"Sometimes, leaving isn't about running away. It's about giving yourself the chance to start again."
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Juno stood there, hands clenched, the lightning now crackling along Selene's fingertips like it had always belonged to her. The charred remains of the once-raging beast faded into nothingness, leaving a hollow stillness in the air. But that stillness did nothing to quiet the storm inside Juno's mind. It felt impossible—like the ground had been pulled from beneath her feet, and she was falling through everything she thought she knew.
She wanted to believe it was a dream. Or a joke. Just another cruel twist from the world that seemed to enjoy playing with her life. But the scorched earth beneath her boots, the weight of exhaustion in her limbs, and the faint hum of electricity still hanging in the air told her otherwise.
"You're wondering what happens next," Selene said, her voice smooth, almost melodic. She turned toward Juno, a faint, mischievous smile curling at the corner of her lips, as if the chaos they had just endured was a warm-up.
"What happens now…" Juno muttered, her voice bitter with disbelief. "I was just supposed to survive today. And now what? I jump realms and fight monsters? How the hell did my life become—this?"
Selene's eyes gleamed with starlight as she stepped closer. Juno could see the constellation patterns faintly glowing beneath the surface of Selene's pale skin, like a cosmic map woven into her very being. It was beautiful and terrifying all at once.
"The rift here is closing," Selene explained, motioning toward the shimmering tear in the sky that had begun to collapse inward. "This realm's done and already saved. But the Void doesn't stop. Another rift is already forming somewhere else wanting to corrupt and absorb a world—another reality where creatures from countless realms will crawl through if we don't seal it." She paused, tilting her head. "If you stay, you just die without fulfilling your purpose and saving reality. Simple as that. But you have to know that soon if you don't help, everything may be devoured by the Void."
Juno swallowed hard, the weight of Selene's words pressing down on her. She looked around—the broken streets, the darkness that had wrapped around this realm, threatening to swallow it whole.
Stay and just die, or leave and fight monsters in another realm.
It felt ridiculous. Unreal. Just hours ago, she had been nothing but a student, drowning in her own mediocrity, struggling to prove she mattered in a city that couldn't care less about her existence. Aetherion had never felt like home—it was too harsh, too indifferent. But it was still her world. The idea of leaving it behind felt like stepping off the edge of a cliff.
Selene seemed to sense her hesitation. "This world… it never gave you much, did it?"
Juno's jaw tightened. Memories flooded her—of lonely nights spent moving from one foster home to another, the sting of rejections, the way people's eyes skimmed over her like she didn't exist. No one ever stayed long enough to see her. She lived, unnoticed, in a city that chewed people up and spit them out without apology. And yet, despite all of that, the thought of leaving tugged at something deep inside her.
"It's not that simple," Juno whispered, her voice raw. "It's my world. Or—it was."
Selene gave a small, understanding smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Aetherion never really claimed you, did it?"
Juno looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. She hated how right Selene was. This world never gave her a chance to belong. And now, it was asking her to leave.
She exhaled sharply. "So what happens if I come with you?"
Selene's expression shifted—just slightly. For a moment, it wasn't the playful, otherworldly traveler standing before Juno, but someone… tired. Someone who had seen too many worlds, fought too many monsters, and carried far too many burdens.
"We go to the next realm," Selene said simply. "We stop the Void from bleeding through. We keep monsters where they belong."
"And then what?"
Selene shrugged. "And from powerful monsters you might be able to train and get more of a power. And then we keep going."
Juno stared at the shrinking rift, the edges crackling with energy as it collapsed further in on itself. She didn't have a choice, did she? Staying behind wasn't an option. But leaving—leaving felt like erasing everything that had ever happened to her.
Then again, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.
"Alright," Juno muttered, more to herself than to Selene. "Guess there's no point in staying."
Selene smiled—a real, warm smile this time. "Good choice."
With a flick of her wrist, Selene summoned a swirling gust of stardust around them. The glittering particles danced through the air, shimmering like fragments of galaxies.
"Let's go," Selene said. She held out her hand toward Juno.
Juno hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then, with a resigned sigh, she took Selene's hand. The instant their fingers touched, the remnants of the rift surged toward them, wrapping them in an ethereal glow.
Juno's body felt weightless, as if the fabric of reality itself was unraveling around her. She closed her eyes as the world she had known—the world that never quite felt like hers—faded away.
When she opened her eyes again, they were somewhere else.
The ground beneath her boots was smooth and cool, shimmering with a soft, crystalline glow. Jagged spires of translucent quartz jutted out from the earth, reflecting fragmented rainbows in every direction. The sky above was a swirling canvas of violet and gold, with constellations that didn't match any she had ever seen.
They stood in the ruins of what must have once been a village. Stone houses, long abandoned, sat half-buried beneath glittering crystal growths. The air smelled faintly of ozone, as if a storm had passed through recently.
"Welcome to our new playground," Selene said, stretching her arms above her head like she'd just woken from a long nap. "Pretty, isn't it?"
Juno glanced around, taking in the surreal beauty of the place. The landscape felt like a dream—like something from the strange, fragmented visions that had haunted her all her life.
"It's… weird," Juno said, though she couldn't deny that it was beautiful.
Selene grinned. "You get used to it."
They walked in silence for a while, their boots crunching softly against the crystalline terrain. Eventually, they reached what looked like an old fire pit in the center of the village. Selene plopped down on a nearby stone, looking far too relaxed for someone who had just fought a monster and jumped realms.
Juno, on the other hand, felt the exhaustion creeping in. She sat down across from Selene, rubbing the back of her neck.
"So," Juno began, "you gonna tell me everything now? Or is there more weirdness I need to brace myself for?"
Selene leaned back, resting her hands behind her head. "Oh, there's always more weirdness."
Juno sighed. Of course there was.
"But for now," Selene continued, "we rest. Tomorrow… well, tomorrow's when the real fun begins."
Juno closed her eyes, feeling the weight of everything settle onto her shoulders. She had left everything behind—her world, her past, even the small, fragile dreams she once had.
But maybe, just maybe, that wasn't the end. Maybe it was a beginning.
She opened her eyes and looked at Selene, who was watching the strange sky with a content expression.
For the first time in a long time, Juno felt the tiniest flicker of hope.
And somehow, that terrified her more than anything else.
The two of them wandered deeper into the crystalline village, their footsteps echoing through the silence. Each house they passed told the same eerie story—stone walls cracked under the weight of time, doorways partially swallowed by jagged crystal formations, windows smashed inward as if something had forced its way through. But what gnawed at Juno wasn't just the destruction—it was the absence. No bodies. No signs of life.
"Where is everyone?" Juno muttered, her voice hushed, as if the silence of the place demanded reverence. She glanced at Selene, hoping the older girl had some insight.
Selene trailed her fingers along the edge of a broken window frame, tracing the cracks spidering outward. "Gone. Or worse."
Juno raised an eyebrow. "Worse?"
Selene gave a small shrug. "Monsters might've been here. That's my guess. Rift opens, creatures crawl through, people panic. Maybe they evacuated. Maybe they didn't make it." She kicked a loose stone with the tip of her boot, sending it skittering across the crystalline ground. "This place looks abandoned, but the Void leaves its scars everywhere. People run from those scars. If they can."
The thought of monsters lurking nearby made Juno's skin crawl. She crossed her arms against the chill that had started to creep in—not just from the night, but from the weight of the unknown pressing on her.
After some more wandering, they found a house intact enough to shelter them. Its roof sagged slightly, but the walls held steady, and the front door swung open with only a faint creak. Inside, the air was stale, heavy with dust and the faint scent of old wood. There were signs that someone had once lived here—a few scattered belongings, a table with cracked dishes, and a hearth that hadn't seen fire in years.
Juno trailed her fingers along the edge of the table, brushing dust off a plate. "Feels wrong, just... walking into someone else's house."
"Not like they're coming back," Selene said bluntly, already inspecting the cabinets. "Besides, we need food, and I don't feel like starving tonight."
Juno frowned but said nothing. She followed Selene to the kitchen, where they rummaged through whatever was left. Eventually, they found some dried fruits, a jar of pickled vegetables, and a loaf of bread that was hard enough to break teeth.
"Better than nothing," Selene said, plucking a piece of dried fruit from the jar and popping it into her mouth. She tossed the jar to Juno. "Here. Eat."
Juno caught it awkwardly and nibbled on the strange, chewy fruit. It tasted like a weird mix of dates and citrus, but it was food, and that was good enough for now.
"There's a shower back there," Selene added, jerking her thumb toward a narrow hallway. "You should use it. No telling when we'll get another chance to clean up. And ensure to have new clothes, your inform will leave you undressed soon."
Juno didn't argue. She found the bathroom—small and cramped, with cracked tiles—and stood under the stream of cold water that trickled from the rusted showerhead. The icy shock of the water was almost comforting, grounding her in this strange new reality.
As the grime of battle and travel washed away, she let herself think—really think—about everything that had happened. A day ago, she'd been a nobody, just another shadow in Aetherion's endless sprawl. And now? Now she was standing barefoot on the cracked stone floor of an abandoned village in another realm, the distant hum of magic threading through the air. Somewhere nearby, the flicker of a dying lamppost buzzed, casting eerie light over forgotten ruins. She pulled her damp hair out of its loose knot, squeezing water from the ends as she considered her new reality—eating dried fruit with a stranger who wielded starlight like it was second nature.
Her old clothes, torn and bloodied beyond repair, lay crumpled at her feet. Juno turned her gaze toward a wooden trunk she'd pried open moments earlier, the aged wood creaking like it hadn't been touched in years. Inside was a collection of garments, untouched by time, folded with meticulous care. She lifted a piece from the pile—a cropped jacket in midnight black, stitched with faint, shimmering threads that resembled the spines of constellations. The fabric felt strangely weightless, like wearing a whisper, but strong enough to withstand a storm.
She slipped it on, marveling at the way it hugged her frame perfectly, as if it had been made for her. Next came slim pants reinforced with leather patches at the knees and thighs—durable but flexible, meant for movement. Each seam was laced with silver thread, glowing faintly under the dim light.
On a side table, a pair of ankle-high combat boots waited. Their soles were carved with glyphs that promised silent footsteps and enhanced speed—artifacts from a time long forgotten. The steel toe gleamed dully under the flickering lamppost, and etched into the leather was a pattern of crescent moons overlapping in endless cycles. She slid her feet into them, feeling the perfect balance between comfort and readiness.
Among the clothing, she found a thin, hooded cloak. When she draped it over her shoulders, the material shifted, dark and iridescent, as if woven from the night sky itself. The hood, when pulled up, gave the illusion of dissolving into shadows, rendering her almost invisible in low light.
Juno caught her reflection in a shattered window. This wasn't the same girl who had stumbled out of Aetherion's alleys, directionless and small. The reflection staring back at her looked sharper—like someone who knew exactly how far they'd fallen and how high they needed to climb. She adjusted the strap of her empty satchel and gave a small nod to herself.
"Better," she muttered under her breath.
She wasn't sure how long this borrowed peace would last. The air felt too still, like the calm before a storm. But for now, she had what she needed—a new outfit, a new place to stand, and a dangerous new world to conquer.
Her mind drifted back to Selene, that eerie grin, and those crescent blades that sang with a resonance only the stars knew. Juno rolled her shoulders, feeling the leather stretch comfortably with the motion. The universe had thrown her headfirst into chaos, but she was still standing. And with her new clothes, she looked every bit the part of someone ready to rewrite fate.
She tucked a small, forgotten charm she found in the pocket—a tiny metal clock hand—into her satchel. Time was her weapon now, and she intended to wield it well.
None of it felt real. But at the same time, she knew she couldn't go back. There was nothing left to go back to.
By the time Juno returned to the main room, Selene had found some spare blankets and draped them over what looked like an old, sagging bed. It didn't look comfortable, but it was better than the ground.
Juno sat down at the edge of the bed, her damp hair dripping onto her cargo pants. Selene sprawled lazily at the other end, looking entirely too at ease for someone who had just jumped through dimensions.
Juno leaned back, resting her head against the wall. "So... about all of this. The Void. The monsters. The rifts." She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "How did it all start? How do people like you—like us—end up with these abilities?"
Selene tilted her head, a distant look in her eyes as if she were staring at something far away, something only she could see. "It started with the Void. At least, that's what the stories say. When it showed up—no one really knows how or why—things got... messy. Whole realms started unraveling, timelines collapsing, creatures slipping through cracks where they didn't belong."
Juno listened, the weight of Selene's words settling deep in her bones.
"The gods, legends, ancient forces—whatever you want to call them—they couldn't stop the Void alone. So they started... blessing people. Gifting them with pieces of their power, calling us the blessed ones. Aspects of the universe, carved into human form. That's where we come in."
"'Blessed ones,' huh?" Juno muttered, her voice thick with sarcasm. "Doesn't exactly feel like a blessing."
Selene let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Believe me."
There was a pause, the kind that invited truths to surface.
"So," Selene said, her voice quieter now. "How'd you end up here, Timekeeper?"
Juno exhaled slowly, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. "I grew up in foster care. Aetherion chews people up and spits them out, and I guess I just... never found my place. I always felt disconnected, like I was just an artist, passing through someone else's story."
She hesitated, then continued. "The Aspect of Time found me. Or maybe I found it. I don't really know. But it told me I had a job to do. That I had to stop the rifts, keep things from falling apart."
"The Aspect of Time is cold. Just like that?" Selene asked, eyebrows raised.
"Just like that," Juno echoed bitterly.
"Hmm. I see. Well at least time already made a move. You have to be careful as other blessed ones would want to take your power, you're quiet famous now due to the prophecy that a timekeeper might be able to stop everything."
Me? Stop everything? Just like that? I can't. That is impossible.
"Well that might just be a rumor." Juno replied.
"Perhaps. I expect much more better of you." Selene said so coldly.
But she leaned back, propping herself up on her elbows. "Well anyway, you're lucky. My story's not so clean."
Juno glanced at her. "Yeah? What's your deal?"
Selene's smile was sharp and humorless. "I was born into a family of star diviners, using the universal stars like the one you call uhm... astrology. Big on tradition, rules, and all that nonsense. They tried to mold me into their perfect little puppet, but I... didn't exactly cooperate."
"Rebel, huh?" Juno said with a faint smile.
"Something like that." Selene's gaze darkened. "The Aspect of the Remnant of Stars and the Past took notice. Thought I was a waste of potential. Gave me its blessing, then kicked me out. Said I was unworthy of its gifts. My family hated me for it. And I hated them right back."
Juno didn't know what to say to that. For a moment, they sat in silence, two strangers with too much history between them and nowhere left to go. Juno finally understood how she got her title of the Exile of the Stars, and it must be depressing that she doesn't say it earlier.
Eventually, Selene yawned, stretching out like a cat. "Well, that's enough doom and gloom for one night. We've got plenty of rifts to worry about tomorrow."
Juno chuckled softly, surprising herself. It felt strange—laughing, here, in a broken world. But it also felt... nice.
She lay back on the bed, pulling one of the thin blankets over herself. Selene did the same, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Juno let herself relax.
The night stretched on, quiet and peaceful, and under a sky filled with unfamiliar stars, Juno finally drifted into sleep.
For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel alone.