Echoes of fallen stars

Into the Unknown

Ezra's fingers hovered over the worn leather strap of her dagger as she stood in the shadow of the trees, heart racing in her chest. The boy who had introduced himself as Finn watched her with a steady, unreadable gaze. His companion stood just behind him, face still hidden by the shadow of his hood, observing in silence.

"So you're not afraid of being out here alone?" Finn asked, tilting his head, the faintest trace of a smirk lifting one corner of his mouth.

Ezra tightened her grip on the dagger. "You tell me why you're here, and I might answer that."

"Straight to business, then," Finn said, sharing a quick glance with his companion. "Good. I respect that." He took a careful step forward, lowering his voice. "I told you, Ezra, we're here because of you."

Ezra's heart gave a jolt. How could they possibly know her name, let alone anything about her? She hadn't even seen them before tonight. "You keep saying that. But what does that actually mean?"

"Do you believe in fate?" he asked, his tone suddenly serious.

Ezra's eyes narrowed. She'd spent her life being treated as if she was some kind of cosmic mistake, born without a starlight to guide her or mark her path. The entire concept of fate was one she'd come to resent. "No," she replied firmly. "I believe we make our own choices."

Finn nodded thoughtfully, as if he expected this answer. "Then you're going to be very important to us."

Before she could ask what he meant, his companion stepped forward and pulled down his hood, revealing a face that Ezra vaguely recognized—someone who had once passed through her village, but she couldn't recall his name.

Finn continued, "We're part of a group called the Celestial Syndicate. You might have heard rumors."

Ezra's breath caught. Everyone in the village had heard of the Celestial Syndicate, a secretive group that was said to be fighting against the Council of Stars. They were believed to be dangerous, to threaten the order that kept their world in balance. At least, that's what the village elders would say anytime someone brought them up. But seeing them here, speaking to her... they didn't look like rebels or criminals.

"You're... you're from the Syndicate?" she asked, keeping her voice low, as if saying the name might summon something she couldn't control.

Finn's companion—the one whose name she still didn't know—finally spoke, his voice a low rumble. "The stars have given us a vision. There's a prophecy, one that ties you to us in ways you might not understand."

Ezra couldn't help the chill that ran through her. She wanted to reject what he was saying, to brush them off as superstitious strangers. But deep down, she felt a pull, a curiosity that wouldn't let her walk away.

"I don't have starlight," she said quietly, almost as if reminding herself. "Everyone here treats me like I don't belong. And now you're saying that somehow, I'm connected to you?"

Finn's gaze softened, something like understanding flashing in his eyes. "That's exactly why we're here. We're searching for those who fall outside the Council's rules, those who don't fit into their neat little destinies. You see, Ezra, those without starlight aren't bound by the stars. And that makes you rare... and powerful."

Ezra's mind raced, a hundred questions spinning through her thoughts. "But why? What does the prophecy say?"

"We can't reveal everything just yet," Finn's companion interjected, his tone cool and controlled. "But what we can say is this: we believe there's a reason you're starlight-less, and that reason is part of something much bigger than any of us. If you come with us, we can show you who you truly are, beyond what this village wants you to believe."

Ezra's heart pounded in her chest. She didn't know these people, didn't fully understand what they were asking of her, but a part of her felt like she'd been waiting for this moment all her life. An invitation to break away, to belong to something beyond her village, beyond her isolation.

And yet... doubts lingered. She had no idea what kind of life the Syndicate was offering, what risks would come with joining them. Her gaze flicked from Finn's intense stare to his silent companion, both of them waiting for her answer, both strangers offering a way out of the only life she'd ever known.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her chin. "If I come with you, what happens next?"

Finn smiled, a glimmer of something almost mischievous lighting his eyes. "That's up to you. But there's one thing you should know—once you choose this path, there's no going back. The stars have marked you, whether you believe it or not. And whatever's coming... you'll need to be ready."

Ezra swallowed hard, but the fear that gripped her was mixed with something else: exhilaration. She'd felt lost her whole life, caught between shadows, and now for the first time, she had a glimpse of a path that was hers alone to choose.

With one last glance toward the darkened village in the distance, she nodded. "I'll go."

Finn and his companion exchanged a look, one of shared purpose. Then, with a nod, Finn stepped forward, extending his hand toward her.

"Welcome to the Syndicate, Ezra."

As she took his hand, she felt a spark—whether from him, or from something deep within herself, she wasn't sure. But in that moment, beneath the blanket of stars that had long shunned her, Ezra felt something stirring, something that had been waiting for this very night to awaken.