Collide: The Memory of Stars

Selene's POV

The glow of the key had dimmed, yet its warmth still lingered in my hands. We stood in the sanctuary, the fragments now whole, their energy humming softly between us.

The survivors watched in silent awe, their expressions a fragile mix of hope and disbelief.

Tyra exhaled, arms crossed over her broad chest. "So… what now?"

Axel glanced down at the restored key, his blue eyes shadowed with thought. "We take it to the heart of Eldoria."

His voice was steady, resolute. "That was always the plan. If anything can bring back what was lost, it's this."

Khael, let out a tired sigh and rubbed his eyes. "And the Forgotten?"

He looked up at me, his fire reflecting in his gaze. "The book didn't say if the key can save them."

I held the key tighter, feeling its pulse against my skin. The book had only spoken of restoring Eldoria, not of reversing the scholar's mistake.

The Forgotten Ones—the cursed souls who wandered in pain, trapped between life and death—had once been people, victims of an experiment meant to heal.

The scholar who had created them had only wanted to help, to mend the wounded as war consumed everything around them. But desperation had led to ruin, and instead of salvation, he had birthed an endless nightmare.

Elira, still clutching the book, hesitated. "Maybe… maybe there's more. Let me check again."

She flipped through the fragile pages carefully, scanning the ancient text. After a moment, she sucked in a sharp breath and pointed to a faded section.

"Here. This explains how the key works."

We all leaned in as she read aloud.

The key was not just a tool of restoration, but a conduit—it responded to the will and strength of its wielder, drawing from the very essence of those who sought to use it.

The more connected the wielder was to Eldoria, the greater its reach.

A realization settled over me. If the key was tied to the wielder's intent, then perhaps...

"Maybe the book didn't say if it could save them," I murmured, "because it was never attempted. Maybe… there is a way."

Axel turned to me, something unreadable in his expression.

"Selene—"

"We owe them this," I said firmly. "They were people once. They didn't ask for this fate. If the key can restore Eldoria, then why not them?"

Khael gave me a look, the weariness of someone far older than his current form allowed. "You're thinking of healing them, aren't you?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "If there's even a chance, we have to try."

Tyra frowned but didn't argue. She looked at the glowing key, then at the ruins surrounding us. "First things first—we still have to get to Eldoria. And considering how every step we take seems to end with us fighting for our lives, I'd say we should prepare."

Axel sighed. "She's right. If we hesitate, we might lose what little time we have."

I clenched my fists, determination settling deep in my chest. "Then let's move."

We then started gathering our things,the weight of both hope and uncertainty pressing upon us.

The Forgotten still lurked, waiting in the shadows. But this time, I wouldn't run.

I would find a way to save them.

Even if it cost me everything.

The decision of who would accompany us to the Heart of Eldoria was not one we made lightly.

The ruins were treacherous, still tainted by the remnants of war and corruption. Dark Matter clung to the land like a disease, and while the key held the power to restore, we knew that whatever forces lurked in the shadows would not let us reach our destination unchallenged.

"We need to be careful about who goes," Axel said, his gaze flickering between the gathered survivors.

"The Heart is sacred ground, but it's also dangerous. Not everyone should risk it."

Tyra huffed, crossing her arms.

"Obviously, I'm coming. You're not walking into that hellhole without someone to keep you alive."

Khael, frowned. "I'm coming too."

"Khael—" I started, but he cut me off with a sharp glare.

"I know what you're going to say. That it's too dangerous, that I should stay behind and protect the others." He lifted his chin, defiance burning in his eyes.

"But I need to be there. I need to see it restored. And besides, you'll need me. I can sense the Forgotten better than anyone."

I pressed my lips together but didn't argue. Khael had already proven himself time and time again.

Elira hesitated, clutching the book to her chest. "I should stay behind and protect the survivors," she admitted. "But I want to help. If there's anything more in this book that might aid you, I can copy it down before you leave."

I nodded, appreciating her thoughtfulness.

"That would help."

We ended up deciding that Axel, Tyra, Khael, and I would go. The others would remain behind, safeguarding the survivors and keeping watch for any disturbances.

With our group settled, we gathered what little supplies we had left, took one last look at the sanctuary, and stepped into the ruins once more.

The journey to the Heart of Eldoria was longer than I remembered. The land had changed since the last time we stood there—wounds of battle still fresh despite the passage of time.

Broken stone towers loomed in the distance, half-swallowed by creeping vines and the eerie fog that slithered along the ground. The air felt heavy, charged with something old and restless.

We walked in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The memories of this place haunted me.

It was here that we had defeated Vhezeroth. Here that we had buried Aldric.

Tyra, usually so steady, let out a quiet sigh as we reached the remnants of the battlefield.

"Feels different coming back, doesn't it?"

Axel nodded, his expression unreadable.

"Like the ghosts are watching."

I knelt by a crumbled stone marker, brushing away the dust that had settled over Aldric's resting place.

"We should say something."

No one spoke right away. Khael shifted awkwardly, glancing at the grave.

"Aldric was… stubborn. But he was strong. He wouldn't want us standing around mourning him forever."

"He'd tell us to stop being sentimental and get moving," khael added with a weak chuckle.

I smiled faintly, my throat tightening.

"Still, we should thank him. If not for him, we wouldn't be here now." Axel knelt beside me, placing a hand on the stone.

"We won't waste the chance you gave us." A cold wind brushed past us, and for a brief moment, I almost thought I heard Aldric's voice in the rustling leaves. But it was just a whisper of the past.

The Heart of Eldoria lay ahead, hidden within the ruins of the once-great city. But before we could reach it, the shadows stirred.

Dark Matter slithered out from the cracks in the earth, taking form before us. Twisted figures with hollow eyes and gaping mouths emerged, their bodies shifting like ink in water.

The Forgotten Ones had sensed the key's presence. And they would not let us pass without a fight.

"Here we go again," Tyra muttered, drawing her weapon.

Axel moved beside me, his stance guarded. "We need to push through. If we activate the key at the Heart, it might weaken them."

I tightened my grip on the key, feeling its warmth pulse against my palm. "Then let's finish this."

Tyra was the first to strike, her blade cleaving through the nearest shadow. The creature shrieked, its form twisting violently before dissipating into the air. But for every one that fell, more emerged, shifting and reforming, drawn toward us like moths to a flame.

"They just keep coming!" Khael shouted, his small frame weaving between the chaos as he hurled bursts of fire into the encroaching dark.

The flames burned bright, consuming the wraith-like figures, but the shadows twisted, reforming with eerie resilience.

Axel stood at my side, his eyes narrowed as he slashed through the darkness with swift, controlled movements. His blade, imbued with holy energy, carved through the figures more effectively than any other weapon.

Yet even he couldn't hold them all back.

I gritted my teeth, tightening my hold on the key. It pulsed in my grip, warm yet distant, as if waiting for something—waiting for me to understand.

"Selene!" Axel called out, barely dodging a swipe from one of the creatures. "We can't hold them forever!"

I knew that. I could feel the strain in my muscles, the way our movements were slowing under the relentless assault.

Tyra's breath was coming in sharp gasps, her strength waning. Even Khael, despite his fiery energy, looked drained.

And still, the key remained silent.

"Tell me what to do!" I whispered fiercely, staring at the ancient artifact in my hands.

"You want to restore Eldoria, don't you? Then show me how!"

A shadow lunged at me, its clawed hand reaching for my throat. I barely managed to dodge, stumbling backward. The world tilted, my vision swimming as exhaustion and desperation weighed down on me.

Then, something deep within the key stirred. A voice—not words exactly, but a feeling—pressed into my mind. The Heart. It needed to be placed at the true Heart.

I turned sharply, scanning the battlefield. Beyond the writhing mass of darkness, past the ruins and debris, lay a single stone altar—ancient, weathered, yet thrumming with an unseen energy.

"The altar! We need to reach it!" I shouted.

Axel's eyes locked onto mine, understanding flashing in his gaze.

"Then we make a path."

With renewed determination, he surged forward, cutting a swath through the enemies before us.

Tyra followed suit, covering Khael as he launched a final, powerful wave of fire, momentarily pushing back the encroaching dark.

I sprinted toward the altar, heart pounding. The shadows howled in fury, surging after me, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. The moment my foot touched the stone, the key in my hands burned brightly, its glow consuming everything in a radiant burst of light.

The battlefield vanished.

I gasped, blinking against the sudden shift. We were no longer in the ruins, no longer surrounded by death and decay. Instead, an endless white expanse stretched in every direction, soft and warm, as if made of light itself.

"Where... are we?" Khael breathed, stepping forward hesitantly.

Before us, a figure emerged—a being made of pure luminescence, neither male nor female, yet carrying an aura of age, of wisdom. It smiled, its expression one of quiet joy, as if it had been waiting for this moment for an eternity.

"At last," the figure said, its voice echoing in the vast emptiness. "You have come."

We stood frozen, the weight of everything—of the journey, of the battles, of the unknown—bearing down upon us. Axel clenched his fists, his blue eyes sharp with wariness.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice guarded.

The figure chuckled, a sound like rustling leaves and distant chimes.

"A keeper. A watcher. One who has waited far too long. And you… you are the ones who will restore what was lost."

I stared, breathless, as the key in my hands pulsed once more—this time, in recognition.

Something had begun.

To be continued.