I Am The Crimson Eclipse!!

The glow of her phone screen illuminated her face as she walked down the crowded street, eyes locked onto the text before her. The world around her had long since faded into the background, lost in the pages of a novel she had read a dozen times over. The Tale of the Azure Crown—a masterpiece of romance, adventure, and drama. And she knew every twist, every turn, every whispered promise between the characters.

More than anything, she knew her.

Aria Fontaine. The main heroine. The silver-haired, violet-eyed beauty who captivated the hearts of all who met her. The one who bore the fate of the world on her shoulders, yet remained elegant, composed, and dazzling throughout it all. She wasn't just the heart of the story—she was the very essence of its magic.

And she was her favorite character.

A small, excited smile tugged at her lips as she scrolled down, rereading the moment where Aria met the male protagonist for the first time. It was fate, destiny, something written in the stars long before they were born. A perfect encounter in a garden of moonlit roses. God, if only I could be her.

She hardly noticed the shoulder that slammed into her own.

The impact jolted her from her fantasy, nearly knocking the phone from her hands. She staggered back, barely catching herself before glaring up at the person who had interrupted her reading.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" she snapped, stuffing her phone into her jacket pocket.

The man, taller and broad-shouldered, sneered down at her. "Watch where I'm going? You're the one walking like a zombie with your nose in your phone."

She bristled. "I was reading!"

"Yeah? And maybe you should do that at home instead of walking into people like an idiot."

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Maybe you should watch who you bump into before picking a fight."

The man rolled his eyes, shaking his head in annoyance. "Tch. Whatever."

He turned to walk away, but not before giving her a light shove as he passed.

It wasn't much. Not a hard push. Not meant to harm.

But she had been standing at the very edge of the sidewalk.

And the world tilted as she stumbled backward, her balance betraying her completely.

Time slowed.

She felt the drop before she even realized what was happening, her arms flailing, her eyes widening as she fell—

Into the street.

A bright light flooded her vision.

The deafening roar of an engine filled her ears.

Pain never came.

Only a sudden, sickening realization as the warmth of the world disappeared.

Warmth.

It was the first thing she felt.

Not the kind of warmth from the summer sun or a cozy blanket, but something deeper. Something that wrapped around her entirely, cradling her, holding her in an embrace she had no control over.

It was soothing. Comforting.

Yet, at the same time, suffocating.

She tried to move—her fingers, her arms, anything—but she was trapped. Her body felt small. Weak.

Then, before she could process the growing panic bubbling inside her—

Light.

It burned. It was too bright, too sudden. The warmth around her vanished, replaced by a shocking coldness that rushed over her tiny form like a winter wind. She gasped. Or—no, not a gasp. Something more primal. More instinctual.

A wail tore from her throat.

Wait.

She tried again. Why can't I talk?

The realization crept up on her, slow and agonizing. She wasn't just small. She wasn't just weak.

She was a newborn.

Before she could process this revelation, a gentle voice broke through the noise around her.

"There she is." A woman's voice—warm, soft, filled with an exhaustion only a mother could have. "My beautiful daughter."

She was lifted, cradled into someone's arms.

The woman's face came into view, blurred at first, but her features soon sharpened.

She was beautiful. Silver hair clung to her damp forehead, her violet eyes shimmering with warmth and exhaustion. She was exactly how she had always imagined Aria Fontaine's mother in the novel.

Then the realization hit her like a hammer to the skull.

This woman was Aria Fontaine's mother.

The room, the atmosphere, the voices murmuring around her—it all clicked into place.

She wasn't just any newborn.

She was Aria Fontaine.

Her heart swelled, an overwhelming sense of joy, of disbelief, of pure elation.

She had died.

And been reborn.

Not as some random person, not as a background character.

She was her.

The main heroine. The one who held the fate of the world in her hands. The one who would experience love, adventure, and triumph beyond imagination.

It was everything she had ever dreamed of.

A gentle chuckle vibrated against her tiny body as her mother kissed her forehead. "Aria," she whispered. "Aria Fontaine. That shall be your name."

Yes! She wanted to shout, to laugh, to scream in victory. It was fate! Destiny! She was born to be Aria Fontaine!

But then—

Another cry.

Not hers. Someone else's.

Her tiny body tensed as her mother shifted, her gaze moving to the side. A second baby was brought into view, flailing, screaming, wailing even louder than she had.

Another newborn. Another presence.

Her mind raced. There had been no mention of this in the novel. Aria Fontaine was an only child. She was—

"What a strong little one," a deep voice murmured. Her father's. "And so full of spirit."

Her mother laughed softly, exhaustion laced in her voice. "Aria and… Avia."

The world stilled.

Avia?

The moment the name was spoken, the crying infant's flailing intensified—as if protesting.

Who…?

Her mother sighed fondly. "Avia Fontaine."

A second name. A second child.

A twin.

Aria stared at the wailing baby, mind spinning. She wasn't alone. This wasn't how the story was supposed to go. Who was Avia Fontaine?

And more importantly…

Why did she feel like this was only the beginning of something much greater?