The floating city of Celestria was a world of glass towers and silvered spires, where the rich soared on airships, and the poor were left to scavenge the clouds below. It was a place where the skies held secrets—secrets that could change everything.
But on this day, in the Skyfall Bazaar, those secrets were close to the ground. Hidden beneath a web of gleaming, hovering towers, this forgotten corner of the city pulsed with life—a chaotic mix of underground traders, renegades, and dreamers who dealt in goods too dangerous for the light of day.
Caius stood among them, his usual world of opulent ballrooms and polished floors a distant memory. Dressed in the simple garb of a commoner, his dark hair tousled and his eyes masked by the shadows of his cloak, he wandered through the crowded marketplace. His heart beat faster with every step he took, a thrill he couldn't quite place.
It had been days since he had snuck away from his family's estate—since he had ignored the whispered warnings from his father and ventured into the unknown. Here, beneath the floating city, no one knew him as the heir to House Vaelen, one of Celestria's most influential families. Here, he was just another face in the crowd.
But there was something more that drew him here, something he couldn't resist. The stories of the Skyshards, relics of a forgotten past, had haunted him for years. Tales whispered of crystals that could control the power of Aetherion, the magical force that kept the floating cities aloft. And Caius had seen something—something that had called to him. A flicker of light, a memory of power, just beyond his reach.
As he passed a stall, his gaze fell upon a glint of light. He stopped, eyes narrowing on the delicate crystal at the merchant's booth. It was a Skyshard, pulsing faintly with an unnatural glow. The merchant—a haggard man with a patch over one eye—caught his attention.
"Ah, you have an eye for fine things," the merchant said, his voice low and gravelly. "A rare piece, this one. From the depths of the old city, no doubt."
Caius moved closer, fingers brushing the cool surface of the crystal. It hummed beneath his touch, just like the strange sensation he'd felt weeks ago—the same feeling that had awakened something inside him. His breath caught.
Before he could speak, a voice cut through the noise of the market.
"You shouldn't be touching that."
Aurelia Skylar stood before him, a woman with a fierce gaze that pinned him in place. Her clothes were practical, worn from years of use, and her dark hair was tied back in a simple knot. She looked nothing like the noblewomen he was used to, yet there was something about her that was impossible to ignore—something sharp and dangerous.
Caius tilted his head, intrigued. "And why's that?"
Aurelia's eyes flicked to the Skyshard in his hand. She stepped closer, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "Because you don't know what you're dealing with."
The air between them crackled with an energy that felt almost alive—like the very sky above them was watching. Aurelia seemed to sense it too, her eyes widening for just a moment before her expression hardened again.
"I know more about these things than you think," she continued, her tone laced with warning. "You're not the first noble to come down here and pretend to understand magic you have no right to. But you're playing with fire."
Caius couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I'm just trying to understand what it is that's been calling to me."
Aurelia's gaze narrowed. "It's not something you can understand with curiosity alone," she said sharply. "The Skyshards aren't just relics—they're weapons. And if you don't know how to use them, they'll destroy you."
Before he could respond, a shout rang out from the edge of the market. The city guards were closing in, their uniforms flashing in the dim light. Aurelia cursed under her breath and grabbed Caius by the arm, pulling him into the throng of people.
"Come on," she hissed, her grip firm around his wrist. "If you don't want to end up in a cell, follow me."
Caius hesitated for a moment, but something in her eyes—something that spoke of both danger and desperation—made him follow. They darted through the narrow streets, weaving through crowds and alleyways, until they found a moment of stillness in a hidden alcove.
As they paused, catching their breath, Caius looked at her, something stirring inside him. He couldn't explain it—this pull, this magnetic connection between them. She was unlike anyone he had ever met.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice low, yet filled with an unexpected edge of curiosity.
Aurelia's eyes met his, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath.
"My name is Aurelia Skylar," she said, her voice steady. "And you, noble boy, just stepped into a game much bigger than you realize."
And so, their paths—fated and tied to the ancient, dangerous power of Aetherion—began.