Affinity

Chapter 1

All around me, houses are swallowed by flames. The once vibrant colors of the buildings are now reduced to smoke and ash. Villagers scatter in every direction, some desperately fleeing the attack while others, braver or more desperate, fight until their last breath. A deafening explosion pulls my attention to the right, just in time to see one of the castle walls crumble. Shadows flicker against the backdrop of battle, the smoky air thick with the metallic tang of blood. I stand in the midst of the chaos, disoriented, as dark figures clash around me, emerging from what looks like a gate. Its door wide open, revealing nothing but a black abyss.

Through the chaos, a figure steps out from the darkness—a tall man with long black hair, tied back neatly, and cold, pitiless onyx eyes. A crown sits atop his head, and... oh gods, are those bones? His gaze slices through the mayhem, his canines turned upward in a twisted smile. When he speaks, it's in a language I don't understand, and I notice something chilling—his tongue is forked like a serpent's. His army looks at him with an eerie reverence, signaling that he's not just anyone. For a brief, terrifying moment, his eyes lock onto mine, as if he can actually see me. A wave of icy dread floods over me.

I blink, and the scene shifts. Now I'm inside the grand castle I had been staring at moments before. The halls are overrun with shadow-like creatures, leaving destruction in their wake. They tear through the defenses as if they weren't even there, smashing down doors and ripping tapestries off the walls. Their clawed paws leave deep marks on the stone as their growls fill the air. A hooded figure, tall and broad-shouldered, slips through the chaos like a ghost. His cloak is lined with runes that shimmer faintly as he moves with deliberate purpose, each step silent, as though he knows exactly where he's headed. He vanishes behind a hidden passage, disappearing without a trace. I try to follow him, but the scene shifts again.

Now, I'm in a luxurious bedchamber, somehow untouched by the devastation outside—at least for now. The room is cluttered with sand, powders, and books, as if some kind of work or ritual has been taking place. A woman stands in the center of the room, her back to me. Her dark hair falls in waves, and there's a heaviness in her movements, a pain she's trying to hide as she gathers a few items. A bassinet stands next to the bed, a wailing newborn baby inside.

Suddenly, the door flies open, and a different hooded figure rushes in. "We've been betrayed," he says, his voice urgent. Then, in a hushed tone, he says something I can't quite make out. The woman nods, a single tear slipping down her cheek as she clutches the baby tightly. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this," she whispers, her voice breaking.

The dream begins to fade, the images dissolving into darkness. But before everything goes black, I see the man with the bone crown again. "Her abilities are starting to manifest," he says to someone equally as unnerving. As if sensing he's being watched, his head snaps toward me, his eyes locking onto mine once more. His grin stretches wider, revealing sharp, glinting teeth as he hisses, "You can't escape us."

***

I wake with a startle, a scream escaping me. It is not until I spot the familiar sun-stained curtains, still flowing from the breeze coming out the window, that I feel my breathing begin to slow. It was just a dream, I try to convince myself, despite my pounding heart begging to differ. In a blink of an eye, Kendry pushes my door open, poking his head in.

"Eva, are you okay?" Slowly, his eyes canvas my bedroom, checking to see if everything is in place, his old military habits kicking in.

Kendry has been like a father to me since I was young. Drying my tears when I've been upset, calming me down after nightmares; even teaching me how to climb a tree. "Just another dream, Kendry," I reply with an attempt at a smile