Collide: The Memory of Stars

Selene lost her eyesight, and the world was now safe. Or was it? They did not know that this was only the beginning, that the answers they held were only fragments of what was real and what was not. The enemy was not truly gone; it was merely waiting, shifting, preparing a different plot.

What could be crueler than the end of the world? Could it be a world where nothing remained but suffering? A world where time repeated itself endlessly, trapping them in a cycle of despair? Or perhaps a reality where everything they knew was a lie, where their very existence was nothing more than a fleeting illusion?

For now, Selene and Axel lived in peace. Days passed in quiet moments filled with small joys—mornings where he guided her hands over familiar surfaces, helping her adjust to the darkness that had become her new reality. Afternoons spent together, her laughter filling the silence as they tried to recreate the life they once had. He spoke of the sky, of the colors he saw, of the gentle light that kissed her skin, even if she could no longer see it. He wanted to keep her world beautiful, even in blindness.

But the world was bitter.

Selene's POV

At first, I thought I could handle it. I thought losing my eyesight wouldn't be as bad as losing the world itself. But I was wrong. It was suffocating, waking up to nothing but darkness every single day, knowing that I would never see Axel's face again, never see the sunrise, never see the world that we fought so hard to protect.

I tried to pretend it didn't matter, that as long as I could hear his voice and feel his presence, I would be fine. But reality had a way of reminding me of its cruelty. Simple things—walking without bumping into furniture, eating without fumbling, even recognizing people just by their voices—became struggles. I hated feeling so helpless. I hated how I had to rely on him for everything.

"Are you okay?" Axel's voice was gentle, filled with concern.

I forced a smile. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

I felt his hesitation before he sighed. "You don't have to pretend, Selene."

I gripped the fabric of my dress. "I don't want you to see me like this… weak."

"You're not weak," he said firmly. "You survived. You're still here. That's strength."

His fingers intertwined with mine, and for a moment, I believed him. But deep down, I knew… the world had taken something from me, and no amount of reassurance could ever bring it back.

Axel's POV

I remember the moment I gained my powers. It wasn't a blessing. It was a deal, a contract with something beyond comprehension.

"You are given this power, but you must return it when the time comes," the voice had said.

"That is the price."

I had accepted without hesitation. Back then, I didn't care about the cost—I just wanted to protect Selene, to protect the world. But when the time came to fulfill my end of the deal, I hesitated.

"If I give it up… how will I protect her?" I had asked, standing in the endless abyss where time and space felt nonexistent. "What if something happens to her?"

The being regarded me with an emotionless gaze. "That is not part of the agreement."

"There has to be another way." I clenched my fists. "You can't expect me to just… let go."

"Yet you must. Power is not yours to keep. It was borrowed, and now it must return."

I refused to accept it. If I lost my power, I would be powerless to stop anything that might come next. I had seen too much, fought too much. I knew that peace was fragile, that threats never truly disappeared. How could I abandon my strength now?

And yet…

The moment I hesitated, I was cast into the void.

It felt like eternity. A place where nothing existed—not light, not sound, not even thought. I drifted through it, trapped in a realm beyond existence itself. Was this my punishment? Was this where I would stay forever?

Then, a voice reached me.

"You cannot hold onto power forever. But you can choose what to protect." It was not the same being as before. This voice was different, ancient yet kind.

"If you sacrifice your power, you will return to your world. You will return to her."

I clenched my teeth. "And if I don't?"

"Then you will remain here. Alone."

The thought of never seeing Selene again—never hearing her voice, never holding her hand—was more terrifying than anything. I had fought to save her. If my powers were the price, then so be it.

"I accept."

Light exploded around me. The void shattered, and the next thing I knew, I was back—back in the world, back in her arms. I had returned.

But at what cost?

The world was safe… but something told me that the real battle had only just begun.

To be continued.