Episode 2: The Encounter

Amara stood by the kitchen sink, staring blankly at her reflection in the small, foggy window above. The events of the previous night had left her uneasy. The dream was haunting her thoughts, and the strange, glowing mark that had appeared on her wrist made no sense. She had spent hours trying to convince herself it was just her imagination—a leftover impression from a vivid dream. But deep down, she knew something wasn’t right.

Shaking the thoughts away, Amara grabbed her jacket and headed out the door. The cool morning air greeted her as she walked down the busy streets of the city. People bustled by, their lives seemingly more important than hers. She couldn't help but feel disconnected from it all. The shimmering stars in her dream were clearer in her memory than the faces she passed on her way to the office.

As she rounded the corner to the coffee shop, something—or rather, someone—caught her eye. He stood across the street, his tall figure leaning against a lamppost, completely still. He seemed oddly out of place, like he didn’t belong in the middle of the bustling city.

Her breath hitched as their eyes met. It was him. The man from her dream.

Amara blinked in disbelief. She hesitated for a moment, then crossed the street, her heart racing with every step. But before she could reach him, a bus rolled by, cutting her off. When the vehicle passed, he was gone.

“Great, now I’m seeing things while I’m awake,” she muttered, shaking her head. She tried to laugh it off, but her hands trembled as she entered the coffee shop.

The day dragged on in a blur of meaningless tasks. Reports, emails, phone calls—everything felt distant, as if she were moving through it all in a haze. But the image of the man standing across the street kept replaying in her mind.

Who was he? Was she going crazy?

By the time her shift ended, Amara had convinced herself that she was just exhausted. Maybe it was her mind’s way of dealing with stress. After all, she hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in days. She made her way home, eager to forget about the entire ordeal and just crash into bed.

But as she approached her apartment building, a chill ran down her spine.

The man was there again.

Standing right outside her door.

Her legs froze in place. She couldn’t believe it. He stood under the dim streetlight, his face partially hidden in the shadows, but there was no mistaking it—it was him.

Amara’s mind raced. She considered running, but something told her that wouldn’t work. Summoning all her courage, she took a step closer.

“You…” she started, her voice shaky, “who are you?”

He turned his head slightly, revealing more of his face. His expression was unreadable—calm, yet intense, as if he were studying her.

“I didn’t expect you to be so…” he paused, searching for the right word, “ordinary.”

Amara bristled. “Excuse me?”

The man stepped forward, his presence almost suffocating. His gaze bore into her, and for a moment, she felt as though he could see straight through her soul. The air around him shimmered, almost as if the stars themselves were bending to his will.

“You’ve been chosen,” he said, his voice low and firm.

Amara blinked, confusion swirling in her chest. “Chosen? Chosen for what?”

He raised his hand, and in an instant, the strange mark on her wrist began to glow again. The warmth spread up her arm, and a wave of dizziness washed over her.

Her knees buckled, and the world around her spun.

When Amara came to, she found herself lying on the couch in her apartment. The man stood a few feet away, his back to her as he looked out the window.

“Who… what is happening?” she managed to ask, her voice weak.

He turned to face her, his eyes glowing faintly in the dim light of the room. “My name is Kael. You’re not dreaming, Amara. This is real. And you are now part of something much bigger than you realize.”

Amara tried to sit up, but her head throbbed. “Bigger? What are you talking about?”

Kael sighed, clearly not one for long explanations. “You’ve been marked by the Astral Keepers, whether you like it or not. That mark on your wrist is no coincidence. It’s a sign that you’re bound to me now.”

“Bound to you?” Amara felt panic rising in her chest. “What does that even mean?”

“It means you’re involved in a war that’s been going on for centuries,” Kael said, his tone serious. “A war between those who protect the balance of the stars—the Astral Keepers—and those who seek to disrupt it. The Eclipsed.”

Amara's mind spun. War? Astral Keepers? Eclipsed? None of it made sense. But then again, neither did glowing marks and men from dreams standing in her living room.

Kael stepped closer, his expression softening slightly. “I know this is a lot to take in. But you need to understand, Amara—there are forces at play here that are beyond your control. And like it or not, you’re in the middle of it now.”

Before she could respond, a sudden crash echoed from the window.

Kael's eyes narrowed. “They've found us.”

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