Echoes of fallen stars

The First Step

The world beyond Ezra's village felt like stepping into another realm entirely. The path Finn led her down twisted through dense woods, the trees growing thicker and taller until the branches formed a canopy that swallowed up the stars. The air felt sharper, colder. Every sound seemed amplified—the crunch of leaves, the soft whisper of wind through the branches, her own quickening breaths.

They walked in silence, Finn leading the way with practiced steps, his companion—whom Ezra still hadn't been introduced to—trailing just behind them. Now and then, Ezra could feel the stranger's gaze on her, watchful and assessing, as if she were a puzzle he was determined to solve.

After what felt like hours, Finn stopped at a break in the trees. Beyond, a sprawling clearing opened up, revealing an abandoned, weathered stone structure nestled against the hillside. It looked ancient, its walls cracked and half-covered in ivy, but there was an energy about it, something that thrummed through the air and made her skin tingle.

"Welcome to one of our safe houses," Finn said, glancing back at her. "It's where we gather, train, and rest when we're not out... doing Syndicate business."

Ezra looked around, curiosity getting the better of her as she took in the faded carvings on the stone and the faint, glittering symbols painted in silver on the walls. "It's... beautiful," she murmured, running her fingers over one of the symbols that caught the light.

The other man—Finn's silent companion—finally spoke, his tone low but not unkind. "Careful. Some of those symbols carry powerful magic. If you don't know what you're doing, you could end up cursed... or worse."

Ezra quickly pulled her hand back, feeling a surge of unease. "What's your name, anyway?" she asked him, emboldened by his first real acknowledgement of her.

The man tilted his head as if deciding whether to humour her. After pause, he nodded. "Call me Rowan. It's good to finally speak, Ezra." He offered a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, then turned to Finn, who seemed to be waiting for something.

Finn gave a small nod, seeming to pick up on whatever unspoken message Rowan had conveyed. He turned to Ezra, his face serious. "Before we go further, there's something you need to know."

Ezra tensed, her mind flashing with a hundred possibilities. Had they lured her here just to leave her in the dark, like so many others had? She crossed her arms, defiant. "What now?"

"You've heard of the Council of Stars," Finn said, ignoring her defensive stance. "They're the ones who oversee everything connected to starlight—the fates, the destinies, the paths people are assigned from birth."

"Of course," Ezra said, her voice tinged with bitterness. The Council was everything she had always despised: the enforcers of fate, the overseers of those who'd deemed her unworthy because she was born starlight-less.

Finn continued, "They're not as noble as they want people to believe. The Council has secrets, ones they guard fiercely, and some of those secrets involve people like you."

"People like... me?" Ezra echoed, her heart thumping faster. She thought of all the whispers she'd heard growing up, the endless rumours about how the starlightless were seen as omens, reminders of fate's failures.

"Yes," Rowan said, his gaze flickering with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. "There are others without starlight—rare, but they exist. And for reasons we're still uncovering, the Council doesn't just look down on the starlight-less... they fear them."

Ezra's mind raced, trying to process what they were saying. The Council, a group so powerful that they were practically worshipped, feared people like her. It didn't make any sense.

"Why?" she managed, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Because without starlight, you're unpredictable. Untraceable. And, most importantly," Finn said, stepping closer, his eyes glinting with conviction, "unbound by fate."

Unbound by fate. The words hung heavy in the air. Ezra had spent her life feeling like a shadow, like something broken and unworthy because she had no guiding star. But now... now they were telling her that was her strength?

"So, what does that mean?" She asked, her voice a mix of scepticism and wonder.

"It means you have a freedom none of us have," Rowan said, his gaze dark. "The freedom to defy destiny. And that makes you valuable... and dangerous."

Ezra felt a flicker of something unfamiliar—hope mixed with fear. Dangerous. Her whole life, she'd been taught to believe she was weak, incomplete, somehow lesser than everyone else. And yet, here they were, claiming she was a threat to the very council that ruled over them all.

"What does the Syndicate want with me?" she asked, studying both their faces.

Finn hesitated, then spoke carefully. "The Council has a prophecy. We believe it speaks of someone who will one day break the chains of starlight, releasing those bound by destiny and exposing the Council's lies. We think that someone might be you."

The air felt charged as if the very stars above were holding their breath. Ezra's mind reeled. She, a village outcast cursed to live in the shadows, was supposed to challenge the Council of Stars? It felt absurd. Impossible. And yet, for the first time, something inside her stirred—a spark she hadn't realised she possessed.

She shook her head, struggling to grasp the weight of it all. "But... I don't even know how to fight. I don't know magic; I don't know anything about the Council or their powers. How am I supposed to be this... this chosen one?"

Finn's lips curved into a smile, and for the first time, Ezra saw a hint of warmth in his otherwise guarded expression. "That's why you're here, Ezra. You'll train with us. You'll learn what you need to know."

Rowan nodded in agreement, stepping forward with something that almost resembled sympathy in his eyes. "It won't be easy. The Council has eyes everywhere. If they catch even a hint of what we're planning, they'll come after us... and you."

Ezra swallowed hard, the full weight of their words pressing down on her. She was no longer just a starlight-less girl, shunned and disregarded. She was someone with the power to change things—to rewrite destiny itself, if she dared. But that also meant leaving behind everything she knew, risking her life for a cause she barely understood.

She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she looked between Finn and Rowan. "So... what happens now?"

Finn extended his hand once more, his eyes blazing with resolve. "Now, we start your training. There's a lot to learn, and not much time. The Council's already searching for us. If they find out who you are before you're ready... we won't stand a chance."

Ezra glanced at his hand, feeling the familiar pulse of uncertainty, but this time, it was laced with something stronger—determination. She reached out, clasping his hand with newfound resolve.

"I'm ready," she said, her voice steady, though her heart thundered with both fear and excitement.

As she stepped forward, leaving the life she'd always known behind, Ezra felt a whisper of power flickering within her—a spark waiting to be kindled.