. It flung both twins backward.
Zayn landed, panting. Sweat dripped down his brow.
But they were already standing again.
"Interesting," Illarion said. "The star recognizes you. Still…"
He extended both hands.
And the forest… moved.
Roots tore from the ground. Shadows slithered. The sky above cracked with dark lightning.
Zayn knew he couldn't defeat them both—not yet.
But he could escape.
With a burst of power, he drove the staff into the ground. Starfire spiraled upward, forming a beacon that bent space around him. He spoke a phrase given to him in the temple:
"Let the light of origin part the veil."
The world blinked.
And he vanished.
Far away, Zayn appeared atop a snow-covered mountain.
He collapsed to one knee, gasping.
He had escaped.
But barely.
The twins were stronger than anything he had faced—and they were just the beginning.
As the wind howled around him and night fell, he looked down at the glowing staff. The First Star pulsed like a heartbeat.
He knew now.
The Celestial Stars were not just power.
They were memories.
They were seals.
And each one he awakened brought the world closer to something ancient.
Something watching.
Something waiting.