Morning Sunshine Over Astraelion Does not dawn as Riku likes. Instead of golden brightness crossing the horizon, a diffuse glow of silver illuminates the sky. Starlights will not be obliterated from the horizon because in a perpetually starry sky, constellations shine faintly as they pretend not to leave the care of the world to Earth.
Riku blinked open his eyes. The grass beneath him was dewy and cool. Curled up on his chest, a kitten from the night before lay sleeping, its little body rising and falling in steady breaths.
"Still here, huh?" he muttered, scratching behind its ears.
Memories of the previous day flooded back—the truck, the void, the Shadow Star. A glance down at his chest confirmed it wasn't a dream. The dark sigil still pulsed faintly, a constant reminder of the cosmic burden he now carried.
He sat up to find Erynn waiting a few feet away, her hands clasped in front of her. Her priestess robes glimmered faintly in the morning light, the intricate embroidery catching every hint of silver.
"Good morning," she said softly.
Riku stretched, wincing as his muscles protested. "Morning," he replied, his voice heavy with sleep. "Or whatever time it is in this. starlit wonderland."
Erynn smiled faintly but did not say anything. "The villagers have prepared something for you to eat. They are wary, but they are trying. That is a good sign."
"Wary? That's putting it lightly." Riku stood, brushing grass off his clothes. "I'm the guy marked with the one star everybody is scared of, right? Doesn't exactly scream welcome wagon.
"They do not understand the Shadow Star," Erynn said gently. "To them, it's a symbol of chaos. But I think it's more than that."
Riku raised an eyebrow. "You're oddly optimistic for someone who is supposed to fear me."
Her smile didn't budge. "I do not fear what I do not understand. Besides, stars don't make mistakes. If you were chosen, then there must be a reason."
It was already stirring when Riku and Erynn arrived in the village. Farmers were tending to crops that seemed to glow faintly in the ever-present starlight. Children darted between the wooden houses, their laughter mingling with the soft hum of magic in the air.
Riku caught a few wary glances as he passed, but no one said anything. A few older villagers whispered to each other, their faces grim, but they kept their distance.
Erynn took him to a small table set up near the heart of the village. It was a simple meal in store for him: bread fresh from the oven, a bowl of steaming soup, and a mass of fruit that glowed faintly with a soft blue light.
Riku eyed the food suspiciously. "It's not going to turn me into a glowing tree, is it?"
Erynn laughed, a sound that was both light and genuine. "No, it's perfectly safe. Try it."
Hunger proved stronger than caution, and Riku dug into the bread. To his amazement, it was warm, with a touch of sweetness to the taste. Soup was thick, filling. Fruit burst, tangy freshness that defied an identification.
He could become accustomed to this, he admitted between bites.
Erynn watched him eat. Her features were thoughtful. "You are taking this better than I was expecting."
"Taking what?"
"Being. here. In Astraelion. Most people would be overwhelmed by now."
Riku paused, the last piece of bread halfway to his mouth. He thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "Maybe I haven't had time to process it yet. Or maybe. I didn't have much tying me back to my old world."
Erynn's expression softened. She began to open her mouth, and just before anything escaped her lips, something crashed on the edge of the village.
A youth tumbled into the village with a look of terror frozen upon his face. Sweat and exhaustion streamed from him. His sword at side was hardly noticed due to his jerky hand that flailed across it or his bulging eyes. End
The villagers froze, their chatter silenced in an instant.
Erynn stood abruptly, her expression sharp. "How far?"
"Not far," the man gasped. "A pack of shadow hounds. They tore through the western fields—heading straight for us!"
Panic rippled through the crowd. Mothers pulled their children close, while a few men grabbed makeshift weapons—pitchforks, axes, anything within reach.
Riku frowned, standing as well. "Shadow hounds? That sounds bad."
They're beasts born of corrupted star energy," Erynn said quickly. "Savage, relentless, and drawn to darkness. We have to act fast."
She looked at the villagers, speaking over the whispered fears. "Get inside! Barricade those doors and windows. Wait until it's safe!"
What about you?" Riku asked, his pulse going.
I'll stop them, she said firmly.
Alone?"
I did it before.
Riku hesitated. He did not know much about this world, but he knew that letting her alone and facing the pack of monsters was just not something to be done. He glanced down at his hands and remembered that strange power from the previous day.
The Shadow Star. it's dangerous, he thought. But if it can help.
"I'm coming with you," he said, steady in his voice.
Erynn blinked. "Are you sure?
"No," Riku admitted. "But I can't just sit here while you risk your life. Besides." He glanced at the mark on his chest. "If this thing makes me a magnet for trouble, I might as well use it."
Erynn's expression softened. "Thank you. Stay close to me—and don't do anything reckless."
"No promises," Riku muttered, following her toward the western fields.
The fields were strangely silent when they arrived, the air heavy with tension. Crops lay trampled and torn, and a faint stench of something foul lingered.
"They're close," Erynn said, her voice low. She held her staff tightly, its tip glowing with a soft white light.
Riku scanned the ground, his heart racing. He didn't have a weapon, nor did he know anything about fighting. But something inside him shifted-a dark, restless energy that hummed in harmony with the Shadow Star mark.
Silence was shattered by a low growl.
From the forest shadows, a pack of creatures emerged. They were nothing Riku had ever seen—massive, wolf-like beasts with fur as black as midnight and glowing red eyes. Their movements were unnaturally fluid, as if they were more shadow than flesh.
The largest of the pack stepped forward, its growl deep and resonant. It locked eyes with Riku, and for a moment, he felt the weight of its gaze—a searing hatred that seemed to pierce straight through him.
"They sense the Shadow Star," Erynn said, her voice tense. "Stay behind me!"
Before Riku could respond, the hounds lunged.
Erynn raised her staff, and a shimmering barrier erupted around them. The first hound slammed into it with a snarl, recoiling as the magic burned its shadowy form.
But the others weren't deterred. They circled the barrier, their red eyes gleaming with predatory intent.
"This isn't going to hold forever," Erynn said through gritted teeth. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she channeled her magic.
Riku's hands clenched into fists. The restless energy inside him grew stronger, pulsing in time with the mark on his chest. He didn't know how to control it, but he couldn't just stand there.
"I'm going to try something," he said.
"What? No—"
Before she could stop him, Riku stepped out of the barrier.
The hounds reacted instantly, their snarls growing louder as they turned their attention to him. The largest one lunged, its jaws snapping inches from his face.
Instinct took over.
Riku raised his hand, and a surge of dark energy erupted from his palm. It struck the hound mid-air, sending it crashing to the ground. The beast howled in pain, its form flickering like a dying flame before it dissolved into shadow.
The other hounds held back, their movements uncertain.
Riku looked at his hand, the remains of the energy still crackling around his fingers. He felt stronger, but the power came with a strange heaviness, as if it were trying to consume him.
"Riku!" Erynn's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
The rest of the hounds lunged. But this time, Riku was prepared. He extended both hands, and dark tendrils of energy shot out, wrapping around the beasts. They struggled and thrashed, but the energy tightened, crushing them until they dissolved.
With the last of the hounds to fall, silence returned to the fields.
Riku fell onto his knees, breathing hard. The energy receded, leaving him drained but alive.
Erynn rushed to his side, her face a mix of relief and worry. "You okay?"
"I think so," he said, even though his body throbbed and his head pulsed.
She steadied him to his feet, her grip firm. "That was reckless—but amazing. You're stronger than I thought."
"Yeah, well." He cast a glance at the mark on his chest. "I guess I have this to thank for that."
Erynn looked at him for a moment before she smiled. "Thanks, Riku. You saved the village today."
He shrugged, trying to play it off. "Don't mention it."
But as they walked back to the village, Riku couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The Shadow Star's power was vast—and dangerous. And if this world truly needed him, he would have to learn how to control it before it controlled him.