in Lyra's caution. The Ancient Ones had warned that the Shadowbound would use her quest against her if they discovered it. She forced herself to nod. "You're right. But we need a plan."
Over the following weeks, the sisters devised a strategy. Using their training sessions as cover, they began to create a map of Aethoria, marking locations where Lyra felt the resonances most strongly. Patterns emerged—certain areas of the crystal city seemed to produce stronger echoes than others.
"It's like following a trail of breadcrumbs," Jasmine observed as they added another point to their secret map, hidden within a light crystal that only they could activate. "But we're still missing something crucial."
"A catalyst," Lyra agreed. "Something that could strengthen the connection enough for us to pinpoint their exact locations."
The opportunity came unexpectedly during a training session with the possibility councilor's mentor, a being named Elysia whose form continuously shifted between potential futures. Elysia was teaching them about probability manipulation—the art of nudging events toward desired outcomes.
"Every choice creates branches," Elysia explained, her appearance flickering between different versions of herself. "Most beings can only perceive the path they're on, but with training, you can learn to glimpse the alternatives."
"Could this help find someone?" Jasmine asked, trying to sound casual. "Someone whose path has diverged from yours?"
Elysia's form stabilized momentarily, her expression thoughtful. "It could, especially if there was a pre-existing connection between you. Soul-bonds leave traces across probability space."
That evening, Jasmine and Lyra modified their plan. They would combine Jasmine's dimensional magic with Lyra's soul-binding abilities and the probability manipulation techniques Elysia had taught them. If successful, they might be able to create a temporary bridge across probability space to locate the specific souls they sought.
Their opportunity came during the Festival of Convergence, a celebration when the multiple moons of Aethoria aligned, causing a surge in magical energies throughout the realm. With everyone distracted by the festivities, the sisters slipped away to a secluded garden in the eastern quadrant of the crystal city.
"This is where the resonance was strongest," Lyra confirmed as they positioned themselves beneath a tree whose leaves shifted between silver and gold with each breath of wind.
Jasmine nodded, her heart pounding with anticipation. After a year of preparation, they were finally taking concrete action. "Ready?"
Lyra took her hands, their soul-bond humming with shared purpose. "Remember, we can only maintain the bridge for a few moments. Focus on your sisters' essences—not their appearances or names, but the feeling of their souls."
Together, they began the complex magical working. Jasmine channeled dimensional energy while Lyra directed it through their bond, shaping it with the techniques Elysia had taught them. The air around them began to shimmer, reality bending around them like light through a prism. Colors bled and swirled, the very fabric of Aethoria responding to their combined will.
"I can feel it," Jasmine whispered, her voice echoing strangely in the distorted space. "The connection is forming."
Through their shared consciousness, she focused on the essence of her sisters—not their human appearances, but the unique signature of their souls. Lila's bright, impulsive spirit. Mei's quiet, thoughtful presence. The love that had bound them together through the darkest moments of their human existence.
The air before them rippled, then tore open like a curtain being drawn aside. Through the rift, Jasmine could see fragmentary images—flashes of lives being lived in different parts of Aethoria. A young girl with copper-gold hair running through a meadow of luminescent flowers. Another, older figure bent over ancient texts in what appeared to be a vast library, her fingers tracing symbols that glowed at her touch.
"Lila," Jasmine breathed, recognizing the joyful abandon in the first girl's movements. "And Mei." The studious concentration of the second figure was unmistakable, even in this new form.
The images began to stabilize, the locations becoming clearer. The meadow was in the western reaches of Aethoria, near the Crystal Falls. The library belonged to the Archive of Ages, located beneath the Council spire itself.
But as the visions sharpened, a cold sensation swept through the garden. The leaves of the silver-gold tree froze in mid-shift, and shadows began to pool around the edges of their magical working.
"Someone's watching," Lyra hissed, her grip on Jasmine's hands tightening. "We need to close the bridge. Now!"
Before Jasmine could respond, a tendril of darkness shot through the rift, wrapping around the images of her sisters and pulling them into distortion.
"No!" Jasmine cried, instinctively reaching toward the fading visions. As her concentration broke, the bridge between probabilities began to collapse, but not before a voice—cold and ancient—whispered through the closing rift.
"Found you, twice-born child."
The garden snapped back to normal, the magical energies dissipating like mist in sunlight. Jasmine and Lyra fell backward onto the soft grass, their connection temporarily overloaded by the strain.
"What was that?" Jasmine gasped, her mind reeling from the intrusion.
Lyra's face had gone pale, her oceanic eyes wide with fear. "Saryx. He sensed our working." She scrambled to her feet, pulling Jasmine up. "We need to get back to the festival before anyone notices we're gone."
They rushed through the crystal city, the sounds of celebration growing louder as they approached the central plaza. The alignment of the moons had created a spectacular display of light, ribbons of color dancing across the sky as revelers watched in awe. Jasmine and Lyra slipped into the crowd, their hearts still racing.
"We need to tell Father," Lyra whispered as they navigated through the throng of celebrants.
"Not yet," Jasmine countered, her mind working furiously. "We found them, Lyra. We know where they are now. If we tell anyone, the Council might prevent us from reaching them."
"But Saryx knows," Lyra argued, her voice tight with worry. "He saw them too. What if he gets to them first?"
The thought sent ice through Jasmine's veins. She hadn't considered that possibility. If the Shadowbound leader found her sisters before she did...
"Then we move quickly," she decided. "Tomorrow. The Archive first—it's closer. Then the Crystal Falls."
Lyra looked uncertain but nodded. Their soul-bond thrummed with shared determination and fear. They spent the remainder of the festival maintaining appearances, smiling and participating in the celebrations while their minds raced with plans.
That night, as they prepared for bed in their shared chamber, a soft knock came at their door. Jasmine tensed, wondering if they had been discovered already. But when the door opened, it was Belga who entered, her violet eyes troubled.
"The void councilor sensed a disturbance during the festival," she said without preamble. "A reaching across probability space."
Jasmine and Lyra exchanged glances, their guilt evident. Belga sighed, sitting on the edge of Lyra's bed.
"I won't ask what you were seeking," she said softly. "But I must warn you—the Council is concerned. And your father..." She hesitated. "Gaelen has been summoned to a closed session. Something is happening, something beyond your search."
"What do you mean?" Jasmine asked, her heart rate accelerating.
Belga's expression grew more troubled. "There are rumors that the Shadowbound are mobilizing. Scouts report increased activity at the boundaries of our realm. Some fear Saryx is preparing for a direct assault."
"Because of me?" Jasmine whispered, horror creeping through her.
"Not just you," Belga assured her, though her tone lacked conviction. "The tensions between our people and the Shadowbound have existed for millennia. But..." She hesitated again. "Your arrival may have accelerated Saryx's plans."
Lyra moved closer to Jasmine, their shoulders touching in silent support. "What should we do?"
Belga looked between her daughters, conflict evident in her ethereal features. Finally, she reached into the folds of her flowing robe and withdrew a small crystal pendant.
"This was meant to be given to you on your naming day," she said, pressing it into Jasmine's palm. "But I think i will give you now and give you your new name in this world is Celebrië."
The crystal was warm against Jasmine's skin, pulsing gently with an inner light that seemed to respond to her heartbeat. She looked up at Belga, questions forming on her lips.
"It's a Heartstone," Belga explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "They are exceedingly rare, even in Aethoria. This one has been in my family for generations, passed from mother to daughter."
"What does it do?" Jasmine asked, turning the crystal in her palm. Within its depths, she could see shifting patterns of light, like galaxies being born and dying in miniature.
"It amplifies soul-connections," Belga said, glancing toward the door as if worried about being overheard. "With it, you can strengthen bonds that already exist—even those that have been forgotten or transformed."
Lyra gasped softly. "Like the bonds between Jasmine and her sisters."
Belga nodded, her expression a mixture of concern and resolve. "I cannot openly support your search—my position on the Council forbids it. But I am your mother first, Celebrië. If finding your sisters will bring you peace, then I will help as I can."
"Why tell us this now?" Jasmine asked, closing her fingers around the precious stone.
"Because time grows short," Belga replied, rising to her feet. "Whatever Saryx is planning, it will happen soon. The Council believes he needs something from you—perhaps related to your unique nature as a twice-born soul. If your sisters are truly here in Aethoria, finding them before he does may be crucial."
She moved to the door, pausing with her hand on the crystal handle. "Be careful, my daughters. Trust no one outside our family." With those words, she slipped away, leaving Jasmine and Lyra staring at each other in the soft glow of their chamber lights.
"Celebrië," Jasmine repeated, testing the name on her tongue. It felt strange yet oddly fitting—a bridge between her human past and Aethorian present. "My naming day wasn't supposed to be for another month."
"Mother knows we won't wait that long," Lyra said with a small smile. "She's giving you your true name now because she understands what we must do."
Jasmine nodded, feeling the weight of the Heartstone in her palm. With this, they could strengthen the tenuous connection to her reborn sisters. But using it would also alert both the Council and the Shadowbound to their actions.
"Tomorrow," she decided, slipping the crystal around her neck where it settled against her chest, warm and comforting. "We go to the Archive first thing in the morning."
Sleep came fitfully that night, Jasmine's dreams filled with shifting shadows and whispered warnings. Through their bond, she could feel Lyra's restless sleep as well, their shared anxiety manifesting in synchronized nightmares.
Dawn brought a pale golden light to Aethoria, the multiple moons setting as the twin suns began their ascent. Jasmine—now Celebrië—rose before Lyra, the Heartstone pulsing gently against her skin as if sensing her determination. She moved to the window, gazing out at the crystal city as it awakened.
Today would change everything. She could feel it with a certainty that transcended rational thought.
"You're already up," Lyra observed, sitting up in her bed. Through their bond, Jasmine could sense her sister's nervous excitement. "Did you sleep at all?"
"Enough," Jasmine replied, turning from the window. "We should move quickly, before Father returns from the Council session."
They dressed in practical attire—flowing garments in muted colors that wouldn't attract attention—and concealed the Heartstone beneath Jasmine's collar. As they prepared to leave, Jasmine hesitated, looking around the chamber that had been her home for the past year.
"We may not be coming back," she said softly. "At least not as we are now."
Lyra nodded, understanding the weight of what they were undertaking. "Whatever happens, we face it together."
The Archive of Ages lay beneath the Council spire, its entrance a spiral staircase of crystalline steps that descended deep into the foundation of Aethoria itself. Unlike the main Council chambers, which were restricted to officials and invited guests, the Archive was open to scholars and students of magical arts.
As they approached the entrance, Jasmine felt her pulse quicken. According to their vision, Mei—or the soul that had once been Mei—was somewhere within these ancient halls. The guard at the entrance, a tall Aethorian with amber eyes, barely glanced at them as they passed.
"Remember," Lyra whispered as they descended the stairs, "we're here to research dimensional theory for our studies."
The Archive opened before them, a vast chamber that seemed to stretch impossibly far in all directions. Books, scrolls, and crystalline data storage devices lined shelves that reached toward a ceiling lost in shadow. Scholars moved between the stacks, their forms sometimes blurring as they used minor teleportation spells to access higher levels.
"How will we find her in all this?" Jasmine whispered, momentarily overwhelmed by the scale of their task.
In response, Lyra took her hand, their bond flaring with shared purpose. "The Heartstone," she reminded her. "Let it guide us."
Jasmine closed her eyes, focusing on the warm crystal against her skin. She thought of Mei—not her human appearance, but the essence of her sister's soul. The quiet determination, the thoughtful nature, the deep well of compassion beneath her reserved exterior.
The Heartstone responded, its pulsing growing stronger, more directed. When Jasmine opened her eyes, she could see a faint trail of light—visible only to her and Lyra.
"Follow it," she whispered to Lyra, and together they moved deeper into the Archive, letting the luminous thread guide them through the labyrinthine stacks.
The path led them downward, through increasingly ancient sections where the air felt heavy with accumulated knowledge. Few scholars ventured this deep, and soon they found themselves alone among texts whose bindings were crafted from materials Jasmine couldn't identify.
There, bent over an ancient text, was a young Aethorian woman. Her hair was the deep blue of twilight, cascading down her back in intricate braids interwoven with strands that gleamed like starlight. Though her features were different—more angular, with the ethereal beauty of the Aethorians—there was something in her posture, in the careful way her fingers traced the lines of text, that was unmistakably Mei.
Jasmine froze, emotion overwhelming her. After a year of searching, of planning, her sister was mere steps away—yet in a form that would not recognize her.
"What now?" Lyra asked through their bond. "We can't simply approach her and claim she's your reborn sister."
Before Jasmine could respond, the young woman looked up, as if sensing their presence. Her eyes were a deep amber, flecked with gold—nothing like Mei's human eyes, yet holding the same thoughtful intensity.
"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice melodic but reserved. "This section is typically restricted to advanced scholars."
Jasmine stepped forward, the Heartstone burning against her skin. "We're researching dimensional theory," she said, falling back on their cover story. "Specifically, the connections between souls across different planes of existence."
The young woman's expression shifted from polite inquiry to genuine interest. "An unusual topic for ones so young." She gestured to the text before her. "I'm studying something similar—soul migration patterns following traumatic transitions."
Jasmine's heart skipped a beat. Even without her memories, this reborn version of Mei was drawn to studies that echoed her own past.
"I'm Celebrië," Jasmine introduced herself, using her Aethorian name for the first time. "And this is my sister, Lyra."
"Naira," the young woman replied with a slight inclination of her head. "I serve as Junior Archivist for the Transition Records." She hesitated, then added, "Your research interests me. Perhaps we could compare notes?"
Through their bond, Lyra sent a wave of cautious optimism. This was better than they could have hoped for—a natural opening to establish a connection.
"We'd like that," Jasmine said, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Actually, we're particularly interested in cases where human souls have crossed the veil into Aethoria."
The Heartstone's pulse quickened as they approached a secluded alcove tucked between towering shelves of crystalline tablets.