Episode 1

In the heart of Venice, where the scent of saltwater and aged parchment mingled, Eirian stood in the dimly lit museum of oddities he had curated over centuries.

The air was thick with the dust of forgotten times and the hushed whispers of the city's past. His eyes, a forest green that seemed to hold the secrets of the deep, scanned the rows of glass cases filled with curiosities. The ticking of a vintage clock echoed through the room, a steady rhythm that mirrored the pulse of the city itself.

Tick tock tick tock...

His dark brown hair, streaked with silver, was styled in a trendy cut that belied his age, and his tanned skin bore the faint lines of age and the intricate dragon tattoos that adorned his arms and chest. The piercings in his ears and eyebrow glinted in the soft light, a stark contrast to his otherwise mysterious demeanor.

Across the city, in a small vintage bookshop nestled between two ancient buildings, Astria was engrossed in a book. The scent of old paper and leather filled the air, a comforting aroma that seemed to wrap around her like a familiar embrace. Her black hair cascaded down her back in loose curls, and her fair skin was dusted with a soft blush from the setting sun that streamed through the window. Her eyes, a warm brown, were lost in the pages of the book, her fingers tracing the words as if she could feel the history they held. The butterfly tattoo on her back was a constant reminder of the chaos that lurked beneath her seemingly calm exterior, a reflection of her unpredictable nature. She was a wildcard, a force of nature that was neither fully good nor evil, driven by impulse and a love for the written word.

Astria and Eirian were bound to each other, despite knowing it will lead them to nowhere.

As the sun dipped below the horizon one usual evening, their paths crossed in a dance of fate, a tango of secrets and desires, set against the backdrop of a city that had witnessed centuries of love and loss. Their story, like the city itself, was a tapestry of history and mystery, a tale of two souls who would find solace in each other's company, even as they grappled with the demons of their pasts.

In the quiet of the vintage bookshop, the air seemed to shimmer with anticipation. Eirian had stepped into the shop, drawn by the scent of old books and the promise of history. He found his love engrossed in a book, her fingers tracing the words as if they were a lover's touch. Their eyes met, and the world around them seemed to fade away. Eirian's heart pounded in his chest, a primal rhythm that echoed the beat of his ancient heart. He moved towards her, his steps deliberate, each one a testament to the centuries of longing that had brought him here. Astria looked up, her eyes meeting his, and in that moment, they were no longer just two strangers in a bookshop. They were two souls drawn together by an unseen force, a force that transcended time and space.

...To be continued...

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