The room pulsed with an eerie glow, the air thick with an energy Kai had never felt before. The Keeper of the Veil stood before him, her gaze unreadable, her presence both commanding and unsettling.
"You've touched the Celestial Echo," she said, her voice like the hum of an ancient melody. "And now, you must face the truth it carries."
Kai's fingers twitched. The instrument still rested in his grasp, its strings humming softly, as if whispering secrets only he could hear. His mind was a storm of questions, but he knew only one thing for certain there was no turning back.
"I saw her," he said, his voice hoarse. "The woman in silver. I don't even know her name, but... I know I've met her before."
The Keeper tilted her head slightly, as if assessing him. "Her name is Lyra," she finally said. "And you have not only met her before you have loved her beyond time itself."
Kai's breath caught. The name stirred something deep inside him, like a note played on a forgotten instrument. "Who is she to me?"
The Keeper stepped closer. "She is your soul's counterpart. But fate is not kind to those who defy its design. You lost her once, and if you are not careful, you will lose her again."
A cold weight settled in Kai's chest. "Lost her how?"
The Keeper sighed, the flickering light casting long shadows across her face. "You were betrayed. And in that betrayal, the cycle of loss began."
Kai's jaw clenched. "By who?"
The Keeper shook her head. "That is for you to uncover. The Celestial Echo will guide you, but the path ahead is dangerous. Your past life ended in tragedy, and its echoes still haunt this world. If you wish to break the cycle, you must face the truth… no matter how painful it is."
Kai felt the weight of her words settle on him like a mantle. He had stepped into something far greater than he understood, yet he couldn't walk away. Not now. Not when Lyra was still out there, waiting just like she had before.
Taking a deep breath, he looked down at the Celestial Echo and plucked a string.
The world blurred.
A vision erupted before him flashes of fire, a silver blade, a scream torn from his soul. He saw Lyra reaching for him, her eyes filled with despair. Behind her, a shadowed figure loomed, a dagger raised high.
The vision shattered, and Kai stumbled, gasping for air.
His hands were shaking. The echoes of the past were growing stronger.
The Keeper's voice was calm, but firm. "The past does not lie, Kai. But now, the question remains what will you do with it?"
Kai steadied himself. He already knew the answer.
He would find Lyra. And this time, he would not lose her.