Collide: The Memory of Stars

Third Person's POV

The worn stone beneath their feet was rough and uneven, a far cry from the once-proud walls of Eldoria.

These were hastily built, temporary fortifications—meant to shield the remnants of a fallen kingdom.

The scent of damp earth and lingering ash clung to the air, a silent reminder of the land's scars.

Axel's boots scraped against the stone as he stepped forward, scanning the horizon.

Beyond the walls, Eldoria stretched in ruins and fragile reconstruction, a kingdom on the edge of revival. Yet despite its battered state, it stood—defiant, enduring.

Khael adjusted his stance, arms crossed as he eyed the figures ahead. "So, they finally decided to show up."

At the far end of the temporary wall, the Aetherian envoys stood waiting, their cloaks of silver and white catching the light in an almost unnatural way.

Their presence was striking—detached, otherworldly. Unlike warriors prepared for battle, they carried themselves with an air of quiet authority, as if conflict itself bent to their will.

Selene's gaze locked onto them, her expression unreadable. She had expected their arrival, yet facing them now sent an unspoken tension through the air.

The leader, a tall man with piercing violet eyes, took a measured step forward.

"Lady Selene of Eldoria."

His voice was smooth, yet held an edge of something unreadable.

"It seems fate has drawn us here at last."

Selene inclined her head slightly. "Envoys of Aetheria. You've been watching, haven't you?"

The woman beside him, her silver hair slipping from the confines of her hood, gave a slow nod. "Observing."

Axel scoffed, folding his arms. "And now? You're here to decide if we're worth acknowledging?"

The leader's gaze flickered to him,

amusement barely touching his features. "We watched because the past has taught us that intervention is not always salvation."

Khael exhaled sharply. "That's convenient. Stand back while the world burns, then walk in when the flames die down."

The silver-haired woman studied them, her gaze sharp yet unreadable. "You understand, of course. It would be reckless to embrace a kingdom that once held the world's greatest power, only to watch it crumble."

Selene met her gaze unflinchingly. "Eldoria fell, yes. But the world has not remained unchanged. If you came here only to mock its revival, then your presence is wasted."

The leader's smile widened, though it never quite reached his eyes. "Mockery? No, Lady Selene. We do not seek hostility. Aetheria values wisdom over impulse. But trust must be earned, not assumed."

A slow, deliberate silence settled between them, thick with unspoken challenges. The envoys' hands never strayed far from their weapons, despite their outwardly relaxed postures. Selene took a measured breath before inclining her head slightly.

"Then let's find out if we can trust each other."

The envoy's laughter was light, almost musical, but the sharp glint in their eyes betrayed the weight of the moment.

"Agreed," the leader said. He raised his hand, and with a whisper of magic, the air around them shifted.

The very fabric of reality seemed to warp, as if an unseen force pulled at the threads of the world. Golden sigils flared to life around them, forming a vast, intricate circle beneath their feet.

"This is our test," the woman announced.

"Aetheria does not judge by words alone. You, Lady of Eldoria, and you, Guardian, will prove your worth—not just in strength, but in wisdom."

He gestured, and the sigils around them pulsed. "A duel, a trial, or a puzzle—each designed to test your ability to lead, to fight, and to think. You may choose, but be warned. We will not intervene should you fail."

Selene cast a glance at Axel, their silent understanding passing in the space of a heartbeat. Then she turned back to the envoys, her expression unreadable.

"We accept."

The sigils flared brighter, and the world shifted once more.

The golden sigils pulsed, their glow intensifying until the world around them dissolved into a void of shifting light.

When the haze cleared, Selene and Axel found themselves standing within an unfamiliar space—an enormous chamber made of smooth, reflective stone. The air was thick with magic, the walls shifting subtly as though the room itself was alive.

"The Trial of Dominion," the Aetherian leader's voice echoed through the chamber, though he and the other envoys were nowhere to be seen.

"You stand in the Heart of Aetheria, a realm where illusions become reality. Strength alone will not carry you through. Show us if you are truly fit to lead."

A flicker of movement caught Selene's eye. From the shimmering walls, figures began to emerge—shadowy reflections of herself and Axel, their features distorted, yet eerily familiar.

Each copy bore the same weapons and stance as its counterpart, but their eyes glowed with a pale, unnatural light.

"Copies?" Axel muttered, gripping the hilt of his sword.

"This feels too straightforward."

Selene took a steadying breath. "Because it is."

The reflections attacked without warning. Axel's double lunged at him with precise, practiced strikes, matching his movements with eerie perfection.

Selene's copy moved with a similar grace, anticipating her every motion before she could make it.

Every dodge, every parry—it was as though they were fighting themselves.

"This isn't just a test of combat," Selene realized between clashes.

"They're mirroring us exactly."

Axel gritted his teeth as his copy countered his every move flawlessly. "So how do we beat ourselves?"

Selene's mind raced. If their enemies were exact mirrors, then brute force would lead to a stalemate.

But a ruler was more than just their strength—they needed foresight, adaptability.

She pivoted suddenly, lowering her guard in an intentional feint. Her reflection hesitated for a fraction of a second, an unnatural break in its perfect mimicry.

That moment was all she needed. With a swift step forward, she drove her blade through its chest. The copy shattered into motes of light.

"Don't fight how you would normally fight!" she called to Axel.

"Break your rhythm—do something unexpected!"

Axel exhaled sharply. Then, instead of parrying his copy's next strike, he let go of his sword entirely, sidestepping the attack with fluid ease.

His double faltered, momentarily confused by the deviation, and Axel seized the opening. With a swift movement, he grabbed the abandoned blade from midair and slashed through the copy's form. It dissolved into light, just as Selene's had.

The chamber stilled, the lingering motes of light fading. Then, the envoys' voices echoed once more.

"Well done," the woman's voice murmured, tinged with approval.

"You understand now, don't you? Power alone is not enough to reclaim a kingdom."

The chamber around them began to dissolve, shifting back into the familiar Aetherian hall. The envoys stood in their original places, watching them closely.

The leader smiled, though his eyes remained sharp. "You have passed the first test. Let us see how you fare in the next."

The chamber shifted again. The air thickened, humming with unseen energy. Before Selene and Axel could catch their breath, the walls rippled, revealing a new challenge.

Aetherial glyphs burned in the air, forming a vast puzzle of interlocking symbols. At its center, a pedestal with a shimmering crystal pulsed faintly.

"The Trial of Insight," the Aetherian leader's voice resonated once more.

"A ruler must not only wield power but understand the forces that shape the world. Solve the riddle, and you may yet prove yourselves."

Selene stepped forward, studying the glowing symbols. They shifted as she observed them, their forms morphing like ink in water. Patterns emerged, then faded just as quickly.

Axel frowned. "This is ridiculous. We have already proved ourselves."

Selene let out a sharp breath, frustration clawing at her. "No, this isn't about proving anything—it's about making us jump through hoops to satisfy their doubts."

The woman's voice, calm and knowing, drifted through the chamber. "And does that not bother you? That you must prove yourselves worthy of Eldoria, even now?"

Selene's fingers curled into fists. "Eldoria was never just its rulers. It was its people, its legacy. We are not the ones who need to prove something—you are. You stood by as our kingdom fell, and now you demand validation from us?"

The symbols flickered, their glow fading slightly.

Axel exhaled sharply, stepping beside her. "Enough of this game. If Aetheria is truly neutral, then these trials mean nothing. And if you doubt us so much that you need these trials—then maybe you are the ones unworthy of standing with us."

Silence.

The puzzle dissolved into dust, the crystal dimming into nothingness. The air shifted once more, the chamber unraveling back into reality. The envoys stood before them again, their expressions unreadable.

The leader watched them for a long moment before nodding, his lips quirking in something almost like admiration. "You understand more than most."

The woman beside him sighed, shaking her head with a wry smile. "Perhaps we should have expected that answer."

Selene lifted her chin. "No more tests."

The leader's gaze lingered on them before he inclined his head. "No more tests."

A weight lifted from the room, though the unspoken tension remained. Selene and Axel had won—not just the trial, but their right to stand without justification. Yet, the envoys' presence was still a warning.

Aetheria was watching, and not all of its people welcomed Eldoria's return.

The chamber's silence lingered as the envoys exchanged unreadable glances. Then, the leader took a measured step forward, folding his hands behind his back. His purple eyes gleamed with something unreadable—intrigue, calculation, or perhaps amusement.

"Aetheria is not opposed to Eldoria's return," he said finally.

"But neutrality does not mean complacency. If we are to acknowledge your kingdom's revival, we must ensure it does not collapse again."

Selene's jaw tightened. "And how do you propose to do that?"

The woman beside him, her hood now lowered to reveal sharp, elegant features, let out a quiet chuckle. "An alliance, naturally. But all alliances come with terms."

Axel's fingers twitched at his side. "Terms?"

The leader tilted his head. "A binding vow. A pact that ensures Eldoria does not seek war or vengeance. Perhaps a relic of power to serve as collateral. Or—" his gaze flicked over their group, lingering just long enough to send a chill down Selene's spine—

"a representative, one of your own, to remain in Aetheria as a sign of trust."

Khael, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet until now, bristled. "You mean a hostage."

"Such an ugly word," the woman murmured.

"We prefer 'envoy.'"

Selene's fingers curled into fists. "You want us to swear fealty? To give you one of our own?"

The leader's lips twitched. "Not fealty, no. But power requires accountability. The world has not forgotten Eldoria's past."

Something inside Selene cracked. A slow, simmering rage uncoiled from the depths of her chest. The air around her shifted, thickening with something unseen yet undeniable.

The torches lining the chamber flickered violently, shadows twisting unnaturally across the walls.

"Eldoria fell," she said, her voice low, shaking with restrained fury.

"It was betrayed. Destroyed. Not by its people, but by those who stood aside and watched."

The room trembled. A sharp gust of wind spiraled through the space, rattling the stone beneath their feet. The Aetherians tensed, their earlier amusement vanishing as a deep, thrumming energy pulsed from Selene's very being.

Aetherial sigils flared to life along the walls in response, defensive wards springing up to counter the growing pressure.

But the crackling force in the air did not relent. The ground trembled—just a whisper of something greater beneath the surface, something far more terrifying than any trial.

The leader's smile faded. For the first time, true caution flickered in his gaze.

Axel stepped beside her, placing a steadying hand on her wrist. "Selene."

Her breath hitched. The storm inside her wavered—then, with a slow exhale, she forced it down. The energy in the room dissipated, the torches stabilizing, the trembling earth falling still.

A suffocating silence filled the chamber, heavy with the weight of Selene's raw power.

The Aetherian envoys stood stiffly, their earlier confidence visibly shaken. The leader's purple eyes darted toward his companions as if silently instructing them to tread carefully.

The woman who once smirked now lowered her gaze, her hands clasped tightly in front of her to steady their slight trembling.

No one dared to speak first. It was Khael who broke the silence, his voice a whisper, low enough for only Selene, Axel, and Tyra to hear.

"Wisdom, my ass."

Axel's lips twitched, barely suppressing a smirk. Tyra shot Khael a sharp glance but couldn't completely hide the amusement in her eyes.

Selene exhaled quietly, the tension in her shoulders loosening just a fraction. The boy had a way of cutting through the nonsense.

The leader of the envoys cleared his throat, forcing a smile that did little to mask his unease. "It seems we may have... misjudged the situation."

He chose his words with meticulous care, as though speaking too freely might reignite the storm that had nearly swallowed them whole.

Selene regarded him coolly. "I would say so."

The woman beside him straightened her posture, desperately trying to reclaim some of her former composure.

"Eldoria's revival is undeniable. We acknowledge that." Her voice, though steady, lacked the arrogance it once carried.

"Our conditions were made with the belief that your power was not yet proven. That... belief has been corrected."

The leader gave a shallow nod. "The question now is not whether Eldoria has returned, but how we proceed forward. Without... unnecessary hostilities."

Selene exchanged a glance with Axel, then looked back at the envoys. "Then speak plainly. What do you truly want from us?"

The leader hesitated, but only for a breath.

"An alliance still stands as our offer, but under revised terms. No hostage, no fealty. Instead, a council between our nations. An open channel to prevent misunderstandings. And—" his eyes flickered, uncertain

"—a guarantee that Eldoria does not seek retribution."

To be continued.