When shadows speak

The night felt heavier than usual,

Ava Takabi pulled her hoodie tighter around her frame as she walked home from class. The streetlights flickered above her, casting long, distorted shadows across the sidewalk. There was something off about the air—like it carried a hum just below hearing, a vibration that gnawed at her nerves.

It had been weeks since she'd seen Megumi.

And yet, she couldn't stop thinking about him—about the monstrous power that had erupted from him that day, about the way he held her behind his wings like she was the only thing keeping him grounded.

The image haunted her dreams.

Her footsteps slowed as she passed the alley again—the same one where she saw the man in the black cloak vanish days ago. It was empty now… but still cold.

You still dream about him, don't you?

The message replayed in her head like a curse. No one had replied. No one had come forward.

She reached her apartment door, hand trembling just slightly as she unlocked it and stepped inside.

Everything looked the same. Couch. Lamp. Chloe's necklace on the table—she still hadn't taken it off since she found it. But the room felt darker, despite the lights being on.

She closed the door. Locked it.

Then she froze.

Her phone buzzed again.

No number. Just one message.

He'll bring ruin. Let him go.

Her heart dropped. "What the hell—?"

She dropped the phone, backing away from the table. Her reflection in the window shifted—and her blood ran cold.

It blinked.

Not her.

The reflection blinked before she did.

And it smiled.

She scrambled back, knocking over a lamp as the lightbulb burst in a flash. The room flickered between light and shadow.

The reflection stepped closer.

From inside the glass.

"Who… who are you?" Ava whispered.

The figure wore a black hood, eyes gold and glowing. His smile was charming, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I've gone by many names," he said softly, voice smooth like velvet, dangerous like smoke. "But the one you'll learn soon enough… is Asmodeus."

She tried to scream, but the sound caught in her throat.

Asmodeus tilted his head. "Such a strong spirit. You remind me of someone who once defied fate itself. It's admirable. It's also… a liability."

Ava grabbed Chloe's necklace and held it close. "Get out of my head."

"Oh, I'm not in your head," he said, and her window cracked down the center. "I'm in your world."

He reached toward the glass. It rippled like water.

She bolted for the front door—but the handle wouldn't budge. Every window slammed shut. The lights all died. Her breath misted in the sudden cold.

"You love him," Asmodeus said behind her. "That's your weakness."

"I won't let you touch him," she hissed.

He appeared right in front of her. No warning.

"I already have."

He touched her forehead with one black-gloved finger—and in an instant, Ava was no longer in her apartment.

Illusion – The Dream Realm

She stood at the edge of a ruined city. Skies crimson. Ash fell like snow.

In the center stood Megumi—but twisted.

Eyes hollow. Wings torn. His halo shattered and bleeding shadows.

Ava stepped forward, heart shattering. "Megumi…?"

He looked at her—and raised his hand.

A bolt of black lightning tore through her.

Pain.

She screamed.

And then—

Reality

She snapped awake on the floor of her apartment, chest heaving. The lights were back. The window unbroken.

But the fear was real.

Ava sat there for what felt like hours, unable to move.

And then—her phone buzzed.

A new number.

This one… familiar.

[Unknown Number]: I'm coming back. Wait for me.

Tears welled in her eyes.

Megumi.

But even as warmth surged through her, she felt the cold breath of Asmodeus linger on the back of her neck.

He'd touched something inside her.

And whatever came next… wouldn't leave her unscathed.