The air was still, thick with the remnants of the strange event that had just unfolded. Kairos stood frozen in place, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what had happened. His reflection in the mirror still seemed surreal—his eyes, glowing faintly with that unfamiliar energy, his skin carrying an almost otherworldly aura. His body felt lighter, as if he had shed some invisible weight. It was as though he had been reborn.
But as he tried to grasp what had just occurred, his phone buzzed again. The message from Selene Ashford stared back at him from the screen.
"Kairos, are you alright? I… I saw what happened at the store earlier. You saved me. I don't know who you are, but we need to talk."
His fingers trembled as he typed a reply, still trying to process everything. What store? he thought. I don't even know who she is. But his instincts told him there was something important about this girl.
He hesitated for a moment before responding. "I'm fine. Who are you? What happened at the store?"
Almost immediately, the reply came: "I saw you… You're not who you appear to be. You saved me from a group of men, but you did something… strange. I need to know what's going on. Meet me at the old library. It's important."
The urgency in her words caught him off guard. The message had no trace of hesitation or fear—just a quiet, determined tone. And that was enough to pull Kairos into action.
The night air was cool as he stepped out of the house, the moon casting long shadows across the streets. The city was quiet, too quiet, as though holding its breath for something unknown. Kairos moved quickly, his footsteps carrying him through the dimly lit streets. His thoughts kept drifting back to what had happened in the study earlier: the relic, the power that surged through him, and the strange voice that had called him to rise. He couldn't make sense of it, but there was no mistaking the strange feeling that something far greater than himself was at work.
He arrived at the old library in less than ten minutes, the building standing in eerie silence. It was a relic of the past, a place few people visited anymore. The heavy wooden doors creaked as he pushed them open, stepping into the dimly lit interior. The faint scent of old books and dust filled the air, and the sound of his footsteps echoed in the empty hall.
"Selene?" Kairos called softly, his voice carrying into the silence.
A figure stepped from behind a row of bookshelves, a girl with long, dark hair and strikingly sharp eyes. She was taller than most girls his age, with an athletic build that seemed to be cloaked in quiet grace. But there was something more to her—a presence that felt… ancient. Her gaze locked onto his with an intensity that made Kairos feel as if she could see right through him.
"You came," she said, her voice soft but firm, as though she had been waiting for him for a long time. "I was starting to think you wouldn't."
Kairos swallowed, his heart beating faster. "I... I don't even know who you are. What do you mean, I saved you?"
Selene stepped forward, her eyes flickering with recognition. "You saved me at the market today. From those men. You didn't just fight them—" She paused, looking him over with a calculating gaze. "You... changed."
Kairos furrowed his brow. He still didn't remember the incident she was talking about. All he remembered was walking down the street when the strange sensation had overtaken him.
"What do you mean I changed?" Kairos asked, his voice laced with suspicion. "I don't remember anything about that."
Selene gave him a measured look. "I think you're more than you realize, Kairos. What happened to you... it wasn't just a coincidence. You're not like other people. I can see it."
He took a step back, his mind a whirlwind of questions. "What are you talking about? And why do you care?"
She smiled, but there was an edge to it—a knowing smile that made Kairos' skin prickle. "Because I've seen what you're becoming. And trust me, you're not the only one with secrets."
Kairos didn't know how to respond. For a moment, they just stood there in the library, the heavy silence stretching between them. He wanted to turn and run, to leave this place and pretend none of this had ever happened. But something inside him refused to let go. He couldn't explain it, but he felt drawn to her.
"What do you mean 'becoming'?" he asked quietly, the words slipping out before he could stop himself. "What's happening to me?"
Selene's eyes softened, and she nodded. "I don't know everything yet. But I can help you understand. You've unlocked something, something that's been dormant for a long time. It's called the Celestial System. And with it, you're destined for much more than you realize."
Kairos took a step forward, the weight of her words settling on his shoulders. "Celestial System?" He repeated the words under his breath, trying to make sense of them. The name felt… familiar, as though it resonated within him in a way that couldn't be explained.
Selene nodded. "The system you've unlocked doesn't just give you power. It changes you. It's an evolutionary path, a journey that tests your strength, your mind, and your very soul."
A chill ran down Kairos' spine. "What do you mean by 'evolution'? What exactly is this power?"
"That," Selene said, her eyes narrowing, "is something only you can discover for yourself. But I can guide you." She hesitated, as though weighing something in her mind. "I'll be honest with you, Kairos. There are others out there—people who want to use the power of the Celestial System for their own purposes. People who have been searching for you."
A knot tightened in Kairos' stomach. "And you—why are you helping me?"
Selene gave him a small smile, though there was a sadness in her eyes. "Because you're not alone anymore. And because there's more to you than just a boy with strange powers."
Kairos could feel the weight of her words, the gravity of the situation beginning to settle over him. He didn't know why, but he felt as though everything in his life had led him to this point. The strange, inexplicable events of the past few days—the power surging through him, the mysteries that seemed to be unfolding before him—he had no choice but to follow the path ahead.
"Alright," he said quietly. "I'll trust you. But I need answers. All of them."
Selene nodded. "You will have them. But first, we need to make sure you're ready for what's coming. The path ahead isn't easy."
Kairos didn't reply. He simply nodded, feeling the strange power within him pulsing, calling him forward.
Something was about to change. Something that would change everything.