Foxfire and The Demon's Heart

The air in Selene's apartment felt heavier than usual, as though the shadows clung to the corners of the room, waiting. She lay in bed, her mind restless, thoughts swirling like a storm she couldn't control.

Zane's cryptic words echoed in her head.

*"Because you're starting to see things you shouldn't."*

She turned onto her side, staring at the ceiling. What did that even mean? What was she starting to see?

It had been days since she first noticed the strange changes—the flickering lights, the muted noise, the whispers she couldn't quite catch. And now the dream…

A shiver crept down her spine at the memory of golden flames and the unfamiliar pull of Zane's voice telling her to wake up.

She exhaled sharply and shut her eyes, willing sleep to come.

Selene found herself standing in an otherworldly landscape, bathed in a soft, silvery glow. The air shimmered, filled with particles of light floating like dust caught in sunlight. The sky above stretched infinitely, painted in hues of deep blue and violet, speckled with stars that seemed closer than they should be.

Ahead of her, massive crystal-like structures jutted from the ground, refracting light in mesmerizing patterns. A vast river of silver flowed in the distance, its surface rippling as though it carried whispers within its waves.

Her breath caught in her throat.

This place—it felt… familiar.

The realization sent a cold rush through her veins.

She took a hesitant step forward, the ground beneath her soft, almost like walking on air. The entire realm pulsed, as though it was alive.

Then came the voices.

Soft. Ethereal. Calling her name.

*"Selene…"*

The sound sent shivers through her, reverberating in her bones like an ancient echo.

She turned, searching, but found only more of the glowing terrain, stretching beyond the horizon.

Then—movement.

Shadows flickered at the edge of her vision, forming silhouettes of figures too distant to make out. She squinted, trying to focus, but the moment she did, the ground trembled beneath her.

The sky darkened.

Wind howled.

Something was coming.

Her chest tightened, a strange pressure building inside her. She tried to speak, to ask who they were, what they meant, but her voice didn't come.

Then, suddenly, the sky above fractured—cracks spreading like lightning.

A strong gust of wind slammed into her, pushing her back. The glowing landscape around her trembled.

She gasped, stumbling. The silver river twisted violently, waves rising unnaturally high.

The voices grew frantic.

*"Wake up!"*

And then—

Everything shattered.

Selene jolted awake with a strangled gasp.

She sat up abruptly, heart racing, skin damp with sweat. The faint morning light filtered through her window, casting soft shadows on the floor.

For a long moment, she simply sat there, struggling to catch her breath.

The dream had felt so real.

She pressed a hand to her forehead, fingers trembling.

What the hell was that?

It wasn't just a dream. It couldn't be.

The weight in her chest, the way her skin still tingled with residual energy—it all felt too tangible.

She reached for the glass of water on her nightstand, downing a few gulps before exhaling shakily.

She had never seen a place like that before. And yet… deep down, something told her she had.

Familiarity.

Like a memory she couldn't quite grasp.

She shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought.

"It's just stress," she muttered to herself. "And lack of sleep. That's all."

But even as she said it, she didn't quite believe it.

Later That Day, Selene tried to go about her day as usual, but the dream lingered like a shadow at the back of her mind.

At work, she found herself zoning out, her fingers mindlessly tracing patterns on her desk. The voices from her dream echoed faintly in her head, as though waiting for her to acknowledge them.

"Selene?"

She blinked, snapping out of her daze.

Her co-worker, Emily, was watching her with a curious look.

"You okay? You've been staring at your screen for the past five minutes."

Selene forced a smile. "Yeah. Just… tired."

Emily didn't look convinced. "Maybe take a break? Go for a walk or something."

Selene nodded absently, but the truth was, she wasn't sure if a walk would help.

Lately, reality itself had started to feel off-balance. She needed answers.

And she had a feeling she knew where to get them.

She went to the same cafe as always. Determined, she stood and made her way to his table.

Zane watched her approach, his expression unreadable.

"Selene," he greeted, voice as smooth as ever.

She sat down across from him without invitation. "Alright, no more games."

His lips curled slightly. "Games?"

"Who are you?" she demanded.

Zane leaned back, studying her. "You already know my name."

"You know that's not what I mean," she said sharply. "Why do I keep seeing you? Why were you outside my apartment the other night? Why do I feel like something is—" She hesitated, her own words sounding ridiculous in her head. "Changing."

Zane remained silent for a moment, his golden gaze flickering with something she couldn't decipher.

Then, he set his cup down. "You're asking the wrong questions."

Selene clenched her fists. "Then what are the right ones?"

A slow smirk touched his lips. "That's for you to figure out."

Her frustration flared. "You're impossible."

"Maybe," he mused, then his expression grew serious. "But trust me, Selene, some answers are better left unknown."

Her pulse quickened. "What does that mean?"

Zane didn't respond immediately. Instead, he reached into his coat pocket and placed something on the table.

A small silver pendant.

Selene's breath caught.

The design was intricate, shaped like a crescent moon with swirling patterns engraved into its surface.

The moment she looked at it, something inside her stirred.

A strange warmth spread through her chest.

Familiarity.

Her fingers hovered over it, hesitant. "What is this?"

Zane watched her carefully. "A reminder."

Selene frowned, confusion and curiosity battling within her. "A reminder of what?"

His lips quirked at the corner. "You'll know when the time is right."

She exhaled sharply. "You really love being cryptic, don't you?"

His golden eyes gleamed. "Comes with the territory."

Selene studied him, her frustration giving way to something else—curiosity.

Who was he?

Why did he seem to know things about her that she didn't even understand?

And why, despite all the questions, did she feel like she could trust him?

The cafe lights flickered again, casting strange shadows across the walls.

For a split second, she swore she saw something shift in Zane's expression—something unreadable.

And just like that, she knew:

This was only the beginning.