The night air outside the empire felt different. There were no city bells, no crystal lights hanging from the towers. Only the sound of the wind and the rustling of the ancient forest that covered their tracks.
Aster walked slowly among the trees with Erian in his arms. The body was still weak, its skin as pale as if made of light that was almost extinguished. But his breathing remained steady, though occasionally heavy.
Every time the wind blew, the stars in the sky seemed to tremble, as if breathing with them. Aster knew it wasn't a coincidence. Since the star magic bond had formed in the basement, the two could no longer be completely separated from the universe itself.
He stopped at the edge of a valley, staring at the ruins of an old temple half-covered in moss and roots. The pillars still stood, though cracked, and in the middle was a small pool that reflected the soft light from the sky.
"This place..." Aster whispered, "used to be the first star temple. No one records it on the kingdom's maps anymore."
He stepped inside, carrying Erian to the center of the altar. The light from the pool greeted them, as if recognizing the blood and energy that now flowed in the bodies of two humans defying fate.
As he lowered Erian onto the stone altar, the young man's body began to glow softly. The star symbol on his chest pulsed, and the water in the pool rippled.
Aster crouched beside him, staring at Erian's face, which began to stir.
His eyelids trembled slightly before opening completely. The golden eyes stared at the temple ceiling, blank for a moment before finding the figure he recognized.
"Aster...?" his voice was hoarse and soft, like someone just returning from a distant place.
Aster smiled faintly. "You're awake."
Erian tried to get up, but Aster stopped him. "Not yet. You haven't recovered."
"Where are we?" he asked, looking around. "I remember... that light... Orion's voice... then everything went dark."
"We're outside the empire," Aster replied, staring at the pool beside them. "The Oldest Star Temple. A place that was once considered just a legend."
Erian was silent for a long time, staring at his own hands. A faint light still flowed from his skin, blending with the soft glow that appeared on Aster's chest whenever the two were close.
"I can feel you," he said slowly. "Even when I don't open my eyes. It feels... like my heart is no longer beating alone."
Aster smiled slightly, but his voice was low as he replied, "That's because we now share one source of magic. The bond that formed earlier can't be reversed."
Erian looked at him, there was fear and awe in his eyes. "You know what this means, right?"
Aster looked down, nodding softly. "Yes. If one of us dies, the other disappears as well."
Silence enveloped the temple. Only the sound of water dripping from the cracks in the stone and the wind whispering among the leaves.
Erian stared at Aster longer. "You don't regret it?"
"No."
The answer came out so firmly that Erian froze. Aster's gaze was sharp, but warm. "I've lost too many things in my life, but I won't lose you too. If the stars choose this path, I will follow it to the end."
Erian looked away, his cheeks flushed. "You always talk like a hero from old stories."
"And you," Aster retorted lightly, "always laugh at them. But now you're trapped in the same story."
A small smile appeared on Erian's face. He looked down, his fingers touching the symbol on his chest.
"But... it feels strange. I can feel your magic even without calling it. Warm, but heavy. Like something is constantly spinning inside me."
"That's normal," Aster explained. "Your body is adjusting. Star power has never been given to two humans at once. You're bearing half of what should only belong to me."
Erian looked at him doubtfully. "So... is this your fault?"
Aster raised an eyebrow. "Or your luck. Depends on how you see it."
They both laughed softly, and for a moment the world didn't feel so scary.
But that brief happiness didn't last long.
A rumbling sound came from afar. The ground around the temple trembled, and birds scattered from the trees. Blue light flashed in the sky, forming a large circular pattern.
Aster stood up immediately. "They've found us."
"The Solarius Council?"
"Not possible that fast," Aster replied quickly. "Maybe royal scouts. But they're carrying tracking seals."
Erian got up with his remaining strength, staring at the star pool that was now rippling wildly. "We can't stay here long."
Aster looked at the altar, then the sky. "No. But there's one more place."
He looked at Erian deeply. "A place where the first star fell to earth. If the legend is true, we can sever this resonance before they find us."
Erian frowned. "You want to break this bond?"
"Not break it," Aster replied softly. "Balance it. So that we don't become a threat to the world."
Erian was silent for a long time. His gaze was fixed on Aster's face. In that silence, many things were said without a sound—fear, desire, and a belief that slowly grew.
Finally, he nodded. "Then I'll go with you."
Aster held out his hand, and without hesitation Erian grasped it. As soon as their fingers touched, a soft light flowed from their skin, merging in the air, forming a small trail leading north.
"The stars have shown the way," Aster said in an almost whispered tone.
Erian took a long breath. "Then we will follow it. Whatever awaits there."
As the two stepped out of the temple, the starlight in the sky seemed brighter than before, as if the universe itself was watching the journey of two souls who had defied the lines of fate.
The early morning air felt like the breath of a world that had just awakened. The forest began to fade behind them, replaced by a vast plain shrouded in a thin mist. The starlight hadn't completely faded, and beneath it two shadows walked side by side.
Erian looked at the sky, noticing one star that was always brighter than the others. "Is that what you mean?" he asked. "The Cradle of the First Star?"
Aster nodded without turning his head. "That star has never changed its position for thousands of years. Legend says, beneath its light is a place where the sky first touched the earth."
Erian sighed softly. "Sounds like a fairy tale that old travelers often tell at the harbor."
"Every fairy tale has roots in reality," Aster retorted lightly. "It's just that humans often forget how to listen."
He walked faster. His silver hair reflected the blue light, making him look like a part of the sky that had come down to earth. Erian watched him for a moment before speeding up to keep pace.
"Why do you know so much about things like that?" he asked after a moment of silence. "You're not from any order or academy."
Aster smiled faintly. "I used to live in a star temple, before it was destroyed by Solarius troops. My teachers believed that the power of the sky wasn't to be controlled, but to be harmonized."
"And the kingdom didn't like that idea," Erian continued softly.
"No. They want to make starlight a weapon."
Erian stared at him for a long time, then said, "So that's why you oppose them."
Aster nodded, but this time he didn't smile. "I don't oppose them for revenge. I just want to make sure the stars are no longer used to destroy anything. Including the humans they consider weak."
Erian was silent. Those words slapped the side of himself that used to believe that power meant everything. He looked at his hand, feeling the pulse of magic that was now mixed with Aster's.
"Then," he said softly, "am I... also part of that mistake?"
Aster stopped walking. He looked at Erian gently, then said, "You're not a mistake, Erian. You're proof that even in the midst of destruction, the stars can still choose to save."
The sound of the wind stopped for a moment, and in Aster's eyes, the reflection of the starlight seemed to tremble. There was something there—not just belief, but a deeper feeling, which didn't need to be spoken.
Erian looked down, finding it difficult to look back. "You say that too often. I'm afraid I'll start to believe it."
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?"
"No, if I start to believe something I might not be able to achieve."
Aster stared at him for a long time. "You punish yourself too often."
"And you forgive the world too often."
The answer made Aster chuckle. "Maybe because we're both equally foolish."
Their laughter broke the silence, light but real. After that, their journey continued in comfortable silence.
Several hours later, they arrived at a high plain swept by strong winds. From the top of the cliff, they could see a vast valley with a spiral-shaped lake in the middle. Starlight fell directly above the center of the lake, forming a pillar of light that slowly rotated.
Erian stared at it in awe. "That... it really exists."
"Cradle of the First Star," Aster whispered. "The place where the sky first gave life to the world."
He descended the cliff, his steps cautious. Erian followed him, still not believing what he was seeing. When they reached the edge of the lake, the water reflected their faces in two shadows that merged together.
"How do we balance this bond?" Erian asked, staring at the water that was beginning to ripple even though there was no wind.
Aster reached out his hand to the middle of the lake. Blue light followed his movements. "By surrendering some of my magic back to the stars. But it's risky. If you can't hold it back, we'll both vanish."
Erian looked at him in silence. "And if we succeed?"
"The stars will stop pulling us. Our bond will remain, but free from the curse of destruction."
"In other words... we'll still be connected."
Aster looked at him, smiling slightly. "Yes. But no longer as a weapon."
Erian nodded softly. He stepped to his side and stared at the light spinning above the water. "Then let's start before I change my mind."
Aster looked at his face, then nodded. They stood side by side on the surface of the water that was now glowing. As Aster closed his eyes and recited an ancient spell, the star symbols on both of their bodies lit up.
Light enveloped the entire lake. The air trembled, and the sky above them opened slightly, revealing thousands of points of light that swirled like a vortex. Erian felt his body lighten, then as if burned by a current he couldn't control.
"Aster!" he cried, but his voice was cut off by a wave of light.
Aster tried to stabilize the magic, but the star energy was too strong. Their lights collided, creating cracks in the air.
"You have to trust me!" Aster shouted. "Don't resist!"
Erian closed his eyes, grasping Aster's hands tightly. "I won't resist. But don't leave me."
Aster's voice sounded almost broken. "I never will."
The light peaked, swallowing them both. As everything turned white, only one thing remained in their minds: the sound of the same heartbeat, blending with the soft song of the stars in the distance.
When the light finally subsided, the lake was calm again. The two figures lay in the middle, still holding hands.
The sky above them shone softly. One star in the middle of the sky twinkled as if smiling, then slowly faded, leaving peace in the world below.
Aster opened his eyes first, looking at Erian who was still unconscious. He smiled, tired but relieved. "We did it."
Then he looked at the sky. "Thank you, stars. For one more chance."