In the shimmering expanse of the Star Lantern Sea, countless lights swayed gently, guiding ships through the celestial currents. At its heart stood a towering lighthouse, its radiant glow orchestrating the celestial symphony that led lost vessels to safety. But one day, the lighthouse suddenly lost its guiding light.
Young repair technician Selen was dispatched to uncover the cause of the mysterious failure.
Upon arrival, Selen found the lighthouse eerily silent, resembling an abandoned ruin. In its dimly lit core sat a lone girl, her silver hair shimmering like scattered stardust.
“Are you the songstress of this lighthouse?” Selen asked hesitantly.
The girl slowly lifted her gaze. “I am Lyuka… I sustain the lighthouse with my song. But my power… it’s fading.”
Selen knew that without the songstress, the lighthouse could not function. However, Lyuka’s voice held an emptiness, a missing piece that once resonated with the stars.
“This isn’t just a mechanical failure,” Selen murmured, scanning the surroundings.
Lyuka nodded solemnly. “I’ve felt it too. There’s something hidden within this lighthouse—something that’s draining my song.”
Together, they began their search through the ancient halls of the lighthouse. After hours of meticulous investigation, they discovered an archaic mechanism—an artifact of forbidden technology said to manipulate the very laws of the universe. Lyuka’s voice, imbued with celestial energy, had unknowingly been sustaining this mechanism. If her song continued, it could disrupt the delicate balance of the Star Lantern Sea, plunging the cosmos into chaos.
“This… shouldn’t exist,” Selen declared, his voice firm.
Lyuka hesitated, her expression clouded with doubt. “But if we destroy it, I might lose my ability to sing… and if it spirals out of control…”
They debated long into the night, weighing the risks of action versus inaction.
That night, the lighthouse trembled softly. Beyond its walls, the distant star lanterns flickered and began to dim, one by one. The ancient mechanism had begun its final, chaotic surge.
Lyuka made her decision.
“Selen, I will sing. I’ll bring this power under control!”
With newfound determination, she raised her voice, and a radiant glow enveloped the lighthouse. Her song, delicate yet commanding, resonated through the void, weaving a melody of harmony and restoration. As the celestial tune grew in strength, the errant mechanism yielded, its destructive influence fading into silence.
But the price was steep. As Lyuka’s song reached its crescendo, her form dissolved into the very starry essence she once controlled.
When the lighthouse resumed its steady glow, Selen stood in silence, his heart heavy yet full of gratitude. He knew that Lyuka’s sacrifice had saved the Star Lantern Sea, and though she was gone, her presence lingered in every flicker of light.
Even as the cosmos continued its endless voyage, Selen would never forget the songstress who gave herself to the stars.
