Eternal Eclipse: Bloodlines of Fate

The Stranger in the Woods

The ride home from the ball was quiet, with Lisa chattering about the evening, but your thoughts remained distant, preoccupied by the mysterious man from earlier. His dark eyes haunted you, the intensity of his gaze lingering even as the music and laughter from the night faded into memory.

Lisa noticed your distraction but didn’t push for details, allowing you the space to retreat into your own thoughts. “You know, I think you might’ve missed your chance with Joshua tonight,” she teased lightly, pulling you back into the present. “He totally looked over at you a few times.”

You smiled, though the weight of the encounter with the stranger still pressed against your chest. “I’m sure there’ll be other chances,” you said, your tone distant.

But Lisa’s words barely registered. All you could think about was that man—the way he’d watched you so closely, like you were someone important to him, like you were someone he had been waiting for. The sensation had been unnerving, but also... familiar in a way that unsettled you.

The days that followed were unremarkable on the surface—classes, graduation preparations, and the usual rush of life. Lisa, as always, was by your side, your constant support, but even her playful chatter couldn’t pull your mind from the encounter at the ball. You didn’t tell her about the man; part of you felt like the entire experience would sound too strange, too unreal. And yet, the memory of it stayed with you, growing heavier each day.

That night, the dreams began.

It started slowly, with flashes of images you couldn’t fully place—forests bathed in moonlight, dark corridors that stretched on endlessly, whispers you couldn’t quite make out. You’d wander through these strange places, always searching for something just beyond your reach. And then, always, you’d wake up before finding it.

But last night had been different. This time, you’d found him—the man from the ball. Standing in the shadows of the ballroom, his eyes fixed on you with the same intensity, the same haunting familiarity. He’d spoken, too, his voice soft, filled with an emotion that gripped your heart.

“You don’t remember me,” he had said, his gaze locked on yours. “But I’ve been searching for you.”

When you woke up, his words echoed in your mind. Who was he? And why did his presence feel so real, so important, when you were certain you had never met him before?

Unable to shake the feeling that had been building within you, you decided to clear your head. The woods just outside the city had always been a place of peace for you—a sanctuary where the noise of life seemed to fade, leaving only the quiet and solitude of nature. You often walked there when you needed to think, and today, you hoped the forest would offer some kind of clarity.

The trees were tall and imposing, their branches swaying gently in the wind. You followed the familiar path, your footsteps soft against the forest floor, trying to lose yourself in the rhythm of the walk. The further you went, the calmer you felt. The tension that had been pressing against your chest since the ball began to ease.

But then, the feeling returned—that unsettling sense of being watched.

You stopped, your heart pounding in your chest as you scanned your surroundings. The forest was quiet, peaceful, but the sensation persisted, wrapping itself around you like a heavy fog. You turned slowly, searching for any sign that you weren’t alone, but there was nothing. Just trees and shadows.

And then you saw him.

Standing between the trees, just a few yards away, was the man from the ball. The man from your dreams.

He was there, watching you again, his dark eyes fixed on yours. You froze, your breath catching in your throat. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, the world narrowing down to just the two of you. His presence was overwhelming, the weight of it pressing against you like an invisible force.

He took a step forward, moving out from the shadows, and you finally found your voice.

“Who are you?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

He stopped, his expression unreadable, but his eyes... they were filled with something you couldn’t quite understand. Pain. Longing. Hope. “I’ve been looking for you for a long time,” he said softly, his voice carrying through the stillness of the forest.

Your heart pounded in your chest. “I don’t know you.”

“You don’t remember,” he corrected gently, his gaze never leaving yours. “But you do know me.”

A chill ran down your spine, and you shook your head, taking a step back. “This is impossible. I’ve never—”

“Y/N,” he interrupted, his voice soft but insistent. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to find you.”

You stared at him, your mind racing. How did he know your name? How could he speak with such familiarity when you were certain you’d never seen him before? “You must be mistaken,” you managed, though even as you said the words, a part of you doubted them.

He stepped closer, his movements slow, cautious, as if he didn’t want to scare you. “I’m not mistaken,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper now. “I would know you anywhere.”

The intensity in his gaze was almost unbearable, and you felt a strange pull in your chest, like something deep within you was trying to reach out to him. But it didn’t make sense. None of this made sense.

“I don’t understand,” you said, your voice trembling slightly.

He stopped a few feet away from you, his eyes searching yours as if he was looking for something only he could see. “You will,” he promised, his voice low, filled with a sadness that made your chest tighten. “But not today.”

You took another step back, your heart racing. “I have to go.”

“Please, wait,” he said, taking a step toward you, his hand reaching out as if he wanted to stop you from leaving. But he didn’t touch you. “Just... give me a moment.”

Something in his voice made you pause, despite every instinct telling you to run. There was a rawness in his tone, a vulnerability that tugged at your heart.

“Why?” you asked quietly. “Why me?”

His eyes softened, and for the first time, you saw something break through the mask he had been wearing—a flicker of emotion so deep it made your breath catch.

“Because,” he said softly, “you’re the one I’ve been searching for. And because... you belong with me.”