Chapter 5: The Whispering Strings

Kai sat in his dimly lit apartment, the Celestial Echo resting on his lap. His fingers hovered over the strings, hesitant yet drawn to them. Every time he played, the visions grew stronger. Every time he resisted, the whispers clawed at his mind, begging him to remember.

Taking a deep breath, he strummed a single note.

The air around him shimmered, and suddenly, he was no longer in his apartment.

He stood on a balcony under a vast, star-drenched sky. A soft breeze carried the scent of blooming roses, and a distant melody filled the air haunting yet beautiful.

A woman stood at the edge, her silver gown glowing under the moonlight. She turned slowly, and Kai felt his heart clench. Her.

"You found me," she whispered, her voice trembling with something between joy and sorrow.

Kai tried to speak, but before he could form the words, the vision wavered. The stars flickered. The ground beneath him crumbled.

And he was back in his apartment, gasping for air.

The Celestial Echo pulsed beneath his fingers, as if alive. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind racing.

Who was she? Why did she feel so painfully familiar?

Determined, Kai grabbed his phone. He needed answers. And there was only one person who might have them the old man from the antique shop.

Without hesitation, he dialed the number written on the shop's receipt. The call rang once. Twice. Then...

A deep voice answered, but it wasn't the old man.

"I was expecting you, Kai."

His blood ran cold.

How did they know his name?