Chapter 1: The Stars Whispered His Name

Celeste Aurelian had always felt a strong connection to the night sky. As a child, she would spend hours lying beneath the stars, tracing their patterns with her fingers, as if they held secrets waiting to be discovered. Even now, at twenty-one, that feeling had never left her. If anything, it had only grown stronger.

Born and raised in Solmere, a quiet town surrounded by forests and open fields, Celeste had always been different. While others were content with everyday life, she longed for something more—something beyond what she could see. Her father, an astronomer, had encouraged her love for the stars, sharing his knowledge and passion. Her mother, a dreamer who believed in myths and legends, had filled her childhood with stories of celestial beings and fate. But they were both gone now, leaving Celeste with only memories and a never-ending curiosity about the world beyond her own.

Tonight, the stars seemed brighter than ever, their silver glow making the town look almost magical. Celeste stood on the balcony of her small apartment, the cool night air brushing against her skin. The world below was quiet, but the sky above felt alive. And for the first time in her life, she thought she heard the stars whisper.

A name.

Orion.

The sound of it sent a chill down her spine. She didn’t know anyone by that name, but it felt oddly familiar, as if it had always been a part of her, waiting to be remembered.

Shaking off the strange feeling, Celeste turned to go inside, but something in the sky caught her eye. A streak of light, a meteor, shot across the darkness—except, it wasn’t fading. It was growing. Getting bigger. Falling toward the forest just outside of town.

Her pulse quickened. The light wasn’t burning out—it was hurtling toward the earth like a summoned force, wild and unstoppable. A low, distant rumble echoed through the still night air, followed by a sudden gust of wind that sent chills racing down her spine. Something about it felt unnatural, as if the universe itself had bent the rules for this moment.

Meanwhile, far beyond the stars Celeste loved so much, Orion Veylan was being pulled back to a world he had promised never to return to.

As a guardian of the celestial order, Orion had spent lifetimes protecting the balance between worlds. His life had been one of duty and sacrifice. But tonight, fate had broken the careful balance he had spent centuries keeping. And the force pulling him back to the mortal world was connected to the girl staring at the sky.

The descent was violent. Orion could feel his very essence ripping through the veil between realms, the pressure mounting as the ground neared. He clenched his jaw against the searing pain. His mission had always been clear—never return, never interfere. But destiny had rewritten his path.

Celeste’s breath caught. That wasn’t an ordinary shooting star.

A sudden sharp pressure gripped her chest, like unseen fingers reaching for her very soul. The trees in the distance trembled, their branches swaying as if whispering a warning. Something deep inside her told her to turn away, to run—but another part of her, something ancient and unexplainable, pushed her forward.

She didn’t know why, but she needed to go. Right now.

Grabbing her coat, she rushed down the stairs, her heart pounding. Logic told her to stay put, to ignore the strange feeling in her chest. But deep down, she knew better.

Something was coming.

Something powerful.

And she had to be there when it arrived........

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