The city of Astralis had always been different.

From a distance, it looked like an ordinary city.

Tall buildings reached toward the clouds.

Trains moved between towers.

Bright signs covered the streets.

People walked beneath glowing screens and floating advertisements.

But when the sun disappeared…

Astralis changed.

The stars became brighter.

The streets became quieter.

And sometimes, if a person was lucky—or unlucky—they could hear them.

The stars.

Whispering.

Calling.

Remembering.

Sixteen-year-old Kairo Ren had heard them since he was a child.

At first, he thought everyone could.

When he was five, he had told his mother about the voices.

She had immediately become afraid.

“Never tell anyone,” she had whispered.

“Why?”

“Because if they know you can hear them, they will come for you.”

Kairo had never forgotten those words.

His mother disappeared three years later.

No goodbye.

No explanation.

No body.

Nothing.

The official story was that she had died during an accident outside Astralis.

Kairo never believed it.

Because on the night she disappeared…

The stars had spoken.

Run.

Hide your heart.

They are coming.

Kairo had been too young to understand.

Now, eleven years later, he still heard them.

And tonight…

They were screaming.

Kairo stood on the roof of an abandoned building, staring at the sky.

The moon was red.

Not pink.

Not orange.

Red.

A deep crimson circle hanging above the city.

His heart began beating faster.

“No,” he whispered.

Something was wrong.

The stars were moving.

Not naturally.

One by one, they disappeared.

Kairo stepped backward.

“What’s happening?”

The sky became completely black.

Then a voice came from behind him.

“You shouldn’t have come here.”

Kairo turned.

A girl stood on the roof.

She was about his age.

Long silver hair moved in the wind.

She wore a black jacket with golden lines running across the sleeves.

A strange sword hung at her waist.

Kairo stared.

“Who are you?”

The girl looked at him.

“Mira.”

“Mira what?”

“Just Mira.”

Kairo frowned.

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s enough.”

She stepped closer.

Kairo noticed something strange.

Her eyes were glowing.

Golden.

Like sunlight.

“You’re one of them,” she said.

“One of who?”

Mira looked toward the sky.

“The Starborn.”

Kairo’s heart stopped.

He had heard that word before.

His mother had used it once.

When he was five.

Then she had told him never to ask about it again.

Kairo stepped backward.

“What are you talking about?”

Mira looked at him.

“You don’t know?”

“No.”

She studied his face.

Then her expression changed.

“Your mother never told you.”

Kairo froze.

“You know my mother?”

Mira didn’t answer.

Kairo grabbed her arm.

“Where is she?”

Mira immediately pulled away.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Tell me where she is.”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying.”

“Maybe.”

Kairo’s anger rose.

“Who are you?”

Mira looked at the sky.

“The person who came here to kill you.”

Silence.

Kairo stared.

“What?”

Mira drew her sword.

The blade began glowing.

Kairo stepped backward.

“You’re serious?”

“Very.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re dangerous.”

Kairo looked at his hands.

“I’m just a normal person.”

Mira laughed.

“No.”

She pointed the sword toward him.

“You’re anything but normal.”

Suddenly, the entire building shook.

Kairo lost his balance.

The roof cracked.

Mira looked toward the city.

Her expression changed.

“They found you.”

“Who?”

“The Eclipse.”

A dark shadow appeared between the buildings.

Then another.

Then dozens.

Creatures.

They looked like human beings covered in black armor.

Their eyes were completely white.

Kairo had never seen anything like them.

“What are those?”

Mira’s sword glowed brighter.

“Run.”

Kairo stared at her.

“You just said you wanted to kill me.”

“I changed my mind.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to kill you myself.”

She jumped from the roof.

Kairo stared.

“Mira!”

He ran to the edge.

She landed on a lower building.

Then she turned.

“Are you coming?”

Kairo looked behind him.

The creatures were approaching.

“You’re insane.”

“Probably.”

Kairo jumped.

He barely landed.

Mira grabbed his hand.

“Move!”

They ran.

Behind them, the creatures followed.

Kairo’s heart pounded.

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Where?”

“Don’t ask questions.”

“You’re terrible at explaining things.”

Mira smiled.

“Thank you.”

A creature jumped in front of them.

Kairo stopped.

Mira raised her sword.

The creature attacked.

She moved faster than Kairo could see.

One slash.

The creature disappeared.

Kairo stared.

“What was that?”

“An Eclipse.”

“What is an Eclipse?”

“A monster.”

“Where did it come from?”

“The darkness.”

“That’s not an answer.”

Mira looked at him.

“You ask too many questions.”

“You’re the one who showed up and told me I was going to die!”

“Fair point.”

Another creature appeared.

Then another.

Mira’s expression became serious.

“Stay behind me.”

Kairo nodded.

The creatures attacked.

Mira fought.

Her sword moved like light.

Every strike created a golden flash.

But there were too many.

One creature slipped past her.

It jumped toward Kairo.

Kairo froze.

He couldn’t move.

The creature’s claws came closer.

Then something inside Kairo awakened.

The world stopped.

Everything became silent.

The creature froze in the air.

Mira froze.

The rain stopped.

Even the wind disappeared.

Kairo stared.

“What…”

A voice whispered inside his head.

Finally.

Kairo looked around.

“Who said that?”

The voice answered.

You heard us.

The stars.

Kairo looked up.

The black sky had changed.

Thousands of stars appeared.

But they weren’t in the sky.

They were inside him.

Kairo screamed.

A brilliant white light exploded from his body.

The Eclipse creatures disappeared.

The rooftop shattered.

Mira was thrown backward.

Kairo fell to his knees.

Everything went dark.

When he opened his eyes…

He was somewhere else.

A vast white space surrounded him.

There was no ground.

No sky.

Nothing.

Then someone appeared.

A woman.

Long black hair.

A silver mask covered half her face.

Kairo stared.

“Who are you?”

The woman smiled.

“You already know me.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You will.”

Kairo stepped backward.

“Where am I?”

“Inside your own memory.”

“What?”

She raised her hand.

The world changed.

Kairo saw a woman running through a burning city.

His mother.

Kairo’s heart stopped.

“Mom.”

She was holding a baby.

Kairo.

Behind her, men wearing black masks chased her.

His mother ran.

Then a man appeared.

He wore a silver mask.

The same mask as the woman standing before Kairo.

Kairo froze.

“Who is that?”

The woman smiled.

“Your father.”

Kairo couldn’t breathe.

“My father is dead.”

“No.”

“Who are you?”

The woman stepped closer.

“I am the last person who saw your father alive.”

Kairo’s heart raced.

“Where is he?”

She smiled.

“Ask your mother.”

“My mother is missing.”

“Exactly.”

Kairo stared.

Then the woman whispered:

“Because she is hiding from you.”

The world shattered.

Kairo woke up.

He was lying on the floor.

Mira was standing over him.

“Wake up.”

Kairo opened his eyes.

“Where am I?”

“An underground station.”

“Why?”

“Because I saved you.”

Kairo sat up.

His head hurt.

Mira looked at him.

“You awakened.”

“Awakened what?”

She didn’t answer.

Kairo grabbed her arm.

“Tell me the truth.”

Mira stared at him.

“The power inside you.”

“What is it?”

“The Celestial Mask.”

Kairo frowned.

“I don’t have a mask.”

Mira pointed toward the floor.

Kairo looked.

A strange object lay beside him.

A white mask.

It was shaped like a human face.

But one side was black.

The other was white.

Kairo reached for it.

Mira shouted:

“Don’t touch it!”

Too late.

The moment his fingers touched the mask…

The world disappeared again.

Kairo saw the same woman.

The masked woman.

But this time she was crying.

Behind her stood his mother.

And beside his mother…

Was Kairo’s father.

Alive.

Kairo stared.

“No.”

His father looked directly at him.

As if he could see him through time.

Then he spoke.

“Run, Kairo.”

The vision changed.

His father was fighting someone.

A man in a black cloak.

The masked woman screamed.

“Veyra!”

Kairo froze.

The black-cloaked man turned.

His eyes were red.

He smiled.

“I have been waiting for you, Starborn.”

The vision ended.

Kairo dropped the mask.

Mira caught it.

Kairo looked at her.

“Who is Veyra?”

Mira’s face became pale.

“You saw him?”

“Answer me.”

She looked away.

“Veyra is the strongest enemy the Starborn have ever faced.”

“Why?”

“Because he wants to destroy the barrier between worlds.”

“What worlds?”

“Our world…”

She looked at the mask.

“…and the world beyond the stars.”

Kairo stared.

“You’re saying another world exists?”

“Yes.”

“Who lives there?”

Mira looked at him.

“Gods.”

Kairo laughed nervously.

“You’re joking.”

“I wish I were.”

Suddenly, the station shook.

Mira looked toward the tunnel.

“We have to go.”

“Why?”

A deep voice echoed through the darkness.

“Because he’s awake.”

Mira’s face changed.

Kairo looked behind her.

A man stood in the tunnel.

He wore a black mask.

His eyes glowed red.

Kairo recognized him.

The man from the vision.

Veyra.

He smiled.

“Hello, Kairo.”

Kairo couldn’t move.

Veyra stepped closer.

“I have been waiting sixteen years to meet you.”

Mira drew her sword.

“Stay away from him.”

Veyra laughed.

“You still protect the wrong people.”

Mira froze.

“What does that mean?”

Veyra looked at Kairo.

“Your mother never told you, did she?”

Kairo’s heart raced.

“Told me what?”

Veyra smiled.

“She didn’t disappear.”

Mira looked at him.

“Veyra.”

“She was taken.”

Kairo stepped forward.

“By who?”

Veyra pointed at Mira.

“Ask her.”

Kairo turned.

Mira’s face had gone pale.

Kairo stared at her.

“Mira.”

She said nothing.

“Did you know where my mother is?”

Mira lowered her sword.

“Kairo…”

“Did you?”

Veyra laughed.

“She knows exactly where your mother is.”

Kairo’s heart shattered.

“You lied to me.”

Mira shook her head.

“I was trying to protect you.”

“Everyone says that!”

His power exploded.

The station shook.

The Celestial Mask rose from Mira’s hands.

It floated toward Kairo.

Veyra smiled.

“Yes.”

He stepped backward.

“Let it awaken.”

Kairo looked at the mask.

The mask moved toward his face.

Mira screamed:

“KAIRO, DON’T!”

But it was too late.

The mask touched his skin.

The world exploded with light.

And somewhere far beyond the stars…

An ancient voice awakened.

THE STARBORN HAS RETURNED.

Kairo opened his eyes.

They were no longer human.

They glowed like galaxies.

Veyra smiled.

Mira stared in horror.

And Kairo heard one final voice inside his mind.

His mother’s voice.

My son…

Forgive me.

Kairo looked toward the sky.

The stars began falling.

And the war between worlds…

Had begun.