Chapter 7: Echoes of a Forgotten Promise

Kai's pulse thundered in his ears. The stranger's words "You'll lose her again" clung to his mind like an omen.

"What do you mean?" Kai demanded, his grip tightening on the strap of his instrument case.

The man gave him a knowing look. "I assume you've been seeing visions."

Kai's breath caught. How does he know that?

The man continued, his voice eerily calm. "Flashes of a life you don't remember. A woman calling out to you. The ache in your chest when you hear the Celestial Echo's song."

Kai didn't respond, but the man took his silence as confirmation.

"She's real," he said. "And she's waiting for you."

Kai swallowed. Could this really be happening? Was she alive somewhere, in some way?

The stranger turned, looking up at the abandoned clock tower. "You think this is just about the instrument?" He exhaled sharply. "The Celestial Echo is only a piece of the puzzle. You and her, you are the real mystery."

Kai's hands curled into fists. "Who are you?"

A smirk played on the man's lips. "Someone who's been where you are now."

Kai's frustration spiked. "Enough riddles. If you know something, just say it!"

The man's expression darkened. "She's running out of time."

A gust of wind howled through the tower, and suddenly, the Celestial Echo vibrated inside its case. The world around Kai blurred, his vision tunneling into darkness.

And then

A new memory surfaced.

A candlelit room. A storm raging outside. His fingers entwined with hers. A whispered promise.

"No matter what happens, I will find you."

Kai gasped as reality snapped back. He staggered, his heart hammering.

The stranger watched him carefully. "Now do you understand?"

Kai's breathing was unsteady, but one thing was clear

He had made a promise once.

And now, it was time to keep it.