Wokji_Dimfwina

Synopsis: The Dying Star

The Heart of Aetheris has kept the world alive for centuries, a celestial force binding magic, life, and destiny. But something is wrong. The Heart is fading—or worse, it’s being devoured.

Kael, a smuggler with no allegiance to kings or gods, never wanted to be a hero. But when a dying monk stumbles into his path, whispering a cryptic warning of a broken Heart and a coming doom, Kael is thrust into a war he doesn’t understand.

Across the shattered empire, Prince Dain, the Hollow King, rises from exile, wielding a power that should not exist. He believes the only way to break the cycle of suffering is to shatter the Heart completely—to burn away the old world and forge something new. But the entity that granted him his power is not done with him yet.

As empires fall and Hollowborn warriors spread their corruption, Kael must join forces with the exiled empress Vaeloria, the rogue star-mage Lysara, and a Hollowborn knight clinging to the last fragments of his humanity. Together, they must uncover the truth behind the Heart’s decay before Dain’s war consumes everything.

But some truths were meant to stay buried.

And some stars are meant to die.

THE DYING STAR

Kael had made bad deals before. This one felt worse.

The name Prince Dain hung heavy in the air, like a blade waiting to fall. Kael had no love for the Starforged Empire or its wars, but even he knew the stories.

Prince Dain—the Hollow King. The exiled heir. The one who had lost his soul to something older than the stars.

Kael took a step back. "I don't know what kind of trouble you think I'm in, but I'm not part of this."

Lysara gave him a flat look. "You were just chased by two Hollowborn."

He exhaled sharply. "Yeah, and thanks for the rescue, but I'll be on my way now."

She didn't move. "That old man in the marketplace—the one who collapsed at your feet. What did he say to you?"

Kael hesitated. He barely remembered the words, but the way the monk had gripped his sleeve, the desperate rasp of his voice…

Kael frowned. "Something about the Heart of Aetheris. Said it was broken."

Lysara's eyes narrowed. "Did he say anything else?"

Kael hesitated, debating whether to tell her. He wasn't sure why, but some instinct warned him against revealing too much. "Only that he was coming."

Lysara muttered a curse under her breath. She glanced around the ruined temple, as if expecting more Hollowborn to emerge from the shadows. When she spoke again, her voice was lower, urgent.

Kael gave a dry laugh. "No kidding."

"I'm serious," she said. "If the Hollowborn are here, the empire won't be far behind. They'll burn this place to the ground before they let Dain's corruption spread."

Kael folded his arms. "What does that have to do with me?"

Lysara took a step closer. "Because you know something. And if the Hollowborn were after you, that means Dain knows you know something."

Kael didn't like the sound of that. He was a smuggler, not a hero. He had spent his whole life avoiding the empire's war—dodging soldiers, playing both sides when it suited him. He wasn't about to throw himself into the middle of a fight between an exiled prince and a dying empire.

Lysara must have seen the doubt in his expression, because she sighed and reached into her cloak. She pulled out a small, glowing crystal, its surface etched with swirling constellations.

"This is a starshard," she said. "It carries echoes of celestial magic."

"And if you want to survive the next few days, you're going to need more than luck," Lysara said. She tossed the shard to him. Kael caught it instinctively, and the moment his fingers brushed against its surface, a jolt of cold fire raced up his arm.

Kael cursed, nearly dropping it. "What the hell—"

"The Hollowborn are drawn to magic, but they also fear it," Lysara said. "That shard will keep them from sensing you for a little while. Think of it as a temporary shield."

Kael clenched his jaw. He didn't like this. Didn't like being pulled into something bigger than himself. But he had a sinking feeling that if he tried to walk away now, he wouldn't get far.

He exhaled sharply. "What do you want from me?"

Lysara met his gaze. "I need to get to the ruins beyond the Ashen Wastes. If what that monk said is true, then something is feeding on the Heart of Aetheris. And if we don't stop it, it won't just be the empire that falls—it'll be everything."

Kael ran a hand through his hair, staring at the ground. He could leave now. Walk away. Go back to the life he knew.

A path into something far more dangerous.

He sighed. "Fine. But if we're doing this, I'm getting paid."

Lysara smirked. "Oh, don't worry. If we live through this, you'll be rich beyond your wildest dreams."

Somehow, that didn't make him feel any better.

Chapter 3: A Bargain in the Dark