Kai sat by the riverbank, the Celestial Echo resting on his lap, glowing faintly in the moonlight. The encounter with Lyra left his mind spinning, her words echoing like an endless song in his head.
"Our souls are bound... we have met before, Kai."
He still couldn't fully grasp it yet something deep within him believed her.
As he absentmindedly plucked the strings of the Echo, a soft, haunting melody filled the air. It was as though the stars themselves were singing back to him. He closed his eyes, letting the music flow through his fingers.
Suddenly, the air shimmered, and the world around him seemed to fade away.
Kai opened his eyes to find himself standing in a vast field under a sky bursting with a million stars, brighter and closer than he had ever seen. In the distance, he saw Lyra, her silver hair flowing, her eyes reflecting the universe itself.
"You found your way back to me," she whispered, stepping closer.
Kai's heart pounded as he reached out his hand. "Lyra, what is this place? Why do I feel like I've been here before?"
She smiled, a mix of sadness and hope in her gaze. "Because you have. This is where we made our vow, Kai. A promise sealed by fate itself."
Flashes of a distant memory surged through him standing here under the stars, holding Lyra's hands, vowing to find her no matter how many lifetimes passed.
"You are the key to awakening the Echo fully," Lyra said softly. "And when you do, you'll remember everything who we were, and why we were torn apart."
Kai felt a surge of determination. "Then tell me how. I want to remember. I want to protect you."
Lyra shook her head gently. "The path must unfold naturally. But know this danger is near. Not everyone wants us to reunite. The Echo's power threatens forces you cannot yet see."
As the vision began to fade, Lyra whispered one last time, "Trust your heart, Kai. It remembers even when your mind does not."
Kai gasped as he returned to the riverbank, the music still lingering in the air. He looked up at the stars, his resolve stronger than ever.
"I'll find you, Lyra," he vowed. "No matter what."
But in the shadows nearby, unseen eyes watched him waiting, plotting.
The game of fate had begun.