Beyond Worlds, Beneath the Star God

The days passed slowly in the quiet village of Windrest.

Kun had been given a small room in the back of the old barn, a place where the morning sun leaked through wooden cracks and the smell of hay never left. He helped the villagers with simple tasks—hauling water, carrying wood, and tending to the goats. Nothing heroic. Nothing "starborn."

And that was exactly how he wanted it.

Each night, he practiced in secret—watching the blue glow of the Starfire dance quietly across his palm, only to extinguish it before it could burn through the floor. He refused to reveal it. Not yet.

To the world, Kun was just a slightly strange, weak fire-attuned outsider.

But one morning, everything changed.

---

It started with a knock.

Not on a door, but on the old mage's tower, a crooked stone spire that jutted from the edge of the village like a leaning tooth. Kun had been summoned by Master Elandor to help clean the lower archives.

When he arrived, someone else was already inside.

She stood near a dusty bookshelf, holding a glowing crystal in her hand. Her hair was short and silver, tied in a rough ponytail, and her robes—though clearly worn—carried intricate gold embroidery around the cuffs. Her eyes were sharp, calculating, but full of curiosity.

Kun blinked.

She blinked back.

"You're the outsider?" she asked, her voice smooth but cautious.

Kun nodded. "I guess I am."

She frowned, tapping the crystal against her palm. "You don't look like much."

"Well, that's the idea," Kun muttered.

---

Master Elandor emerged from the back room, holding a steaming teapot and three cups. "Ah, good, you've met."

"This is Lyra, my apprentice. She studies elemental convergence. Lyra, this is… Kun. From another realm."

Lyra narrowed her eyes. "Another realm, and yet you barely light a spark?"

Kun raised a brow. "I'm more of a water-fetcher these days."

Elandor chuckled. "He has fire affinity, low grade. But stable. We'll begin training him with first-tier spells today."

"Won't that be boring?" Lyra asked.

"It will," Kun replied.

The girl cracked a tiny smirk. "Well, at least you're honest."

---

Training, or Pretending

Later that day, Kun was sent to the training yard behind the tower. There, a charred wooden target stood against a stone wall, scarred by years of magical practice. Elandor handed him a weathered spell primer titled Basic Ignition for Beginners.

Kun pretended to struggle.

He mumbled the chant. Focused on his palm. Tried to make the weakest flame possible. A tiny spark flickered, hissed, and fizzled into smoke.

"Again," Lyra said, watching from the fence with crossed arms.

He tried again. Another tiny flicker. Just enough to pass as real effort.

"You're doing it wrong," she said, hopping over the fence. "You're thinking too much. Magic isn't math—it's a rhythm."

She stepped behind him, pressed her fingers lightly against his back, and guided his hand forward. "Breathe. Let it flow. Fire listens to confidence, not caution."

Kun almost laughed. If only you knew what's really in my veins.

Still, he went along with her instructions—and let the tiniest wisp of flame appear. It hovered in his palm for half a second before disappearing.

"Better," Lyra said, though her tone still carried skepticism.

---

Curiosity and Suspicion

That evening, as the two of them sat by the training yard watching the sunset bleed over the hills, Lyra spoke without turning.

"You're hiding something."

Kun stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"You pretend to be average. But you never ask questions like a beginner. You react too quickly. You don't flinch around unstable elements. And when you walk, you look up—like you're still looking for stars."

Kun stayed silent.

"I'm not accusing you of anything. Yet," she added, shooting him a sideways glance. "But I will find out."

Kun smiled faintly. "Good luck with that."

Lyra looked at him for a long second—studying his posture, his guarded face—then shook her head and stood. "I'll see you tomorrow, fireless traveler."

She left with a sweep of her cloak, leaving behind only footprints in the dirt.

---

Meanwhile, Far Above...

High in the stratosphere, beyond even the highest mountain peaks, the air shimmered as something vast stirred.

A golden sigil pulsed briefly in the heavens—unseen by mortals—and then faded.

The Watcher watched still.

He had given Kun power not meant for this world. But power draws attention.

And in a realm where gods sleep, stars fall, and dragons dream—

nothing stays hidden forever.