XENOI

Prologue

"In the hushed corridors of my ordinary existence, I find myself questioning, whispering to the echoes of solitude - do I truly belong here? Each step I take feels like a hesitant dance, a silent conversation with a world that often speaks a language foreign to my soul."

" Life unfolds around me like an intricate tapestry, and I, an unnamed wanderer, grapple with the notion of fitting into a puzzle where the pieces resist alignment. The whispers of otherness accompany me, a constant companion in this solitary journey, making the simplest moments feel like reflections from a distant realm."

" As I navigate the complexities of my everyday existence, I can't help but wonder if I am a displaced star, yearning for a constellation beyond the one that hangs above me. The questions linger in the silence, and the prologue of my enigmatic journey unfolds. Do I truly belong to this world, or does a distant reality beckon, waiting to unravel its secrets to the curious soul within?"

•••

Deep within the heart of the dense woods, an unspoken fear gripped a solitary figure, compelling him to navigate the twisting labyrinth of towering trees. Each hurried footfall echoed through the cold night air, shadows conspiring like elusive whispers. An indescribable dread urged him forward, a relentless pursuer seemingly born from the very darkness that danced around him.

Panic seized his senses, transforming the forest into a disorienting tapestry of obscurity as he ran, driven by an instinctual need to elude the unseen threat concealed in the gloom. The foliage whispered secrets, a symphony of rustling leaves that seemed to mock his desperate flight.

Abruptly, a chilling silence settled upon the woods. The man came to an uneasy halt, turning with trepidation, as if anticipating the revelation of his enigmatic pursuer. The air hung heavy with anticipation. Then, from the depths of his being, an otherworldly energy surged forth—flames that set the night ablaze with ethereal brilliance.

Agonized screams shattered the silence, echoing through the dense foliage—not his own, but emanating from the very flames that now enveloped him. The forest bore witness to a grotesque spectacle, as if the untamed forces within the man had chosen this moment to unfurl their presence. His screams harmonized with the eerie symphony of the woods, a chorus of pain and torment that resonated with the shadows.

In the eerie calm that followed, the aftermath of an unearthly flight unfolded. The man stood amidst the enigmatic dance of shadows and flames, his anguished cries reverberating through the stillness.