Chapter 1
The rain started the same way it always did in this city — sudden, heavy, and
with no warning.
I pulled my hood over my head and stepped out of the café. My shift had run
late, and the air smelled of fresh coffee and wet streets. A few drops slid
down my cheek. Cold. Too cold.
The road ahead was empty. Most people had already gone home, hiding
under blankets and cups of tea. I liked this time of night — the quiet, the dim
lights, the way the puddles caught the streetlamps like tiny mirrors.
Halfway home, I heard it.
A sound. Not from the rain, not from the cars. It was… a low humming,
almost like a song played under water.
I stopped walking. The rain slowed, though I could still see it falling.
Then the streetlight above me flickered once… twice… and burst. Glass rained
down, hitting the ground with sharp clicks. I jumped back, my heart kicking in
my chest.
I looked up.
A man stood on the rooftop across the street. Long coat, silver hair, just
standing there in the rain, watching me.
For a moment, we didn't move. I couldn't see his face clearly, but I knew he
was looking straight at me.
Then, a blink later, he was gone.
A shiver ran down my back. Not from the cold — from something else.
I shook it off, pulling my hood tighter.
"Great," I muttered to myself. "First broken cups at work, now exploding
lights. What's next? A flying cow?"
It was easier to make a joke than admit my hands were still shaking.
By morning, the streetlight thing felt like a half-forgotten dream.
It was easier to pretend it never happened.
The sky was still gray when I got to the bus stop. My hair was a mess, and I
was too tired to care. I had my earbuds in, half-asleep, when someone
tapped my shoulder.
"Hey, excuse me—uh… you dropped this?"
I turned. A boy, about my age, holding out my bus pass. He had short black
hair that looked like he'd just run a hand through it a hundred times, and a
smile that didn't seem to fit the cloudy morning.
"Oh. Thanks," I said, taking it back.
"You're welcome. By the way… you're Aria, right?"
I froze for a second. "Do I… know you?"
"Nope." He grinned like he'd just said something perfectly normal.
"…Then how—?"
"Your name's written on the back." He pointed at the bus pass.
I blinked, then glanced at the small, faint letters I'd scribbled months ago.
"Oh. Right. Wow. I'm… stupid."
"Not stupid," he said. "Just… mildly unaware of your surroundings."
The bus came rumbling in, and I sat by the window. He sat down right next to
me, even though the bus was almost empty.
"You do this with strangers a lot?" I asked.
"Only with strangers who drop things."
I gave him a look. "And how often does that happen?"
He smiled again. "Just once so far."
Something about the way he said it made me roll my eyes and look out the
window. But I couldn't ignore the fact that I could feel him looking at me. Not
in a creepy way… just like he was curious.
And for some reason… that was more unsettling than the guy on the rooftop.
By the third day of seeing him on the bus, I decided it was officially weird.
Same stop. Same seat. Same stupid grin.
"Do you always take the 7:15?" I asked as we got off.
"Do you always ask questions you already know the answer to?"
"…You're annoying."
He just shrugged like he was fine with that title.
It wasn't until lunch break that I ran into him again — this time in front of the
old vending machine outside the library. He was standing there, frowning at
the glass like it had personally betrayed him.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"It ate my money."
"That's… tragic."
"I wanted that soda," he said, pointing at the can stuck halfway down. "And
now I'm dying of thirst."
I sighed, stepped closer, and gave the machine a kick.
The soda didn't move.
He smirked. "Yeah, I don't think your little tap—"
I kicked it again, harder.
Still nothing.
"That's cute," he said. "Here, let me—"
The moment his hand touched the machine, something in me snapped. I
wasn't angry. I wasn't even trying.
But the air around us felt… wrong.
The buzzing from the lights grew louder. My chest tightened, and a faint heat
prickled across my skin.
And then—
CRASH!
Every single can in the machine dropped at once, slamming into the metal
tray below.
The sound was deafening in the empty hallway.
We just stood there, staring.
He turned to me, eyes wide, as if I'd just set the building on fire.
"…What did you—"
"I didn't—" I cut myself off. My hands were shaking. My breath came too fast.
The hallway felt colder now. The faint hum of the lights was gone. And in that
silence, I realized—
Something inside me had moved. And it wasn't human.
He bent down, scooping up two cans from the pile in the vending machine
tray.
"Guess the universe just decided to sponsor my drink," he said. "Thanks for…
whatever that was."
"It wasn't me," I muttered, grabbing my own soda.
"Right. Because vending machines just panic and throw up all their stock
when you're nearby." He cracked the can open, taking a loud sip. "Totally
normal."
I turned away, hoping that would end the conversation, but my hands
wouldn't stop trembling. My mind replayed the moment over and over — the
strange heat, the humming lights, the feeling that something deep inside me
had uncurled.
He caught up to me easily. "So… do you do party tricks too? Or is it only angry
snacks?"
"It's not funny."
"Then why are you walking like you've just robbed the place?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't.
That night, lying in bed, I stared at the ceiling, my soda can from earlier still
half-full on the desk. The fizz had gone flat, but I hadn't thrown it away. I kept
thinking about how it felt in my hand. Like the air had weight. Like something
invisible had been pressing against me.
And then… the sound.
Tap.
It was faint, but my ears caught it. A soft, deliberate tap against the window.
I sat up slowly, heart pounding. The curtains swayed just slightly, though the
fan was off.
Another tap.
I pulled the curtain aside just enough to peek through — and froze.
Across the narrow alley, on the rooftop of the opposite building, stood a
figure. Still. Watching.
I couldn't see the face. Just the outline. And the faint glint of eyes that
seemed far too bright in the dark.
I blinked. And they were gone.
The next morning, I convinced myself it was nothing. Sleep brain. Overactive
imagination. Maybe a cat. A very tall, very creepy cat with glowing eyes.
Yeah. Totally fine.
I shoved the memory away and focused on survival — not in the monster
hunting way, but in the "avoid talking to him at all costs" way.
Which was impossible, apparently.
"Hey! Angry Snacks Girl!"
I stopped dead on the stairs, pretending I didn't hear him. But then he jogged
up beside me, grinning like we were old friends.
"I was thinking," he said, falling into step with me, "you'd be great for heists.
You make vending machines give free stuff, I'm the distraction. We split fifty
fifty."
I glared. "First, I don't do vending machines. Second, stop calling me that."
"Okay. What's your actual name, then?"
"Not telling you."
"Fine. I'll just keep calling you whatever I want until you give in."
I quickened my pace, but he matched it easily. "Seriously, why are you
following me?"
"Because you look like you're about to commit tax fraud or something. I
mean, your face is so—"
He didn't finish.
Because just ahead of us, a metal railing by the stairwell snapped in half with
a loud clang. A piece of it clattered to the ground, missing a passing student
by inches.
Everyone turned, murmuring.
I froze. My chest tightened. I knew that sound. That strange pressure in the
air was back, faint but there.
The boy glanced at me. "Uh… that was weird."
Weird. Yes. That's all. Nothing to do with me.
Right?
I told myself it was just bad luck.
Metal breaks. Stuff falls. People get spooked.
Normal. Totally normal.
Except… the air around me felt heavier now. Like it was pressing against my
skin.
The boy beside me laughed nervously. "Guess we should—" Something whistled past my ear.
A loose construction panel from the upper floor balcony came spinning down
like a giant blade. People screamed. It was coming straight for a girl frozen in
the middle of the stairwell below.
I didn't think.
The heat inside me woke up — the one I kept buried deep. My fingers
clenched, and the world slowed. A thin ripple of black energy flashed around
my hand, so faint it could've been a trick of the light.
The panel snapped in two midair. Both halves crashed harmlessly to the
ground.
The girl gasped and stumbled back. Everyone was talking at once —
"What just happened?"
"Did it hit her?"
"No, it just… broke?"
I stepped away before anyone could look too closely. My pulse hammered in
my ears.
But one person had been watching closely.
Up on the rooftop, behind the glass of the maintenance door, a shadow
shifted. I saw it for only a second — tall, unmoving, head tilted like it was
studying me.
The boy beside me whispered, "Okay… what was that?"
I didn't answer. Because I didn't have one.
By Monday morning, school felt the same again. People had already moved
on from the whole "falling panel" thing. Humans are good at pretending
weird stuff never happened.
Except him.
The boy — the annoying one with the loud laugh and the habit of calling me
"Hey, gloomy" — kept glancing at me like I was carrying a bomb.
"Stop looking at me like that," I muttered as we walked to class.
He grinned. "I'm just wondering how someone with noodle arms could snap
a steel panel in half."
"I didn't—" I stopped. "Wait. Did you actually see that?"
"Maybe." He leaned in. "Maybe not. Guess I'll just keep watching to find out."
I groaned. "Congratulations. You've earned the Creepiest Stalker Award."
The teacher's voice saved me. "Seats, everyone!"
We shuffled into the classroom… and my nightmare began.
Every seat was taken except one — right next to him.
He patted it like it was some grand throne. "Your majesty."
I wanted to vanish. Unfortunately, teleportation wasn't in my skill set. Yet.
I sat down, keeping my eyes on the blackboard. But he was impossible to
ignore. He kept tapping his pen, whispering dumb jokes under his breath, and
passing me little notes that said things like:
"I'm 72% sure you're secretly a superhero."
"If I die mysteriously, I'm blaming you."
By the end of the lesson, I'd written exactly one sentence in my notebook: I
hate him.
But my heart? My heart was stupid. It beat faster anyway.
When the final bell rang, I planned to go straight home. No talking, no
hanging around.
But the teacher had other plans.
"Two students will help carry the sports equipment to the storage room. Let's
see… Rayen and…" She paused, looking at the list. "And you, Rina."
Perfect. My life was officially cursed. We walked to the dusty sports shed behind the school. The place looked like
it hadn't been cleaned since the dinosaurs.
He opened the door. A wave of dust hit us in the face.
"Ah-choo!" he sneezed so loudly a crow flew away from the roof.
"Be careful," I warned. "There are probably spiders in here."
"Spiders don't scare me," he said.
Five minutes later…
"AAAAHHHH—" He jumped back like he'd touched fire.
"What happened?" I asked, laughing.
"Nothing. Just… testing my reflexes," he said, brushing off his shirt.
We started stacking basketballs, nets, and cones. It was going fine until one of
the shelves above us creaked loudly.
Then — CRASH!
A box fell right toward him. I didn't even think — my hand shot up and caught
it before it could hit his head.
Silence.
He looked at me. Not the joking look. Not the teasing one. This was different.
"…You're fast," he finally said.
"Lucky reflex," I replied quickly, putting the box aside.
But his eyes stayed on me. Not suspicious. Not scared. Just… curious.
That was worse.
The next day, I tried to act normal. I sat at my desk, stared at the chalkboard,
and nodded like I was listening.
Rayen was in the seat behind me. I could feel him staring.
It was like a mosquito buzz I couldn't swat away.
Finally, I turned around.
"What?" I whispered.
"You're… different," he said quietly.
I froze. "Different how?"
"That box yesterday. It was heavy. I couldn't even lift it with one hand. You
caught it like it was a pillow."
I forced a laugh. "Adrenaline. It's a thing. Humans do it."
"Yeah, but… your eyes."
My heart skipped. "My… what?"
"Right when you caught it… your eyes glowed."
I swallowed hard. "Glowed? Are you sure you weren't just dizzy from dust?"
He leaned closer. "I'm sure."
The teacher's voice cut through the air. "Rayen, Rina! Pay attention!"
We snapped forward, pretending to take notes.
But my hands felt cold.
Because I knew something for sure — if Rayen saw my eyes glow, then it
meant the barrier I kept around my powers… was cracking.
And that only happened when danger was close.
It was supposed to be just another harmless after-school walk.
The late sun was drenching the streets in gold, and Rayen wouldn't stop
talking about some ridiculous bet he'd made with his friends. I just kept
walking beside him, hands shoved in my pockets, pretending not to smile.
Then, he took a wrong turn.
"This… doesn't look like the way to the bus stop," I said, slowing down.
The alley was narrow, messy, and unsettlingly quiet.
"Shortcut. I've been here before—" he began, but his voice cut off.
Three men stepped out from the shadows ahead of us. Another blocked the
way we came from.
My heartbeat instantly picked up. I glanced at Rayen. His jaw was tight, but
he subtly pushed me behind him.
"You picked the wrong shortcut, boy," one of the men drawled. The others
glanced at me, their smirks making my skin crawl.
I tried to move beside Rayen, but his arm held me back. "Stay behind me," he
whispered.
And then, everything happened too fast.
One of them lunged, grabbing Rayen by the collar. My chest tightened so
hard it hurt. In that instant, something inside me broke.
A sound — deep and low, like the rumble before a storm — echoed in my
head. My vision blurred; colors warped. Suddenly, I could hear every single
heartbeat around me. Mine. Rayen's. Theirs.
And then my fingers began to… glow.
Not just glow — they burned with a soft crimson light, pulsing like it had
always been there, just waiting. The air felt hotter, the faint scent of metal
teasing my senses.
"Rina…?" Rayen's voice was small, almost swallowed by the silence.
I stepped forward before I even realized it, my voice strange — sharper,
deeper. "Let. Him. Go."
The man laughed — until my hands flared with a thin, living flame. The alley
didn't feel dark anymore. The shadows bent toward me instead of away.
For the first time, I felt… untouchable.
The men exchanged glances, hesitated, then melted into the far end of the
alley without a single word.
The glow faded. My strength went with it. My knees buckled, and Rayen
caught me before I hit the ground.
"What… was that?" he whispered, eyes wide like he didn't know me
anymore.
I wanted to answer, but my lips wouldn't move. The last thing I saw before
darkness took me was the faint reflection of crimson flames in his eyes.
I woke to the sound of something dripping.
For a moment, I didn't know where I was.
My vision swam, shapes slowly sharpening into the peeling paint of an
unfamiliar ceiling. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes, and my throat felt
dry, like I'd swallowed smoke.
I sat up too quickly. The room tilted. My stomach churned.
"You're awake."
I turned my head and saw Rayen sitting in a chair by the wall, elbows on his
knees. His eyes met mine — searching, cautious.
I tried to speak, but my voice cracked. "Where… are we?"
"Old storehouse near my uncle's shop," he said. "You collapsed. I didn't know
where else to take you."
Memories slammed into me — the alley, the men, the fire crawling up my
hands like it had been waiting all my life to be unleashed. My chest tightened.
Rayen leaned forward. "Rina… what happened back there?"
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I didn't even know how to explain
it. I didn't understand it. All I knew was that in that moment, it had felt like
someone else was moving my body. Someone stronger. Someone dangerous.
"Your hands were—" He stopped, glanced at my fingers, then back at my
face. "It wasn't normal. Was it?"
I shook my head slowly. "I… don't think so."
Silence stretched between us. The dripping sound filled the space again,
steady and cold.
Finally, Rayen stood. "You should rest. We'll… figure it out later."
But as he turned away, I saw it — the faintest flicker of fear in his eyes.
Not fear of what happened. Fear of me.
And that hurt more than anything else.
That night, I couldn't sleep.
Rayen had gone home, saying he would check on me tomorrow. I told him I
was fine, but my chest still felt tight. My mind kept replaying what happened
in the alley.
The fire.
The heat in my hands.
The way those men had looked at me before running away.
I sat up on the old bed, staring at my palms. They looked normal now — just
skin, lines, and scars from years of small accidents. But I knew what I'd seen.
I needed to know if it was real.
Quietly, I got up and stepped outside. The night air was cold, and the ground
was wet from rain. No one was around. Only the sound of crickets and the
wind moving through the trees.
I took a deep breath and held out my hand.
"Come on," I whispered to myself.
At first, nothing happened. Just my cold fingers shaking in the dark.
Then… there it was.
A spark. Tiny, but bright.
It flickered like a candle flame, dancing between my fingers. My heart
jumped. I should have been scared, but instead, I felt… warm. Alive.
The spark grew, wrapping my hand in a soft, glowing light. It didn't burn me.
It felt like it was part of me — like it had been waiting for me to call it.
But then I thought of Rayen's eyes. That fear.
The flame went out instantly, leaving only darkness and the smell of smoke.
I stood there for a long time, staring at my empty hand.
I didn't know if this power was a gift… or a curse.
The next morning felt strange.
Not just because of the dream I had — the one where I was standing in the
middle of a burning field — but because I kept checking my hands, afraid
they'd start glowing again.
I left early for school. The streets were quiet, except for an old man sweeping
leaves near the corner shop.
When I passed by, he looked up.
"You were out late last night," he said. His voice was low, but his eyes were
sharp.
I froze.
"How… do you know that?" I asked.
He leaned on his broom. "Saw you… in the field. You were holding a light. But
there was no lamp."
My throat went dry. "You must be mistaken."
The old man didn't smile. "Be careful, girl. People around here… they talk.
And if you can't control it, they will come."
Before I could ask what he meant, he turned back to sweeping, like our
conversation never happened.
I walked away quickly, my heart pounding.
"They will come"? Who?
And why did it sound like he knew more than he should?
At school, I tried to act normal. Rayen noticed I was quiet, but I told him it
was just a bad night's sleep. Still, my mind wasn't on the lessons.
All I could think was…
Someone saw me.
It was after school when Rayen asked, "Wanna take the long way home?"
I said yes without thinking. Maybe I wanted the quiet street… or maybe I just
liked walking with him.
The sun was already low, painting the road in orange light. We passed
through a small alley that cut behind a row of closed shops.
That's when I heard it — a sharp growl.
Two stray dogs stood at the other end of the alley. Their fur was dirty, and
their eyes… angry.
Rayen took a small step back. "We should go around."
But before we could move, the dogs started running toward us.
I felt my chest tighten. My hands burned again, just like that night.
No. Not now. Not in front of him.
Rayen picked up a stick, trying to scare them off. But one dog jumped closer,
teeth bared.
I couldn't hold it anymore. I let the heat flow, just enough to make a flash of
light near the ground. The dogs stopped, whimpered, and ran away.
Rayen blinked. "What… was that? Did you see a spark or something?"
I forced a laugh. "Probably just the streetlight turning on."
There was no streetlight there.
He looked confused but didn't push it. We kept walking, but I could still feel
my hands trembling inside my pockets.
Twice now…
I'd used my power. And both times, it almost got me caught.
The next day felt… too quiet. Even the air in the schoolyard seemed heavy.
During lunch break, I noticed a man standing near the school gate. He was
tall, wearing a long black coat even though it wasn't cold. His face was hidden
under a wide hat.
At first, I thought he was waiting for someone. But his eyes… they kept
following me.
When our eyes met for a second, I felt my heart skip. I quickly looked away,
pretending to laugh at something Rayen said.
But deep inside, I knew.
"They will come."
The old man's warning echoed in my head.
After school, Rayen and I walked out together. I checked the gate — the man
was gone.
We reached the main road when I heard footsteps behind us. Slow, steady.
I turned.
He was there, walking a few meters away.
I whispered to Rayen, "Let's go this way." I pulled him into a crowded market
street.
We walked fast until I couldn't hear his steps anymore.
Rayen looked at me. "You okay? You look pale."
I nodded quickly. "Yeah. Just tired."
But my hands were cold.
They've found me.
And it has only just started.
The next day, I kept telling myself it was nothing.
Maybe that man was just a random stranger.
Maybe I was overthinking.
But my chest felt heavy all morning.
When the last class ended, Rayen and I walked toward the bus stop. It was
cloudy, and the street looked darker than usual.
I saw him.
The man in the black coat.
Standing near the corner, pretending to look at his phone.
Rayen didn't notice him. He was talking about some video game he liked. I
tried to smile, but my heart was pounding.
We passed by him. I felt his eyes on my back.
Then I heard footsteps.
Fast ones.
Before I could turn, a hand grabbed my wrist.
Cold fingers. Strong grip.
Rayen shouted, "Hey! What are you doing?!"
I tried to pull away, but he leaned close and whispered in a voice that made
my skin crawl:
"I finally found you."
My blood ran cold. I didn't even understand what he meant.
He let go and walked away… just like that.
Rayen looked shocked. "Do you know him?"
I shook my head. "No."
But deep inside, I knew this wasn't the last time.
Two days passed. I tried to act normal, but my mind kept going back to that
man's words: I finally found you.
I didn't tell Rayen how much it bothered me. I didn't want him to worry… but
maybe I also didn't want him to think I was weak.
That evening, we were walking home again. Rayen was carrying my bag
because I had hurt my wrist during PE. The sky was dark, and the streetlights
fllickered like they were tired too.
We turned into the small lane near my house.
That's when I saw him.
The black coat. The same cold eyes.
He stepped into our path.
Rayen stopped, his body tensing. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice
louder this time.
The man didn't answer. He just looked at me… like he was reading something
behind my eyes.
Then, without warning, he rushed forward.
Rayen moved to block him, but the man was fast — too fast. His hand almost
touched my shoulder—
And suddenly, I felt it.
That heat again.
That sharp pain in my chest.
The world slowed down. I could hear my own heartbeat louder than anything
else. My vision blurred at the edges. My fingers twitched, and I saw… light?
Sparks? I couldn't tell.
The man froze for a second, his face changing to something almost… afraid.
Then he stepped back. "Not yet," he whispered, before running into the
darkness.
Rayen grabbed my arms. "Rina! What was that? Are you okay?"
I forced a shaky smile. "I… I don't know."
But deep down, I knew something had just started.
The night after it happened, I couldn't sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that man's face… and the way he stopped
when something inside me reacted.
What was that?
Why did he look afraid?
The next morning at school, I caught Rayen looking at me more than usual.
He wasn't smiling like he always does. It was that serious look again.
At lunch, he finally spoke.
"Rina… something's wrong with you."
I laughed, trying to make it sound like a joke. "Well, thanks for the
compliment."
But he didn't smile.
"I'm serious. When that guy touched you… something happened. I don't
know what, but I saw light around your hands."
Light?
So I didn't imagine it…
I avoided his eyes. "Maybe it was just your imagination."
Rayen leaned closer. "No. I know what I saw."
His voice was quiet, but strong. "And I think… they're after you for a reason."
His words stayed in my head for the rest of the day.
When I got home, I locked myself in my room.
I sat on my bed and stared at my hands.
They looked normal. Just… hands.
But when I closed my eyes and remembered the moment, I felt it again —
that heat. The same feeling from my dreams.
It scared me… but it also felt like a part of me.
I didn't know if I should tell Rayen the truth — the truth I didn't even fully
understand yet.
Because once I did… there would be no going back.
It was supposed to be just another boring walk home.
But life… had other plans.
Rayen and I were halfway down the narrow alley behind the bookstore when
I heard footsteps behind us.
Not normal footsteps — these were heavy, slow… like they were meant to
make us feel afraid.
I turned.
It was the same man from before.
And this time… he wasn't alone. Two more stood behind him.
Rayen stepped in front of me without even thinking.
"What do you want?" he asked.
The man's lips curled into a smile. "Not you… her."
Before I could react, one of them rushed forward and grabbed my arm. His
grip was ice cold, but there was something else — something that felt wrong
deep inside my bones.
Rayen tried to pull me back, but the other two blocked him.
"Let her go!" he shouted, his voice cracking.
The man holding me leaned close. "You've been hiding too long, little queen."
Queen? What was he talking about?
Then it happened.
The fear that had been curling inside my chest all week suddenly snapped…
and the heat in my hands exploded.
It wasn't just light this time.
It was fire — black fire, swirling and alive, wrapping around my arms like it
had been waiting for this moment.
The man's smile vanished.
"Impossible…" he whispered.
The fire moved on its own. The grip on my arm broke as he stumbled back,
his coat catching the flames that didn't burn like normal fire. They hissed,
almost whispering in a voice I couldn't understand.
Rayen froze, his eyes wide.
"Rina…"
I should have been afraid. But I wasn't.
I felt powerful. Strong.
Like chains around my mind had just shattered.
The men ran. Not walked — ran.
The black fire faded slowly, leaving my hands shaking. My breath came fast,
my heart pounding in my ears.
Rayen stepped closer, his voice low.
"What… are you?"
I didn't know how to answer.
Because for the first time in my life…
I was afraid of the truth.
We didn't speak for the first five minutes.
Rayen just walked beside me, quiet, his hands deep in his pockets. I could feel
his eyes on me sometimes, but he didn't say anything.
I didn't know what to say either.
How do you explain black fire coming out of your hands?
Finally, he broke the silence.
"You… need to tell me what that was."
"I… don't know," I said. "I didn't even know I could do that."
He stopped walking and looked straight at me.
"Rina, that wasn't normal. That wasn't even close to normal."
I tried to laugh it off, but my throat was too dry.
He wasn't wrong.
The image of the man calling me little queen kept replaying in my head. The
way he said it… like he knew me. Like he had been waiting.
When we reached the small bridge near the park, I leaned against the railing.
"I'm scared, Rayen," I admitted.
He frowned. "Scared of what?"
"…That I'm not who I think I am."
The air felt heavy after I said it.
Rayen didn't laugh. He didn't even smile. He just stood there, watching me
like he was trying to figure out a puzzle.
"You're still you," he said finally. "No matter what that was… you're still Rina."
His words should have made me feel better.
But deep inside, I felt something else…
Like a clock had started ticking, and time was running out.
The next day felt strange from the moment I woke up.
The air outside my window was too quiet. Even the birds were missing.
At school, people talked in whispers. They said someone had seen fire in the
sky last night, far away in the hills. I wanted to ignore it… but my stomach
wouldn't let me. Something was wrong.
After classes, Rayen walked me home again. We didn't talk much, but his
eyes kept scanning the streets, like he was expecting something.
Halfway there, the wind changed.
It wasn't cold or warm — it was heavy, pressing down on my skin.
I stopped walking.
Rayen looked at me. "You feel it too?"
Before I could answer, the sky… cracked.
Not like a normal crack. It was like someone had ripped open the air itself,
and behind it was nothing but darkness and glowing red light.
A sound came through the tear — deep, like a drumbeat mixed with a growl.
My whole body shook.
And then I heard it.
A voice. Not outside… inside my head.
"Arina… come home."
I dropped to my knees, my hands gripping the ground. The name burned in
my mind.
Rayen grabbed my shoulder. "Rina! What's happening?!"
Before I could answer, shapes started stepping out of the tear.
Tall, shadowy, their eyes burning like coals.
One of them pointed at me.
And smiled.
It was supposed to be a normal evening.
Rayen and I were walking home from school, talking about something silly—
honestly, I don't even remember what.
The air smelled like rain, and the street lamps were already glowing.
But then… the wind changed.
It wasn't the normal cool breeze.
It was sharp, heavy, almost… alive.
I froze mid-step. My heart started racing, but I didn't know why.
Rayen noticed. "Rina? What's wrong?"
Before I could answer, the streetlight above us flickered and burst.
Glass rained down.
A loud, deep hum filled the air, like the ground itself was vibrating.
That's when I saw him.
The man from my dreams. The one with eyes like liquid silver.
He wasn't a man, though. I knew it the moment his feet didn't touch the
ground.
People around us started running, screaming.
Rayen grabbed my arm. "Come on, we have to go!"
But my legs wouldn't move. My chest felt hot, my head was buzzing.
The man's voice echoed in my mind, clear as day—
"I finally found you… my queen."
Something inside me snapped.
I clutched my head, gasping for air.
The sky above us turned red. Clouds swirled like they were being pulled into a
hole.
Lightning struck—except it was black, not white.
Rayen pulled me back just before a wave of heat swept the street.
I looked down at my hands.
They weren't my hands anymore. They glowed like molten gold, veins of light
running up my arms.
The man's smile widened.
"There she is."
I didn't know what I was doing… but I raised my hand.
And the air between us cracked like glass.
The ground around me was broken, like something huge had slammed into it.
Heat rolled off my body, but it didn't burn me. It felt… natural.
Too natural.
The silver-eyed man floated closer. His voice was calm, almost gentle.
"It has been a long time, Arina."
Arina.
That name again.
Rayen stepped in front of me, holding his arm out like he could shield me.
"Stay away from her!" he shouted.
His voice cracked, but he didn't move back.
The man tilted his head. "You protect her? Do you even know who she is?"
Rayen didn't answer. I could see the sweat on his neck, but he stood firm.
The man looked at me again. "You can't hide from what you are. Your blood
remembers. Your power remembers. And soon… everyone will."
Something in my chest hurt, like my heart was being squeezed.
Images flashed in my head—flames, a dark throne, my hands covered in black
smoke.
I wanted to scream.
"Stop!" I shouted.
The air exploded outward, knocking him back.
He didn't fall. He just… smiled.
"Next time, I won't hold back."
Then, in a blink, he was gone.
The sky turned back to normal.
The street was empty.
Only Rayen and I were standing there, breathing hard.
He turned to me. "Rina… what the hell was that?"
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know.
We walked in silence.
Rayen kept looking at me like he was waiting for an answer, but I had nothing
to give him.
Every step felt heavy. My hands were still warm, like the heat inside me
hadn't gone away.
Finally, Rayen stopped.
"Rina… I need to know. That guy… he knew you."
His voice wasn't angry. It was worried.
I wanted to tell him the truth, but… what truth?
I didn't understand it myself.
"I don't know him," I said.
It wasn't a lie.
But it wasn't the whole truth either.
Rayen sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, whoever he was, he wasn't
normal. And that… that thing you did—"
"Stop." My voice came out sharper than I meant.
He froze.
I looked down at my hands. "I'm sorry. I just… I don't want to talk about it
right now."
He didn't push me.
We kept walking until the school was far behind us.
But in my head, his words echoed.
"He knew you."
That night, when I closed my eyes, I saw the silver-eyed man again.
And behind him… a shadowy place that felt like home.
A place I didn't remember—
But somehow missed.
The next morning felt… strange.
Not bad, just different.
I woke up before my alarm, which never happens.
The air in my room felt heavy, like it was holding its breath.
When I brushed my hair, I noticed the ends had a faint glow in the light.
Not normal. Definitely not normal.
I shook my head. Maybe I'm just tired.
But the same thing happened at school.
When I opened my locker, a little spark jumped from my fingers to the metal.
It didn't hurt, but it was enough to make me step back.
"Static," I told myself.
Only… the air wasn't dry today.
Rayen noticed something too.
"You've been acting weird," he said at lunch. "And don't tell me it's nothing."
I smiled, trying to act normal. "Maybe I'm just thinking too much."
But deep inside, I knew this wasn't in my control anymore.
And the worst part?
I felt a strange part of me… enjoying it.
It started as a normal day.
At least, that's what I thought.
School ended early because of some teachers' meeting.
Rayen and I decided to walk back together.
The streets were a little crowded.
Kids were running around, vendors shouting about snacks, bikes passing by
too close.
It was noisy, but it felt safe.
Until a car… didn't stop.
A little boy was crossing the road, holding a balloon.
The car was moving too fast, and the driver didn't even see him.
I didn't think. I just… moved.
One second I was standing beside Rayen.
The next, I was in the middle of the road, pulling the boy toward me.
It wasn't my speed that surprised me.
It was the sudden force — like the air around me pushed the car back.
Tires screeched. The driver looked pale, frozen.
People gasped.
Some even screamed.
I stood there, holding the boy, my hands shaking.
The air smelled like burnt metal, but nothing had touched me.
Rayen ran to me, his eyes wide. "Rina… what was that?"
I couldn't answer.
Because I honestly didn't know.
The next morning, I could feel it.
People were looking at me differently.
In the classroom, two girls in the corner whispered while staring at me.
When I glanced at them, they quickly looked away.
At lunch, a boy from another class asked,
"Hey… are you that girl from yesterday? The one who stopped the car?"
I froze. "I… don't know what you're talking about."
But my lie didn't work.
Phones had already caught it.
Someone filmed the whole thing.
And worse… in the video, it looked strange.
Not just me pulling the boy away,
but the way the air rippled,
the way the car slowed down unnaturally.
By the time school ended, the video was everywhere.
Rayen walked beside me quietly.
I could tell he wanted to ask questions,
but he didn't — not until we turned into an empty street.
"Rina," he said softly,
"That wasn't normal. You… you have to tell me if something's going on."
I wanted to tell him everything.
But I was scared.
Because I didn't even know the truth myself.
After the video spread, I thought things couldn't get worse.
I was wrong.
That evening, I took the shortcut home.
It was already dark, and the street lamps flickered like they were tired.
Halfway through the alley, I felt it —
a heavy feeling, like the air was pressing against me.
My steps slowed on their own.
Then I saw him.
A tall man, wearing a long black coat.
He stood perfectly still, his face hidden under a shadow.
"Rina…"
My name rolled off his tongue like he had known it for years.
I stepped back. "Who are you?"
He tilted his head.
"You're not supposed to be here… not yet. But fate likes to cheat."
His eyes glowed faint red.
Not normal. Not human.
I turned to run, but in one blink —
he was right in front of me.
"You smell like her," he whispered.
"Like the Queen."
My chest tightened.
Before I could scream, a sharp wind cut through the alley,
and he was suddenly thrown back —
slamming into the wall like an invisible hand pushed him.
I didn't even move.
But I could feel it —
the same strange power as yesterday,
burning in my veins.
The man grinned, blood on his lip.
"She's waking up."
Then, he vanished into the shadows.
After that night, I couldn't sleep well.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that man's grin.
At school, I kept telling myself it was just my imagination.
But then… I started to notice things.
A man sitting in a parked car outside the gate.
A shadow that followed me across three different streets.
A reflection in the shop window that didn't match anyone walking behind
me.
Rayen noticed too.
"Are you okay? You look like you're watching ghosts," he said during lunch.
I forced a smile. "I'm fine."
But my hands were shaking so much, I dropped my water bottle.
That's when I saw him again.
Far away, near the school wall —
the same tall figure from the alley.
Standing still. Watching me.
Before I could say anything, Rayen's chair screeched as he stood.
His eyes followed mine, and his face changed.
"Stay here."
He ran outside, fast.
But by the time he reached the spot, the man was gone.
Rayen came back, breathing hard.
He sat down, leaning close so only I could hear.
"Rina… that guy isn't normal."
The rest of the day felt like I was holding my breath.
Every time the door opened, I flinched.
Every time a shadow passed the window, my heart raced.
When the final bell rang, I started packing my bag slowly.
I wanted to wait until most students had left.
Rayen was still at his desk, pretending to scroll on his phone.
"You go first," I told him.
He didn't even look at me. "No… I'll walk with you."
We left together, but I could feel something strange.
Rayen kept looking around, like he was counting the people on the street.
Halfway home, he suddenly said, "My aunt lives this way. I'll catch you later."
I frowned. "You don't have an aunt here."
He smiled awkwardly, then walked off in another direction.
Something in my chest told me he wasn't telling the truth.
Later, I found out I was right.
Rayen had followed me from a distance the whole way.
And he wasn't the only one watching.
That man — the one with the cold eyes — was there too.
But this time…
he was closer.
I didn't even feel the air around me.
The noise of the street faded.
It was just me… and him.
The man stood a few steps away from Rayen.
His eyes… they were not normal.
Not human.
Cold, sharp, like they could cut my soul.
Rayen stepped forward.
"I don't know who you are," he said, "but stay away from her."
The man smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
It was the kind that makes you feel small, like you're just a piece on a game
board.
"You think you can protect her?" the man said softly.
I felt his words more than I heard them.
Like they went straight inside my head.
Rayen clenched his fists.
"Try me."
I wanted to stop him.
I wanted to scream.
But my body didn't listen.
The man's eyes moved to me.
When they did, I forgot how to breathe.
It was like he could see… everything.
My fears.
My secrets.
Even the parts I didn't know about myself.
He tilted his head.
"Interesting," he whispered.
Then—
It happened in a blink.
He reached forward, faster than my eyes could follow.
Rayen pulled me back, his arm around me.
The man's hand stopped an inch from my face.
"You're not ready yet," the man said.
His voice was calm… too calm.
Then he stepped back and disappeared into the crowd.
I stayed in Rayen's arms, my heart beating too loud.
I didn't know if it was from fear… or from the way he held me like I was the
most important thing in the world.
But one thing was clear—
That man knew something about me.
Something I didn't even know myself.
After the man left, Rayen didn't let go of my hand.
Not for a second.
He kept looking over his shoulder as we walked, like he expected the man to
appear again.
We reached a quiet alley.
Rayen finally stopped and faced me.
"Rina… who was that?"
I shook my head.
"I don't know. I've never seen him before."
Rayen didn't look convinced.
"Then why did he… talk like he knew you?"
I had no answer.
Because I was thinking the same thing.
I remembered his words—
"You're not ready yet."
What did that mean?
Ready for what?
My hands felt cold.
I rubbed them together, trying to hide the shaking.
Rayen noticed.
"You're scared," he said.
"I'm fine," I lied.
He frowned but didn't push.
Instead, he stepped closer.
"You're not walking home alone tonight."
I wanted to argue, but…
Somewhere deep inside, I was glad.
As we walked, my mind kept going back to those eyes.
They weren't just cold.
They were searching.
Like he was looking for something inside me.
When I got home, I closed the curtains, locked the door, and sat on my bed in
the dark.
I thought about his voice.
His words.
And the strange feeling in my chest…
Like part of me already knew him.
I hated that feeling.
The next few days were… strange.
I felt eyes on me everywhere.
At school, I caught glimpses of a tall figure in the hallway, disappearing when I
turned.
On the way home, a shadow moved across the rooftops.
Even in my room at night, I thought I heard faint footsteps outside my
window.
Rayen noticed too.
"You've been jumpy," he said, sitting on my bed one evening.
"I'm fine," I lied.
But I wasn't fine.
I could feel it in my chest—something was coming.
That night, I couldn't sleep.
I opened the window to let in the cool air, and that's when I saw him.
Standing across the street, perfectly still.
Watching me.
His eyes glowing faint red, even in the dark.
I froze.
My hands shook.
Part of me wanted to run.
But another part… wanted to know.
He lifted one hand and pointed at me.
No words. Just the gesture.
Then he vanished.
Just like that.
Rayen was behind me in an instant.
"Rina… what happened?"
I shook my head.
"I don't know."
And deep inside, I realized…
This was just the beginning.
It was late.
The streets were empty, the city lights flickering.
I was walking home alone… because I wanted to face my fear, I told myself.
Then I saw him.
The silver-eyed man.
Not far, just standing under a broken street lamp.
His eyes glowed red, and the air around him shimmered like heat.
My chest tightened.
My hands… they started to tingle.
The strange warmth from before spread through my veins, stronger than
ever.
He smiled.
"You're ready now," he said.
Before I could think, he moved.
Fast. Too fast.
Instinct took over.
I raised my hands.
And fire—real fire, black and gold—erupted from them.
It wasn't normal flame. It twisted and danced around me, obeying my
unspoken command.
The man stopped, surprised for the first time.
I didn't know I could do this.
But something inside me… wanted it.
Wanted to fight.
He lunged at me.
I swung my hands, and the fire pushed him back like a wall of molten metal.
The air burned, the shadows twisted, and my heart pounded so hard I
thought it would break.
When it was over, he was gone.
But I knew—
I wasn't just a girl anymore.
I was… something else.
Something powerful.
And the city… had just seen the first hint of what I could become.
The fire had faded from my hands, but my chest was still burning.
I couldn't believe what just happened.
I… I had powers. Real powers.
Rayen was behind me, eyes wide, breathing hard.
"You… you did that?" he asked.
I nodded, unable to speak.
But there was no time to celebrate.
Because across the street… the silver-eyed man was back.
And he wasn't alone.
Shadows moved behind him, twisting and stretching like living things.
I felt them before I saw them—cold, heavy, hungry.
He smiled again, but this time it was different.
No longer calm. No longer teasing.
It was a warning.
"The world is waiting for you, Arina… and it won't be kind."
Then, with a flash of movement, he disappeared.
I turned to Rayen.
"I… I don't know what's going to happen next," I whispered.
He held my hand tighter. "We'll face it… together."
But even as I tried to believe him, I felt it.
Something deep inside me stirred—dark, powerful, awake.
The night air pressed closer.
The city seemed smaller, weaker.
And I knew…
This was just the beginning….