“Where am I?” My voice trembles out, barely a whisper.

  “It’s gonna be okay child, you’re safe,“ comes a man’s soothing voice out from the shadows.

  ”In the Age when the veil between stars is torn,

  And echoes of gods stir in mortal breath,

  Seven shall rise, from shadow and flame,

  Drawn not by birth, but by burden…” The words burn into my mind familiar and foreign.

  The darkness wraps around me like ink—thick, alive.

  Footsteps draw closer. “It’s been a long time, my precious child…” The voice turns, venom creeping in. “You haven’t reached your full potential yet. Soon, you’ll know who I am.”

  My breath snags. Invisible fingers curl around my throat, tightening.

  One last gasp..

  Buzz.

  Nicos name flashed across my screen with the picture we took when we were kids. “Hello?” I barely get out, still dazed from the sudden wake up. “Kae! Did you forget we have to be at Controlled in 30 minutes?” I took a quick glance at the clock and it was already past 1 pm. The new leaderboard is being put up today and I almost slept through it.

  “Shit! I’m sorry I was laying down and I must’ve fallen asleep! I’ll be there soon!” I breathe out as I scramble out of bed, grabbing the ripped jeans off my bed and bunny hopping into them. I quickly grabbed my black tank top with a white cardigan and my purse, rushing out the door, but not before catching a glimpse of myself. “Oof,” I breathe out, “ I look like shit..” My red hair that usually goes down to my mid back, is still in a messy bun, strays flying everywhere. My hazel eyes red, almost like I had been crying, ‘Had I been?’ I thought. I sigh, knowing I don’t have time to fix myself, I run out the door and start walking down the road to Controlled. ‘It’s only a 10 minute walk” I think to myself as I walk down the road to the gaming bar, nervousness and excitement electrifying every step I take. I glance at my wrist. “Shit!” I say under my breath, realizing I forgot my watch. Nico’s hard to miss, six-foot-five, with slicked-back hair and eyes like cold water. He could command a room without saying a word. But I had known Nico my whole life, we grew up together, and to this day he is my best friend, my rock.

  Stolen story; please report.

  “What took you so long?!” Nico’s eyes stared into mine with a sharp glare. “Listen, I’m sorry, I must’ve fallen asleep.. I did have a strange dr-” my voice catches as I catch sight of a tall man, the same height as Nico, with his brown hair messy and falling around his face.

  Nico waves his hand in front of my face as he meets my gaze, “Earth to Kaela, helllloooooo?” His voice filled with annoyance and anger? “Sorry!” I squeak as I snap back into reality. Nico grabs my hands and leads me into the gaming bar towards the back of the shop where the leader board is. “We have two minutes before it updates! Let's go!”

  I feel someone grab my other hand—Jessa. She tosses her blonde hair with a smirk, her nails digging lightly into my wrist. “Funny seeing you two here. I saw you checking out Mr. Hot Shot over there. You’ve always been the quiet observer, but maybe that’s because you know you’ll never be in his league.”

  I yank my hand away feeling my anger filling my body. I clench my fist, feeling myself starting to lose control. Suddenly, Nico wraps his arm around my shoulder and whispers, “The wind may carry a storm, but it always passes.” This was his way of calming me down, it’s always worked and I never understood why. “Fucking bitch!” I bark at her and grab Nicos hand and head to the leaderboards. The release of the new leaderboard was going to happen any second.

  A countdown timer appears on the screen,

  “3…”

  The air buzzes. My skin prickles.

  “2…”

  Nico squeezes my hand tighter. Something’s wrong.

  “1!”

  The lights snap off.

  Darkness.

  A low, vibrating hum pulses through the room. A chair scrapes. A glass shatters.

  Nico’s hand slips from mine.

  Thud.

  “Ni—Nico?”

  I drop. Everything goes dark.