Page 38 of Starlit Bargains

With a gasp, he finally broke the connection, staggering backward as the flow of power receded. Though no longer touching the carving, the symbols remained illuminated, the protective barrier still in place.

“How did you do that?”

Eliar's voice was barely above a whisper, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. He had pushed himself to a sitting position, staring at Kai as if seeing him for the first time.

Kai looked down at his hands, which still glowed faintly with residual energy. “I have no idea,” he admitted. “I just... connected with it. Like it was waiting for me.” He glanced around at the illuminated chamber. “I've never felt anything like that before. It's like the ruins are responding to me.”

“They are,” Eliar confirmed, his voice gaining strength. “But that shouldn't be possible. These markings were created to respond to celestial energy—to beings like what I once was.” His eyes narrowed, studying Kai with new intensity. “No human should be able to activate them, let alone create a barrier strong enough to repel Void Feeders.”

The implications hung in the air between them. Kai moved to the entrance, watching as the remaining shadow creatures circled the perimeter of the light barrier, occasionally testing its strength but never breaching it. “Well, apparently I'm not as human as I thought,” he said, aiming for lightness but unable to keep a tremor from his voice.

The truth was, he was shaken to his core. His magic had always been unpredictable, yes, but fundamentally comprehensible—the same force wielded by other witches, just less disciplined. This was something else entirely. Something that suggested his understanding of himself, of his origins, might be built on incomplete information at best, outright falsehoods at worst.

“The celestial markings are territorial,” Eliar said, breaking the silence. “They recognize and respond to specific energies—specific... signatures, you might call them.” He gestured to the glowing symbols. “These were attuned to my presence, to my essence. The fact that they've responded to you suggests...”

He trailed off, clearly reluctant to voice his suspicions.

“Suggests what?” Kai prompted.

Eliar sighed, running a hand through his silver-white hair. “That your essence shares something with mine. Some quality, some resonance that the markings recognize as familiar.”

“How is that possible? I'm not—” Kai gestured vaguely toward the night sky visible through the broken roof. “I wasn't born among stars or whatever. I grew up in a village near Thornhaven. I'm just a normal guy who happens to have unpredictable magic.”

“Are you certain of that?” Eliar asked gently.

“You think I might be... what? Part celestial?” The idea was too absurd to contemplate. “I think I'd have noticed if I was some kind of star-person.”

“Not necessarily,” Eliar replied. “Celestial essence can manifest in many ways, especially when diluted through generations. It might appear simply as unusual magical ability, heightened intuition, a natural affinity for cosmic forces.” He nodded toward the glowing symbols. “Or an unexpected connection to ancient celestial markings.”

Kai felt dizzy, the ground suddenly less stable beneath his feet. He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes briefly. “This is... a lot to process.”

“I understand,” Eliar said, and there was genuine sympathy in his voice. “Discovering your nature may not be what you believed—that the story you've told yourself about who and what you are might be incomplete...” He gave a small, bitter smile. “That feeling is familiar to me.”

Outside, the shadows were retreating further, dispersing back into the forest. The immediate danger was passing, at least for now. As the adrenaline of the confrontation faded, exhaustion began to creep over Kai, the aftermath of channeling so much unfamiliar power.

He slid down the wall to sit across from Eliar, their gazes meeting in the softly glowing chamber. There was something different in the way they looked at each other now—a shared understanding, perhaps, or a mutual recognition of how deeply their fates had become intertwined.

“No more running,” Kai said finally. “No more half-truths or cryptic warnings. Whatever's happening—the prophecy, the shadows, my weird star-adjacent magic, your corrupted power—we figure it out together.”

Eliar studied him for a long moment, his star-filled eyes unreadable. Then, slowly, he nodded. “Together,” he agreed. “Though I warn you, the path ahead may be darker than either of us anticipate.”

“Story of my life,” Kai replied with a tired smile. “Besides, darkness is a lot less scary when you're traveling with someone who literally glows in the dark.”

That startled a genuine laugh from Eliar—a sound so unexpected and warm that Kai felt an answering smile spread across his own face. For a moment, the weight of prophecy and cosmic consequence lifted, leaving just two beings who had found unexpected connection in the midst of chaos.

The celestial markings pulsed gently around them, their light a comforting presence rather than the frantic blaze of earlier. Kai noticed that the pattern seemed to be settling into a steady rhythm that matched his heartbeat. As if the ruins themselves had claimed him, recognized him as... what? A guardian? A catalyst? Something else entirely?

“We should rest while we can,” Eliar suggested, his gaze taking in Kai's obvious exhaustion. “The barrier you've created will hold for several hours at least. We'll need our strength for the journey to my sanctuary.”

Kai nodded, too tired to argue. “Wake me if the shadows come back,” he murmured, already feeling sleep tugging at hisconsciousness. “Or if any celestial enforcers show up to unmake us. Or if you figure out why I can suddenly activate ancient star magic. You know, the usual.”

The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was Eliar's face, illuminated by the soft glow of the markings, wearing an expression that mingled concern with something that looked almost like hope.

They both had a past they didn't fully understand. Secrets and mysteries that were only beginning to unravel. But as Kai drifted into sleep, one certainty remained—whatever came next, they would face it together. Bound by prophecy, by magic, and by something deeper that neither was quite ready to name.

The ruins hummed a gentle lullaby around them, ancient symbols glowing with protective light. For the first time since he'd set foot in Mistwood, Kai felt not like an intruder or an accidental catalyst, but like someone who belonged.

Someone who had, perhaps, been expected all along.

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