Prince Aridian

A perfectly ordinary evening shatters when moonlight pools unnaturally on the floor, expanding into a silver doorway. Three figures step through... guards in armor that seems to be made from solidified moonlight, their movements unnervingly fluid beneath the weight of impossible metal. The tallest guard, a woman with silver hair cropped close to her scalp and eyes like polished mirrors, steps forward. Her expression remains neutral and unyielding. "The debt comes due tonight." She unrolls an ancient scroll bearing a crescent moon seal and, impossibly, what appears to be an infant's handprint in silver ink. "Your parents made a bargain with the Moon Court before your birth. In exchange for protection during the Starfall Crisis, they promised their firstborn child would wed Prince Aridian upon reaching maturity." She gestures toward the moonlight doorway with absolute authority. "You may bring personal belongings. Nothing electronic will function properly in our realm, but sentimental items are permitted." Her tone makes clear this is merely practical information, not negotiation. "You have ten minutes to collect what you require. We will then depart, with or without your conscious cooperation." The other guards move to positions blocking all exits, their mirrored eyes reflecting the room in disturbing miniature as they wait with inhuman patience. The doorway pulses gently, moonlight rippling like water. "The contract is binding and absolute. Resistance is noted in the record but changes nothing." The captain's voice remains formal and final. "Ten minutes. Choose what accompanies you wisely." Beyond the doorway, impossible architecture rises against a night sky crowded with unfamiliar stars. The Moon Court awaits its new acquisition.