Chapter 8: Celestial Echoes

I sat alone in the booth, my fingers drumming against the polished wood of the table in an erratic rhythm that mirrored the storm of thoughts in my head. The pouch of Starborne Shards still lay in front of me, its faint, otherworldly glow taunting me with possibilities and risks I couldn't fully grasp. Accepting the offer could mean stepping into a game with rules I didn't know, where the stakes were higher than anyone could imagine. Every move would have to be calculated, every alliance scrutinized. But rejecting it? That could make me a target faster than I could build defences, leaving me exposed in ways I wasn't ready for.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sharp ping from my holo-tablet, snapping me back to the present. Lyra's face appeared on the screen, her usually composed demeanour replaced with an intensity that made my stomach tighten. Her silver eyes were wide, and the faint shimmer of sweat on her brow told me she'd been pushing herself hard.

"Caius, I found something. You need to see this." Her voice was low, urgency lacing every word like a taut thread.

I leaned in closer, my pulse quickening. "What is it?"

"I'm in the upper layers of the Expanse," she began, her voice steady but tinged with excitement. "There's a zone here—completely off the maps, even the ones Veyra gave us. It's… forbidden. Walls lined with containment runes, and the energy signature—" She paused, swallowing hard. "It's not just mana. I found traces of Celestial Essence."

My breath caught in my throat. Celestial Essence wasn't just rare; it was a myth, a theoretical energy source so potent it could reshape entire systems. The implications were staggering. If this was real, it meant higher-tier energy sources weren't just theoretical constructs—they could be manipulated, harnessed, and perhaps even controlled. My mind raced, connecting the dots, mapping out strategies and possibilities faster than I could fully process them.

"Have you tested it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Not yet. But the readings are unmistakable. This could change everything, Caius. If we can harness this—"

I cut her off. "Don't touch it yet. Not until we know more. The risks are too high. We could be dealing with something… irreversible."

"I know." She glanced over her shoulder, her expression tense. "But I'm not the only one who's found this place. There are signs of recent activity. Scorch marks, broken seals. Someone else has been here, and recently."

I clenched my fists, frustration and excitement warring inside me. This was bigger than a few Starborne Shards or a shady deal in a tavern. This was a game-changer, a potential shift in the balance of power that could rewrite the rules of both worlds. And if others were already involved, we'd need to move fast, smarter, and with more precision than ever before.

"Stay low, Lyra. I'll meet you as soon as I can. We need to figure out our next move before someone else does. And watch your back—if someone else is already there, they won't hesitate to eliminate competition."

She nodded, her expression hardening. The screen flickered and went dark, leaving me alone once more, but the silence was now charged with purpose. I glanced at the pouch of Starborne Shards, no longer seeing them as a simple bargaining chip but as a piece of a much larger puzzle—one I was determined to solve, no matter the cost.

I activated my holo-tablet, its soft blue glow cutting through the dim light of my study. My finger scrolled through my contacts, pausing briefly over Veyra's name. She was the kind of person who always seemed to know more than she let on—sharp, resourceful, and with a network of connections that spanned layers of the Expanse. If anyone could give me the answers I needed about forbidden zones and the elusive Celestial Essence, it was her. Without hesitation, I tapped the icon, and her face materialized on the screen almost instantly.

"Caius," she greeted, her voice smooth but laced with curiosity. Her piercing eyes narrowed slightly. "To what do I owe the pleasure? I take it you're not just calling for a social chat."

"Straight to the point, as always," I replied, leaning back in my chair. "I need information. Specifically, forbidden zones in the upper layers of the Expanse. And Celestial Essence."

Her eyebrows arched, but there was no surprise in her expression—just a flicker of amusement. She leaned closer to the screen, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Forbidden zones? Celestial Essence? That's not exactly dinner table conversation, Caius. What exactly are you getting yourself into?"

"Nothing yet," I said, my voice steady. "But I need to know what I'm dealing with. Are there zones off the maps, places even the alchemists don't touch? And Celestial Essence—is it just a myth, or is it real?"

She studied me for a moment, then sighed and leaned back, her expression softening into a faint smile. "Forbidden zones exist. They're not on the maps because they're not meant to be found. They're… volatile. Dangerous. And as for Celestial Essence—" She paused, her lips curling into a knowing smile. "Let's just say it's not something you'll find lying around. Why the sudden interest?"

"I came across something," I said vaguely. "And I might have a bargaining chip. Starborne Shards. I need access to resources, Veyra. The kind of resources that could make this worth my while."

Her eyes glinted with interest at the mention of the shards, and she leaned forward, her demeanour shifting to quiet intensity. "Starborne Shards, you say? Those are rare indeed. If you're serious about this, Caius, we might be able to arrange something. But you'll need to trust me. And you'll need to be ready for what you're getting into."

I nodded, my mind already turning over the possibilities. Trust wasn't something I gave easily, but Veyra had always been reliable—in her own way. And if this was the path to uncovering the secrets of the Expanse, then I was willing to take the risk. The game was changing, and I intended to stay ahead.

I leaned forward, the image of Veyra's sharp features still fresh in my mind. Her words echoed in my head: "Forbidden zones are dangerous, Caius. They're not just off the maps—they're locked down for a reason. If you're planning to step into one, you'll need more than just guts and a handful of Starborne Shards."

I knew she was right. Lyra was already in danger, and I couldn't afford to underestimate what we were dealing with. I glanced at the holo-tablet on my desk, its screen still glowing faintly. The coordinates Lyra had sent were burned into my memory, along with her warning: "Someone's already been here."

First things first—gear. I couldn't let Lyra go in unprepared. I grabbed my satchel and started pulling out materials. The Starborne Shards were essential, but they were raw energy—unstable. I'd need to refine them, shape them into something usable. I spread them out on the table, their faint glow illuminating the room in an eerie, shifting light.

I activated my holo-tablet, pulling up a schematic for an energy-infused containment module. It was a delicate process, one I'd only attempted once before. But if I could stabilize the shards' energy, they'd serve as a power source for whatever Lyra might encounter. I placed the first shard into the module, my hands steady despite the tension coiling in my chest. The energy hissed and crackled as I began the conversion process, the shard's glow intensifying before settling into a steady pulse.

Next, the crystals. We'd done fire and void, but this was different. I needed something more versatile, something that could adapt to whatever energy signatures Lyra might find in the forbidden zone. I reached for a blank crystal, its surface smooth and cool under my fingers. I channelled a sliver of mana into it, carefully shaping the energy into a neutral, flexible core. It wasn't perfect, but it would do.

I packed the containment module and the crystal into a reinforced satchel, along with a set of energy-dampening gloves and a portable scanner. Lyra would need every advantage she could get. As I sealed the satchel, I activated my comms.

"Lyra, I'm sending you some gear. Don't move until it's in your hands—and don't take any unnecessary risks. We're not ready for this yet."

Her voice crackled over the line, tense but determined. "Hurry, Caius. I think I'm not alone here."

I gritted my teeth. Time wasn't on our side, but I couldn't afford to rush. One wrong move, and this could all fall apart.