Chapter 21: The Strange symptoms
Chapter 21: Strange Symptoms
Anita woke with a sharp pain piercing through her skull, like someone was trying to carve their way into her thoughts. She groaned, clutching her head, as flashes of unfamiliar images raced behind her closed eyes—a dense forest bathed in moonlight, an ancient battle, and a pair of glowing amber eyes staring back at her.
When she opened her eyes, her room felt too bright, too sharp. Everything seemed... heightened. The sounds of cars outside her house were clearer than ever, each engine rev distinct. The smell of coffee brewing downstairs hit her like a wave.
“Great,” she muttered, stumbling out of bed. “I’m turning into some kind of human antenna.”
By the time she made it downstairs, Jace was already there, sitting casually at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal he’d apparently learned to pour himself.
“You look terrible,” he said bluntly, eyeing her with concern.
“Thanks for the pep talk,” Anita replied, sitting across from him. She rubbed her temples. “I’ve been having these... visions or something. And my head feels like it’s splitting open.”
Jace set his spoon down, his face serious now. “What kind of visions?”
Anita hesitated. “It’s hard to explain. It’s like I’m seeing things that aren’t mine—places I’ve never been, people I’ve never met.” She paused, meeting his gaze. “Does this have something to do with the fox bead?”
Jace nodded slowly. “It’s possible. The bead holds centuries of knowledge and memories, but it wasn’t meant for humans. Your mind isn’t equipped to handle all of it at once.”
“So, what?” Anita leaned back in her chair. “Am I going to start remembering random fox spirit trivia every time I blink?”
Jace smirked faintly but quickly grew serious again. “This isn’t a joke, Anita. The bead’s power is merging with you, and that includes its memories. But if you’re not careful, it could overwhelm you.”
“Overwhelm me how?” Anita asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“Your mind could break,” Jace said, blunt as ever. “Or worse, the bead could take over entirely.”
Anita stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. “So what do I do? I can’t just ignore it—it’s already happening.”
“For now, you need to rest,” Jace said firmly. “And if anything else strange happens, you tell me immediately.”
As Anita lay in bed that night, her mind buzzed with fragments of those visions. They were vivid and terrifying, but beneath the fear, there was also a strange sense of wonder. Whatever the fox bead was, it was unlike anything she’d ever encountered.
And part of her wanted to know more.
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Chapter 22: A Warning from Jace
The next morning, Anita found Jace waiting for her in the living room, arms crossed and expression grim.
“We need to talk,” he said, motioning for her to sit.
“Let me guess,” Anita said, plopping onto the couch. “More bad news?”
Jace ignored her sarcasm. “I need you to understand how dangerous the fox bead is. Using its energy without control is like playing with fire—except this fire can consume your soul.”
“Okay, dramatic much?” Anita quipped, but her nervous laugh gave her away.
Jace leaned closer, his tone low but intense. “I’m serious. The bead amplifies emotions and desires. If you’re angry or scared, it’ll feed on that. If you try to use it recklessly, it could destroy you—and everyone around you.”
Anita swallowed hard. “So, what am I supposed to do? Just sit here and hope I don’t explode?”
“No,” Jace said. “You need to learn control. Meditation is the first step. It’ll help you stabilize the bead’s energy and keep it from reacting to your emotions.”
Anita raised an eyebrow. “Meditation? Really? Do I look like the ‘sit in a lotus position and hum’ type to you?”
Jace smirked. “No, but you don’t have a choice. Unless you’d rather wake up one day and accidentally set your house on fire.”
“Fine,” Anita muttered. “But if I start chanting or whatever, you owe me pizza.”
“Deal,” Jace said, already clearing a space on the floor.
For the next hour, Jace guided her through basic breathing exercises, his voice surprisingly calm and steady. Anita struggled to focus at first, her thoughts darting in every direction. But eventually, she felt a faint, soothing rhythm as the bead’s energy settled within her.
When they finished, Jace sat back, looking almost impressed. “Not bad for your first time.”
Anita opened one eye. “Did I unlock some ancient fox spirit power or something?”
“Not yet,” Jace said, grinning. “But at least you didn’t set anything on fire.”
Anita laughed despite herself. For the first time in days, she felt a sliver of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could learn to handle this.