Analie's room was dimly lit, the soft glow of her bedside lamp casting golden shadows
across the walls. The storm had passed, but the energy it left behind lingered like static
clinging to the air. She sat cross-legged on her bed, the curtains drawn back just enough for
her to glimpse the moon, pale and veiled behind clouds.
Her fingers absently traced the edges of the necklace Ethan had given her. Tonight, the
metal felt warm almost pulsing. She could feel it thrum softly against her skin, syncing with
the steady beat of her heart. It had never done that before. And yet, somehow, she wasn't
afraid.
For days now, the strange feelings had grown stronger visions of places she'd never been,
whispers that floated just beyond her hearing, and dreams so vivid they lingered into her
waking hours. Ethan's voice had returned last night, distant but unmistakable.
"Find me," he had said, barely more than a breath.
Now, as Analie sat in silence, she felt something shift in the room. The air grew colder, and
the lamp flickered once, then again, before holding steady. She rose to her feet, her breath
catching in her throat.
"Ethan?" she whispered, stepping toward the center of the room.
But it wasn't Ethan who answered.
A soft breeze swept through the room, though the windows were shut. The shadows along
the far wall deepened, swirling inward like ink dropped in water. Analie backed away
instinctively, her heart hammering, yet her feet stayed rooted to the floor. The shadows
twisted, then parted, revealing the faint outline of a woman tall, cloaked in silver light, her
hair cascading down her back like moonlight made flesh.
"Don't be afraid," the woman said, her voice melodic, carrying both weight and warmth.
"I've come because you're ready."
Analie stared, words caught in her throat. "Who are you?"
The figure stepped forward, becoming more defined. Her eyes were a startling shade of
violet, glowing faintly, and her skin shimmered like starlight. She looked both ancient and
ageless, her presence radiating an otherworldly calm.
"I am Selene," she said. "A guide for those whose hearts still echo with what's been lost…
and what must be found."
"Am I dreaming?" Analie asked, her voice barely audible.
"No," Selene replied, a soft smile on her lips. "This is real. As real as the love you still carry.
As real as the truth that's calling to you."
Analie's mind reeled. "You know about Ethan."
Selene nodded. "His soul is not at rest. There are forces at work human and otherwise that
stole his life and buried the truth. But you, Analie, were never meant to be blind. Your gifts
are awakening."
"Gifts?" she echoed.
"You feel things most don't. You see fragments of what others miss. That is not madness it
is memory. Ancestral, intuitive, powerful. And if you're willing, I can help you harness it."
Analie took a step closer. Her fear was still there, but something else was stronger now
hope. A quiet, burning need for answers.
"I want to know what happened to him," she said. "I want to uncover the truth."
Selene's expression turned solemn. "Then we begin."
She reached out, and Analie took her hand. A rush of warmth surged through her, and
suddenly the room faded. In its place, she stood in a field under a star-scattered sky, wind
blowing gently through tall grass. She could feel Ethan's presence here not see him, not
hear him, but feel him.
"Your journey won't be easy," Selene said, her voice echoing through the dreamscape.
"There are those who will try to mislead you some out of fear, some out of darkness. Trust
your heart, but guard it well."
And just like that, the vision ended.
Analie gasped as she woke on her bed, heart racing, breath short. The necklace was
burning hot against her skin. She pressed a trembling hand to it, her thoughts reeling.
She wasn't alone. Not anymore.