The Starlight Curse

In a world where magic coursed through the veins of the earth, two beings existed on opposite sides of a forbidden divide. Selene, a Moonweaver, could spin silver threads of moonlight to weave dreams and illusions. Eryx, a Starborn, was born of stardust, destined to blaze across the heavens and never linger in one place for too long. The laws of their realms forbade them from meeting, for the Moonweavers drew their power from the stillness of the night, while the Starborn thrived in endless movement and light.

But fate, as always, cared little for rules.

The story began on the floating city of Astrae, where mortals came to marvel at the magical markets and ethereal skies. Selene was there to collect moonstone dust, her pale skin glowing faintly under the city’s perpetual twilight. Eryx was passing through, trailing cosmic sparks as he searched for a rare star map rumored to exist in Astrae’s archives.

They met by accident—or perhaps destiny—when their paths crossed in the Hall of Mirrors, a mystical labyrinth reflecting every possible version of oneself. Selene was drawn to a mirror where she saw herself wrapped in a constellation of stars, her usual loneliness replaced with warmth.

Eryx saw her reflection, too, and for the first time in his wandering life, he felt tethered to something—someone.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” she whispered when their eyes met.

“Neither are you,” he replied, his voice like the hum of galaxies spinning.

They should have walked away, but instead, they wandered deeper into the labyrinth together, each step defying the laws of their realms.

For months, they met in secret across magical borders. Selene wove illusions to conceal Eryx’s starlight whenever he descended to her moonlit glades. Eryx used his cosmic speed to whisk Selene to places she’d only dreamed of—floating islands in the Sapphire Archipelago, deserts of singing sand, and the Aurora Trenches where the skies bled colors.

Their love was a tapestry woven from stolen moments, but each thread frayed under the weight of their doomed reality. Moonweavers were bound to the cycles of the night; leaving their realm for too long would drain their life force. Starborn could never stay still for long; to linger meant they would burn out, their essence consumed by the very stardust that gave them life.

And so, the cracks began to show.

One fateful night, Eryx brought Selene to the Celestial Summit, a peak where the boundary between realms was thinnest. He had found a way—a forbidden ritual—that could bind them together, fusing their magic so they could exist as one.

“This is madness,” Selene whispered, her voice trembling. “If the Elders find out—”

“They won’t,” Eryx interrupted, his eyes blazing. “I can’t lose you, Selene. I’ve traveled across the cosmos, seen wonders mortals couldn’t fathom, but none of it means anything without you.”

Selene hesitated. She wanted to believe in their love, in the impossible dream Eryx painted, but deep down, she knew the price.

Still, she nodded. “Let’s do it.”

The ritual was beautiful and terrible. Eryx carved runes into the air with starlight, while Selene wove threads of moonlight to anchor the magic. For one fleeting moment, they felt the impossible: their souls merging, their magic intertwining, their hearts beating as one.

But then, the Elders came.

A thunderous crack split the sky as the Moonweaver Matriarch and the Starborn Council descended. Their faces were etched with fury and sorrow. “You dare defy the natural order?” the Matriarch bellowed.

Eryx stood in front of Selene, shielding her. “We’re not harming anyone. We just want to be together!”

The Starborn Council shook their heads. “You’ve already doomed yourselves. The magic you’ve summoned is unstable. It will destroy you both.”

Selene’s threads began to unravel, her glow flickering like a dying candle. Eryx’s starlight dimmed, cracks spreading across his skin like broken glass. They clung to each other as the Elders chanted a spell to sever the bond and restore balance.

As the spell reached its climax, Selene and Eryx shared one final look.

“I’ll find you,” Eryx whispered, his voice breaking. “In every life, in every star, I’ll find you again.”

Selene pressed her lips to his, her tears shimmering like moonlight. “And I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes.”

With a blinding flash, the ritual ended.

Selene’s body crumpled to the ground, her threads of moonlight dissolving into the night. Eryx exploded into a burst of stardust, his essence scattering across the sky.

The Elders left in silence, their faces heavy with regret. Above, a new constellation appeared—a weaver holding hands with a star, frozen together in the heavens.

Generations later, lovers would look to the sky and whisper the legend of Selene and Eryx. They were a reminder that love, though powerful, could also be the most tragic magic of all. And as travelers gazed at the constellation, they swore they could feel the warmth of their love still lingering in the night.