In the darkness, I see shadows, but I can't see their faces. I can feel their pain… their suffering. I scream out—for my dad, for anyone who will hear me—but I'm met with nothing but whispers.
I cry, falling to my knees… only to find myself in water.
I sink.
Struggling, I manage to swim to the top, gasping for air.
I see a little girl standing on the docks. Two young boys stand on either side of her. Their backs are turned, their faces hidden in the shadows.
I swim toward them, breath tight in my chest. As I climb onto the dock, the children suddenly scatter—vanishing into the trees.
"Wait! Please!" I call out, stumbling after them.
But I'm too weak. My legs give out, and I fall to my knees in the forest. The earth feels cold beneath my palms.
Then I hear it—
"Shay."
A voice like a whisper in a dream. Calm. Gentle.
I lift my head. A man stands at the tree line, watching me. Not threatening. Just… quiet. Like he's been waiting.
"Who are you?" I ask, my voice trembling.
He gives me a soft smile. "My name is Damian."
I glance around. The world feels… off. Still.
"Everything looks…" I pause. "Empty. And dead."
He nods. "That's because you are."
He extends his hand toward me. No urgency. Just kindness.
I reach out, take it. "Thank you."
He helps me to my feet. "We don't have long, so I'll keep this short—"
The wind shifts. Something is coming. Fast. Not alone.
His voice lowers, still calm. "Close your eyes."
I obey.His arms wrap around me—warm, steady—and then the world shifts.
A gust of wind roars in my ears. My feet leave the ground.
We're flying.
I open my eyes slowly. The sky stretches out forever around us, stars shimmering above the clouds.
"Oh my god," I whisper.
Damian smirks, a quiet, knowing look in his eyes. "Not far off."
We land on a rooftop, and I take in the surroundings, still reeling from the rush of the flight. The city below seems distant, silent, as if untouched by time.
Damian steps away from me, his expression turning serious. "As I was saying, you need to stay away from my dad."
I frown, trying to make sense of his words. "Your dad?"
Damian nods, his expression softening just slightly. "Yes. You know him as Xavier. I know him as Azrael."
I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. "As in... the Angel of Death?"
He smiles faintly, his eyes meeting mine. "Yes, exactly."
I go to say something, but no words come out. Damian looks at me with a knowing gaze.
"I know it's hard to understand and process, but you need to know something. My dad believes you're the key. He's been planning this for over a thousand years. You need to be careful, Shay. Watch yourself. I'll be in the shadows, stepping in when I can."
I just look at him, lost in his words.
"One final thing," he continues, his voice gentle but urgent. "You need to choose a path before they catch you. The things that were chasing us—those were my dad, your dad, your brothers, and Charlie. They know you're dead. They know that if you choose a path, it can either go badly for Xavier… or badly for him. The right path will lead you home."
I nod, though I don't fully understand what he means. But something in his eyes makes me trust him.
When we return to the woods, Damian says, "Run. No matter what you hear behind you, always look forward."
I nod again. "Go now."
I take off running. I hear my dad shouting, "ISABELLA!" but I keep running, faster and faster, until I spot the children again. They're running beside me, laughing, and the girl whispers, "The right path."
I come to a divining path, a fork in the road. I stop.
A hand rests on my shoulder. It's Xavier. "Shay, it's okay. You're safe. We'll take you home."
I look at the little girl, who meets my gaze. One of the boys calls out to the other—Jack.
That's when it hits me—they are us, but younger.
I turn to them, feeling something click into place.
"I trust you," I say, the weight of my words sinking in. "With all I have, I trust you."
Xavier's voice is a mix of concern and confusion. "Shay, who are you talking to?"
Young Jack walks toward me. "The right path is the path home. The other... leads to death."
I swallow hard, my heart pounding. "Forgive me."
Xavier calls out, his voice laced with panic, "Shay, who are you talking to?"
Without another word, I run down the right path, and darkness takes over as I reach the end.