Collide: The Memory of Stars

Selenes' POV

I didn't know when the dreams started becoming clearer—sharper, almost as if they were memories instead of illusions woven by my mind.

Every time I closed my eyes, I returned to that same place. The air was thick with an ancient energy, and the distant hum of unseen forces made the silence feel alive. The white door stood ahead of me, glowing with an ethereal light that beckoned me forward, its surface smooth beneath my trembling fingertips.

She was there. The girl with golden hair, standing in the middle of an endless field of shimmering white flowers. She faced away from me, her presence exuding both warmth and sorrow.

The wind tousled her long locks, catching the faint glow that surrounded her. As if sensing me, she turned, and for the first time, I saw her face. Her eyes were piercing yet gentle—a familiar shade of blue, like the sky before dawn.

She opened her mouth to speak.

Her voice was soft, layered with urgency and something deeper—something ancient. But I didn't understand. The words slipped past my ears like water over stone, foreign yet oddly familiar, like an echo of a language I should have known but had long forgotten.

I frowned, struggling to grasp the meaning, but the words danced just beyond my comprehension. I tried to respond, but before I could, the scene shifted.

The world trembled, the flowers wilted, and the sky darkened. A deep, resounding chime rang through the air, sending a shiver through me.

The girl's expression changed—she looked desperate. She reached out for me, lips forming a final word before everything shattered into darkness.

I woke up gasping.

Axel stirred beside me, his presence grounding me as I took a deep breath. My heart pounded wildly against my ribs, and sweat clung to my skin. The lingering weight of the dream pressed against me like a heavy fog.

"Another one?" Axel's voice was low, laced with concern.

I nodded, though he couldn't see. "Yeah."

His hand found mine, squeezing it gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I hesitated. "It's always the same door. But this time… I saw someone."

"Someone?"

"A girl. Blond hair. Gold eyes." I bit my lip.

"She spoke to me, but I couldn't understand her."

Axel was quiet for a moment. "Maybe it's a memory. From before."

I exhaled. "Maybe."

But if it was, why couldn't I understand her?

The morning air was crisp as we walked through the busy streets. I still wasn't used to navigating the world without my sight, but Axel always guided me with careful steps, his touch light yet firm.

Today, Khael walked with us.

I wasn't sure why I had taken such a quick liking to the boy. He wasn't just any child—there was something about him, something familiar. He had quickly warmed up to us, falling into easy conversation as if he had known us forever.

"Selene, do you know how to cook?" Khael asked, his voice curious.

I smiled. "A little. Why?"

"Because Axel is terrible at it." I let out a surprised laugh while Axel groaned beside me.

"Hey, I'm not that bad."

Khael snorted. "You burned the rice."

"That was one time."

"And you set a pan on fire."

Axel grumbled something under his breath, and I could feel his embarrassment even without seeing his face.

I ruffled Khael's hair. "Well, I guess I'll have to take over cooking then."

Khael hummed. "Do you like spicy food?"

"I don't mind it. Why?"

"No reason." I didn't think much of his response at first, but something about the way he said it lingered in my mind. He seemed almost amused, as if he knew something I didn't.

Axel must have noticed too, because his tone turned slightly suspicious. "Where are you from, Khael?"

The boy shrugged.

For the first time, Khael was silent. Then, after a long pause, he muttered, "You feel familiar. Both of you."

I felt it too. And I had a feeling that whatever connected us was something far bigger than any of us realized.

Third Person's POV

As they walked home, the air grew unnaturally cold. The once-busy streets had quieted, and an eerie silence settled around them. Then, without warning, a presence made itself known.

A figure stood at the edge of the dimly lit street, cloaked in shadows. It was neither entirely solid nor formless, its body shifting like black smoke against the faint glow of the streetlamps. Selene felt a sharp chill run through her veins as the figure took a step forward.

Then, it spoke.

"Léthin tar vos noquar, elaitha dos vehrin…"

(The seal is weakening, the lost one returns.)

The words sent an electric pulse through Selene's mind. They weren't unfamiliar. They made sense. But she didn't know how.

Selene's breath hitched.

The voice was layered, as if multiple tones whispered at once, pressing against her skull. The meaning embedded itself in her thoughts before she could even attempt to process it.

Khael gasped beside her. His small hands clenched into fists, his entire body trembling. He recognized it. He knew what this thing was.

Axel, on instinct, moved in front of Selene, pushing her behind him. His body tensed, though he had no weapon, no power to fight against whatever this was.

The shadow did not attack. It merely watched.

Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, it faded into nothingness.

A heavy silence hung in the air before Khael finally whispered, his voice shaky but certain.

"It's starting... She's waking up."

To be continued.