STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

Lucien stood apart, just another face in the crowd. His features were sharp and calm, his neatly trimmed dark hair catching the reflection of the projection. He stood taller than most, though he made no effort to stand out.

The wrist device strapped to his arm vibrated—a reminder that the broadcast had synced to his personal feed, piping the message directly into his earpiece. Lucien frowned, his thumb brushing over the device's sleek interface.

The Celestial Speaker ’s voice repeated, unwavering. "Let us honor this moment as proof of what we have built together."

Lucien flicked a setting on the wrist device. The voice cut out abruptly, leaving only the buzz of the drones above. He exhaled, the ambient noises soothing, yet an irritation stirred in the pit of his stomach. Harmony. Peace. Balance.

He didn ’t know why he stayed. Maybe it was habit. Maybe it was easier than drawing attention by walking away. The hologram faded, but the irritation lingered, humming beneath his skin like the ever-present drones above.

***

Lucien stepped into his building and scanned his wrist device across the access panel. The door clicked open with perfect efficiency. He ascended to his one-bedroom apartment, where everything was clean, minimal, and exactly where it was supposed to be. The pristine white walls seemed to glow in the morning light filtering through the narrow blinds. His kitchen counter was immaculate, empty except for a nutrient box containing his pre-assigned breakfast. He set it aside without a glance.

His attention drifted to the Chart of Life, displayed on a slim tablet resting by his bedside table. The interface displayed an intricate star map of lines and points forming a carefully calculated destiny. He picked it up and began scrolling.

The morning’s broadcast lingered in his mind as his thumb slid across the screen. He didn ’t usually bother with public events—avoiding the crowds, the drone cameras, and the ever-cheerful faces eager to absorb AstroSYS’s soothing words. But today had been different. The planetary alignment was rare, a once-in-a-lifetime event the Celestial Speaker had been hyping for weeks. There was an unspoken expectation that everyone would attend, and if he hadn’t shown up for the official declaration, someone—his neighbors, his co-workers —would have noticed.

Life was easier when he followed the rules, kept his head down, and

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