Marcus sat in English class, staring blankly at the board.
The events of the dream—or whatever it was—still throbbed in his chest. Flames, dragons, a mask glowing with white and black light… it all felt too real.
"Marcus?"
He blinked. The teacher stood in front of the classroom, her expression gentle, but attentive.
"Okay class, today we are going to talk about the story of the witch and the prince," she said.
Marcus tried to focus, but the words blurred together. His mind kept replaying the dream over and over.
Why did it feel like a memory instead of a dream?
DING!
The bell rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. He hadn't heard a single word.
The teacher walked over."Are you okay? You seem out of it."
Marcus forced a small smile."I'm fine… just didn't sleep well."
"Okay. Remember, my office is always open if you need anything," she said, then walked away.
Marcus exhaled slowly.
If it wasn't a dream… why did everything feel different?
Just then, Jackson burst into the classroom, nearly out of breath.
"Please! You need to come out with me today! Megan wants to meet you since you're my best friend!"
Marcus groaned, rubbing his temples."Fine, I'll come—but not to meet her. I need to clear my head first."
"Thank you! You'll get along great," Jackson said before rushing out to get ready.
Marcus walked home alone, trying to quiet the storm of thoughts swirling in his head.
Later, at the café, Jackson waved excitedly. A girl sat beside him, smiling warmly.
"Marcus! This is Megan!"
She stood and held out her hand."I've heard so much about you."
Marcus shook her hand. "Hopefully nothing bad."
They talked for a while, and for the first time all day, Marcus felt normal.
Until he felt it.
A sudden warmth surged through his chest.A flicker of black and white flashed across his vision.
Marcus stood abruptly."Sorry—I need some air."
He stepped outside, breathing hard.
Something was pulling him.Calling him.
Without thinking, Marcus followed the feeling down the street and into a quiet alley.
Suddenly, a girl came barreling toward him, her eyes wide with fear.
"Please… help me!" she shouted.
Marcus barely had time to react before loud footsteps pounded behind her. Someone—or something—was chasing her fast.
"Who… who's after you?" Marcus asked, his heart racing.
"They… they don't want me to reach it," she gasped.
Before he could ask more, she grabbed his arm, pulling him into a side alley.
"Just… follow me!" she urged.
Marcus stumbled to keep up."Wait! Where are we going?!"
"Don't stop! Just run!" she yelled over her shoulder.
Shadows moved unnaturally fast behind them. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed off the walls. Something was closing in.
Marcus felt a strange instinct in his body—he dodged a loose pipe, jumped over a crate, and twisted around a corner before he even thought about it. His heart pounded, but his body felt sharper, alive… faster than normal.
He glanced at the girl. Her eyes widened."You… you're the one," she whispered. "The one bonded with the Dragon Mask. That's why you moved like that. You're special."
Marcus froze."What…? I just…"
"You'll understand later. For now, we have to keep moving," she said, grabbing his hand again.
They ran through narrow alleys, leaping over trash bins, ducking under broken fences. Each time the footsteps came closer, Marcus's instincts guided him perfectly—he dodged, weaved, and moved faster than he ever had before.
What is happening to me? he thought. I didn't do anything—I just… reacted.
Finally, they ducked behind a pile of crates, both of them breathing hard.
Marcus's chest burned, and his heart was racing like he'd been running for miles.
He looked down at his hands. A faint glow lingered around his fingertips—white and black light twisting together like smoke. He blinked, and it vanished.
"What… was that?" he whispered to himself, rubbing his hands.
Olivia's eyes widened."That's it. That's why I know you're the one bonded to the Dragon Mask," she said, her voice almost reverent.
Marcus stared at her. "Bonded? I… I don't understand. I'm just… I don't know."
"You will," she said quietly, still scanning the alleys for danger. "But right now, we need to move. If you want to survive, you have to come with me. I know where the Dragon Mask is hidden."
Marcus hesitated for only a moment before nodding. The strange warmth in his chest flared again. His instincts screamed that he should trust her, even if he didn't understand why.
As they slipped into the next alley, Marcus realized something else—his body felt sharper, faster, and stronger than usual. Each step, each dodge, felt effortless, like he was moving with a rhythm he didn't know he had.
This isn't just adrenaline, he thought, though he didn't understand why. Something… changed me.
Meanwhile, back at the café…
Jackson checked his watch again."Marcus has been gone a while," he muttered.
Megan frowned, unease creeping across her face."He just went outside… right?"
They both turned to look, but Marcus was nowhere to be seen.
Neither of them noticed when he had disappeared.
The sun dipped lower in the sky, shadows stretching across the streets.
For Marcus, a hidden power had awakened, pulling him toward a destiny he didn't yet understand.
For Jackson and Megan… the realization that he was missing was only the start of questions they weren't ready to face.