whispers of the stars

ch 13 __

***author's pov***

As Sia continued to watch, the old woman seemed to shimmer for a moment before fading into thin air, as if she had never been there at all. Sia blinked in disbelief, her heart pounding. One moment, the woman was standing there, her presence grounding and unsettling; the next, she was gone, leaving only an echo of her words lingering in the air.

"What just happened?" Sia whispered to herself, shaking her head as she tried to process the encounter. The ring felt hotter against her skin, pulsing with an energy that matched her racing heart. It was as if the very fabric of reality had shifted, leaving her questioning everything.

As she walked the remaining distance to school, Sia couldn’t shake the sensation that she was being watched again, a lingering presence that followed her. The streets felt different, charged with a strange energy. Colors seemed brighter, sounds sharper.

Her mind was flooded with questions. What did the old woman mean about her destiny? How could she possibly know about the ring? And why did she vanish so mysteriously?

When she finally reached the school gates, Sia took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The normalcy of the bustling students and teachers around her felt jarring against the backdrop of her extraordinary morning.

As she entered her classroom, she tried to focus on her studies, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the old woman and the glowing ring. The fear that had gripped her earlier began to twist into a sense of urgency. Something significant was happening, and she could feel it in her bones.

Throughout the day, she stole glances at the ring, its presence both a comfort and a source of anxiety. Little did she know, the events set in motion were already drawing her closer to the otherworldly fate that awaited her—one intertwined with the king of the Eryndor dynasty, ZEPHYRION Zyrian Nyxion.

As Sia walked home in the soft glow of the evening, her thoughts still swirling with the day's strange events, she heard someone calling her name. Turning around, she saw her friend Josh jogging to catch up with her, a bright smile on his face.

"Hey, Sia! Wait up!" he called out, his energy infectious.

Sia managed a small smile, grateful for the distraction from her racing thoughts. "Hey, Josh! What’s up?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out later," he said, falling into step beside her. "We could grab some snacks and maybe watch a movie. I could use a break from studying."

Sia hesitated. She appreciated Josh’s company, but the events of the day weighed heavily on her mind. "I don’t know, I might just want to stay in tonight."

Josh raised an eyebrow, concern creeping into his expression. "You okay? You seem a bit... off."

Sia forced a laugh, trying to shake off the unease that had settled over her. "Yeah, I’m fine. Just a long day, I guess."

"Alright, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me," he said, a friendly grin returning to his face. "Just don’t shut yourself away too much. You need to unwind sometimes."

"Thanks, Josh," she replied, appreciating his concern. "I’ll think about it."

As they continued walking, Sia found herself momentarily distracted by their conversation. But deep down, the ring on her finger still hummed softly, reminding her of the old woman’s cryptic message and the dream that felt more like a premonition.

After a few minutes, they reached a fork in the road, where Josh had to go left while Sia continued straight toward her house.

As Josh reached out to give Sia a light touch on the arm, the ring on her finger flared to life, emitting a sudden, bright glow that filled the space between them. The moment his fingers made contact, a jolt of energy shot through him, causing him to jerk his hand away as if he had touched a live wire.

"What the—?" Josh exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise. He looked at Sia, a mix of confusion and concern etched on his face. "What just happened?"

Sia felt a wave of heat radiating from the ring, its light pulsing in response to the unexpected spark. She glanced at her hand, realizing that the ring seemed to react to Josh’s presence, as if it were a barrier between her and the outside world.

"I—I don’t know!" Sia stammered, her heart racing. "It just... glowed."

Josh took a cautious step back, rubbing his hand as if trying to shake off the lingering sensation. "That was weird. Are you sure that ring is safe? It felt like a shock."

Sia bit her lip, her mind racing. "I thought it was just a normal ring... but now… I’m not so sure."

Josh studied her for a moment, concern deepening in his expression. "Maybe you should take it off. It seems to be doing something strange."

"I tried," Sia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can’t get it off."

The air between them felt charged, as if the very fabric of reality had shifted. Sia could sense that something significant was happening, and Josh’s presence seemed to amplify that feeling.

"Maybe we should find someone who knows about this kind of stuff," Josh suggested, glancing around as if expecting someone to appear. "Like that weird shop downtown? They might have answers."

Sia nodded, her anxiety mixing with a newfound determination. "Yeah, maybe you’re right. I need to understand what this ring really means."

As they stood there, the tension in the air shifted again, leaving Sia feeling both exhilarated and terrified of what lay ahead. The connection between her and the ring felt stronger than ever, pulling her toward a destiny she couldn’t yet comprehend.