We were planning to get enrolled in Stanford University. At first, I couldn't quite remember the name—it felt like a distant dream, something too big to grasp. But after some time, we finally got selected. It was 2024, and I was around eighteen, maybe a little older. The exact number didn't matter anymore.
That first day, we came to the university in the same car. The morning air was cool against my skin, carrying the faint scent of freshly cut grass and distant city noise. Everywhere we looked, there were people—students like us—working hard, chasing their dreams with fierce determination. The campus buzzed with energy, new beginnings, and endless possibilities.
We started exploring the sprawling grounds, the polished stone paths warm under the sunlight. I noticed how Lily's eyes flickered with a mix of excitement and something quieter—maybe uncertainty. We met many people, but there was a strange similarity among them—no one stayed long enough to become a true friend. Faces appeared and disappeared like shadows, fleeting and distant.
Even here, some boys noticed me and Lily. We had grown, changed—our appearances no longer hiding the strength we carried inside. We were pretty, yes, but that wasn't what defined us. Maybe it sounds like I'm thinking too much about these things, but we weren't interested in distractions. Our focus was clear: to succeed, to break free from the cages that had held us for so long.
Lily had a little brother now. After her sister turned three, I still wondered how her family found the time for another child. Life moved on, fast and relentless, but we held onto our purpose.
The days passed quickly, filled with lectures, assignments, and the constant hum of ambition. The pressure was different here—higher, sharper—but so was the promise of freedom. We weren't just students; we were warriors fighting for a future we could call our own.
One afternoon, as we sat beneath a sprawling oak tree, Lily's voice broke the quiet.
"My whole family is moving to Micronesia Island," she said softly, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of her sleeve. Her eyes avoided mine, staring instead at the ground.
I blinked, the words hanging in the air like a sudden chill. "Micronesia?" I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah. My father got a chance to become president of a country called Aurelia."
I felt a strange mix of relief and confusion wash over me. My heart beat a little faster, and I looked away, trying to process the news. "So, you're going?" I asked cautiously.
Lily shook her head quickly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "No, I'm not going. Don't worry about me."
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Good," I said softly. "It's better this way."
Lily's eyes met mine, a flicker of uncertainty still there. "Honestly, I don't even know if Aurelia is a real country," she admitted, shrugging slightly. "When my father mentioned it, he sounded like he was in a hurry—like someone was calling him away. Maybe it's some new place, or something secret."
I smiled, feeling lighter. "Well, it's good they're leaving me alone now," Lily added, her voice steadier. "Now we can finally talk more about our plans."
By the end of 2026, everything was going smoothly. Our progress had accelerated even more after Lily's parents moved away. Without their constant interference, we finally had the space to focus and grow. Sometimes, we stayed up late, working on projects together—coding, designing, dreaming. Her parents rarely called, and my own didn't disturb me either. For once, I felt like the world was giving us a chance.
But then, something unexpected happened.
We were walking down a busy street one afternoon, the city alive with noise and movement around us. Suddenly, Lily's phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced at the screen, her expression tightening with unease even before she answered.
I felt it too—a strange tension hanging in the air, like a storm about to break.
Her voice was quiet but tense as she spoke. "Hello, Father."
The conversation was brief but heavy. Her father, who had moved to Aurelia earlier that year to take on a new role, was calling to invite her to come and study there. It was clear this was the first time Lily would be living in Aurelia. She tried hard to refuse, her words shaky but firm. Yet, she couldn't win this battle. Her father's new position carried weight, and the opportunity was not something she could easily decline.
Her little sister was already enrolled in a school near Elysium City, in Aurelia. The family was pulling together, moving forward into this new chapter—whether Lily wanted to or not.
I watched her struggle with the news, the fight in her eyes slowly dimming. The future we had been building suddenly felt fragile, threatened by forces beyond our control.
After some time, I began to see the pain lurking behind Lily's eyes. We had no other friends—just each other. Somehow, that made us alike, but it also made me feel a deep ache inside. I tried my best to hide it, to keep my face calm and steady. I didn't want Lily to see any weakness from me—not now, not when she was already struggling with the thought of leaving. I wanted to spare her from any extra pain.
We sat together often, talking quietly. I reached out and gently squeezed her hand, trying to offer some comfort. "We can still talk, even if you go to Aurelia," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Don't worry. Promise me you'll tell me every day what's happening—what the city looks like, everything."
Her eyes met mine, shimmering with unshed tears. She nodded slowly, biting her lip as if to hold back the flood of emotions. The silence between us was heavy but filled with unspoken understanding.
Then the day came—the day she was leaving for Aurelia.
Her father had sent a private airplane to take her there. I went with a heavy heart to Los Angeles International Airport, the noise and bustle around me fading into a dull hum. The cool, recycled air of the terminal brushed against my skin, and the distant roar of planes taking off echoed in my ears.
When I saw her, standing there with her small suitcase, her face pale but determined, my chest tightened painfully. We embraced, holding each other tightly as if trying to freeze the moment in time. Her arms trembled slightly around me, and I felt my own hands shake.
We talked for what felt like hours, words tumbling out in a desperate attempt to say everything we hadn't before. Our voices cracked, and tears threatened to spill over, but we held them back—two souls grown too fast, now facing a painful goodbye.
We had been together since the day I first enrolled in school, through every challenge, every lonely night during the pandemic when the world outside seemed to crumble. But now, standing in the crowded airport, it felt like a part of me was being torn away.
As she pulled back, her eyes glistened with tears, and I swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Take care, Lily," I whispered.
She nodded, her voice barely audible. "You too. We'll talk every day. I promise."
And then she was gone—walking toward the gate, toward a new life in a place that felt so far away.
________________________________________
"The Phone Calls"
It was already time. I kept checking my phone, waiting for her call. Why hadn't Lily called yet? I glanced at the clock—only minutes had passed since her plane was supposed to land. The silence around me grew heavier, pressing down on my chest. Loneliness crept in like a cold shadow, twisting inside me.
My hands trembled slightly as I clenched them into fists, trying to steady my breathing. I told myself to stay strong. I didn't want Lily to see me like this—lost, broken, struggling. She was going through enough already.
Then, suddenly, my phone rang.
I snatched it up so fast my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. "Lily! How was the flight? Did you reach home safely?" I blurted out, my voice rushing before I even realized it.
She laughed softly, a calming sound that eased some of the tension in my chest. "Ember, calm down," she said gently. "Everything's fine. Just… calm down."
I blinked, suddenly aware of how frantic I sounded. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice.
Lily's face appeared on the screen, clear and bright through the video call. I could see everything—the way her eyes searched the unfamiliar surroundings, the slight furrow in her brow as she tried to make sense of it all.
"Is that Elysium?" I asked, pointing to the cityscape behind her.
She glanced at the woman who had come to pick her up and asked quietly. The woman smiled and replied, "No, it's not Elysium. This is Lonia City. It's the second largest city, but not close to Elysium in size or beauty."
I watched Lily try to stay calm, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of her sleeve. I could feel the weight of her uncertainty through the screen, and it made my heart ache.
I wanted to be there with her—to live with her again, to face this new world side by side. But I couldn't. My parents wouldn't allow it. The walls around me felt tighter than ever.
I swallowed hard, forcing a smile for her. "You'll be okay," I said softly. "We'll figure this out. Together."
We ended the call, and I was left alone, attending my university like always—quietly, focused, but missing her. Days passed in a blur of lectures and study sessions. The silence around me grew heavier without her voice.
Then, out of the blue, my phone rang again. It was Lily.
This call felt different—like a turning point.
I answered quickly, but before I could say anything, I asked, "Why did it take you so long to call me?"
There was a pause, and then I saw it in her eyes—something she was hesitant to share.
She started talking about Elysium City, describing its beauty, the smooth flow of life there. Her voice was lighter, almost hopeful.
But then, her tone shifted.
"Today," she said quietly, "I saw a strange man in my house. He came to meet my father."
I frowned. "What's strange about him? It's not like anyone meets your father—he's the president of a whole country."
She hesitated, then continued, "He was… too handsome. I couldn't tell his age just by looking. But his eyes… they were unlike anything I've ever seen."
I leaned in closer, listening intently.
"Where normal human eyes have white sclera, his were a deep, endless ink-black, like darkness itself had taken over. And his irises—they weren't the usual black pupils. Instead, they glowed a fierce crimson red, like molten fire burning silently inside."
It was terrifying, like looking into something not meant for this world. His eyes felt like they could pierce through your soul—cold and powerful.
I swallowed hard, trying to imagine such eyes. "Is it even possible for someone to have eyes like that?"
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I was scared of him because of those eyes. I didn't know what to say or do."
________________________________________
"Why I Came to Aurelia"
The strange tone in Lily's voice, the way she spoke about Jaks, and the unsettling description of his eyes haunted me. Every time we talked, I felt the distance between us grow—not just physically, but something darker, more dangerous creeping into her life.
I couldn't just stay behind, pretending everything was fine. My best friend, my sister in all but blood, was in trouble. The shadows around her were growing, and I had to understand what was happening—to protect her if I could.
I fought my parents for money, making countless requests and planning everything carefully. I was determined to go—to be with Lily, to stand by her side, or at least to uncover the truth behind this mysterious Jaks and the darkness that seemed to follow her.
When I finally arrived in Aurelia, the first thing I did was find Lily. She looked normal—her familiar smile lighting up her face—and for the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of hope. We shared countless happy moments, laughing and catching up on everything we had missed. It was like no time had passed, yet everything had changed.
Then, I met Aria in person for the first time. She was even more beautiful than I had imagined—silver hair that shimmered softly in the light, and those striking black cat-like eyes that held a quiet mystery. I felt comfortable around her, as if she was the missing piece Lily needed. It made sense why Lily had chosen her as a friend.
I wanted to meet Jaks, the brother-like figure Lily often spoke about, to understand what was really happening. But nothing happened that night.
________________________________________
After I arrived in Aurelia and met Lily and Aria, life felt like it was settling into a fragile new normal. I enrolled in the same university as them, though I couldn't understand how I ended up in the same class when I had joined a year later. The university was strange—family names were not allowed; only first names mattered. I overheard whispers about a senior named Asad, someone who had dropped out but was talked about with awe. People said he was perfect, the creator of a brand called EMP, and held half ownership of it. I remembered seeing a face on the building's screens but pushed it aside. That wasn't important. My only focus was solving Lily's problem.
I graduated after just one year. But after that, I felt stuck. Nothing changed. Everything felt the same. Aria didn't know about the strange things happening around us. Somehow, she remained unaware of Jaks and the shadows that loomed over our lives.
The three of us left everyone behind. Lily and Aria started working at a coffee shop, and I searched for a job of my own—to prove I could live independently.
Eventually, we moved into an apartment together. I found a job in my field and began working, but the desire to help Lily never left me. Everything looked normal on the surface, but I knew something was still wrong.
It was already dark when I decided to go out and buy some things from the market. Usually, I would just order what we needed to our apartment, but tonight I wanted to pick them up myself. The cool night air brushed against my skin as I stepped outside, the city lights flickering softly in the distance.
I thought about Aria and Lily—they must be finishing their shift at the coffee shop by now. Suddenly, the air around me shifted. It was strange, unlike anything I had ever felt before. A strange mix of tension and something unexplainable filled the atmosphere. I tried to shake it off, but then I looked up.
Without any sound, a massive crack appeared in the sky. It spread wide and fast, covering a large area above the city. The crack was silent but terrifying, like the sky itself was tearing apart. I felt frozen, unable to move as the crack stretched out, reaching toward Lonia City.
Around me, I saw others frozen in the same way, their faces pale with shock. But somehow, I managed to regain control of my body. Panic surged through me as I frantically called Aria and Lily, trying to warn them. The crack was too far for them to see from the coffee shop, hidden behind tall buildings and the darkness of night.
But my calls went unanswered. I didn't know why.
As I stared into the crack, I could see through it clearly now. On the other side was a strange world—barren, with no trees, and a thick, heavy air that seemed to seep through the crack. Then I saw them—creatures unlike anything I had ever imagined.
Dinosaurs.
They were massive, their bodies covered in strange, intricate patterns. Some breathed fire, their flames flickering in the dark air. Their height made them visible even from this distance. But surprisingly, when they noticed the humans, they started running away—like they were scared of us.
Despite their terrifying appearance, I told myself they weren't dangerous—at least, not yet.
After the dinosaurs—or whatever those creatures really were—I couldn't bring myself to call them that anymore. They looked so alien, so unlike anything I'd ever seen. Some of the creatures noticed that humans weren't harming them, and the humans around me froze in fear. Slowly, the creatures began moving toward us, their massive forms looming closer. But when they finally saw the humans' fear, they gained confidence and suddenly started running toward us.
Panic surged through me. I started running toward Lily and Aria, desperate to find them and get them to safety. But then, something unexpected happened—something that made me question if I was truly born under a curse of bad luck, destined to face endless problems.
From the crack in the sky, a man appeared. He flew, his large wings beating the air effortlessly, as if it was natural for him to soar like that. My heart sank. Of all the people in the crowd, he singled me out.
Without a word, he reached out and pressed his hand into my stomach. I felt a sharp, searing pain as if he had made a hole inside me. Then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he left—like I was nothing.
I thought I was going to die.
But somehow, I didn't. Instead, I was overwhelmed by pain—so much pain that it was almost unbearable. People were running all around me, trampling over my body without noticing how badly I was injured.
My last thoughts were a jumble of fear and regret. Even if no one was listening, I tried to hold on, to see my friends one last time. I wanted to tell them everything, to protect them, to make sense of the nightmare unfolding around us.
But I was fading.
Then, through the blur, I thought I saw them—Lily and Aria.
But why were their faces twisted in fear and confusion?