The crisp morning air carried the scent of damp earth and the distant promise of rain as Artemis stepped out onto the bustling streets of Aurora Falls. The town, with its quaint brick storefronts and towering oak trees, was already alive with the hum of early commuters, their hurried footsteps blending with the occasional honk of a passing car. She pulled her hoodie tighter around her as she adjusted the strap of her messenger bag, the dangling crescent moon and crow keychains clinking softly against the fabric.


    Her music pulsed in her ears—Ateez’s powerful melody drowning out the murmurs of those around her. She knew she stood out. The dark clothing and black-lined eyes often earned her wary glances from the townsfolk. But she didn’t care. She had long since grown used to the weight of their stares, the whispered assumptions. She embraced the solitude it granted her.


    Cutting through the town square, she veered toward her favorite shortcut—the winding path through Maplewood Park. The towering trees swayed gently as if whispering secrets among themselves. The scent of freshly cut grass lingered in the air, mixing with the faint aroma of damp leaves. The park was unusually quiet for the morning, the usual joggers and dog-walkers absent. A chill settled over her skin, though it had nothing to do with the weather.


    Halfway down the path, Artemis slowed, a creeping unease curling in her stomach. The atmosphere had shifted. The air felt denser, the sounds of the outside world muffled. Even the birds had fallen silent. She tugged out an earbud, her steps faltering as she scanned her surroundings.


    Then, she saw it.


    An enormous female deer, larger than a bull, stood just beyond the fog-draped trees, its body unnaturally still. Its dappled hide shimmered with an ethereal glow, a tapestry of gold and brown that rippled like liquid sunlight. Towering golden antlers, more fitting for a stag, crowned its regal head, their gilded tips catching the weak morning light. Its hooves, gleaming as if forged from bronze or brass, pressed silently against the earth. But it was the eyes that held her captive—two molten pools of gold that seemed to see through her, into her, peeling back the layers of her very being.


    Her breath hitched as a dull, familiar pain flared across her chest. Instinctively, she clutched the birthmark, feeling it pulse beneath her fingertips. The deer did not move, did not blink. It simply watched.


    And then, the world shifted.


    The trees around her blurred, their edges distorting like smudged ink on parchment. The air grew thick with the scent of fire and charred earth. When Artemis blinked, she was no longer in the park.


    She stood in the heart of a battlefield. The sky was a bruised shade of crimson, streaked with black smoke. Flames licked at the remains of a fallen city, their greedy fingers consuming shattered stone and broken bodies alike. Shadows twisted and slithered between the wreckage, whispering in tongues she did not understand. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps.


    A voice, haunting and familiar, curled through the smoke.


    “It’s time… wake up.”


    Artemis turned sharply, her heart pounding in her chest. A tall man stood at the center of the destruction, his white, curly hair reminiscent of clouds, and his eyes a bright blue like the sky, glowing with an otherworldly light. The figure raised a hand, beckoning her forward, his voice a whisper wrapped in power.


    “You must remember.”


    The ground beneath her trembled, the shadows lunging forward, reaching for her—


    With a strangled gasp, Artemis snapped back to reality.


    She was on the ground, her palms scraped raw against the gravel pathway of the park. The deer was gone. The trees had returned to normal, the world humming with distant traffic and the rustling of leaves.


    But the lingering ache of her birthmark told her one thing for certain.


    That had been real.


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    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


    Artemis trudged down the cracked sidewalk toward Aurora Falls Middle School, the sun barely piercing through the dense clouds. The air smelled of fallen leaves, and the occasional gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine. She pulled her hoodie tighter around her, gripping the straps of her backpack. She mentally prepared for another long, uneventful school day, pushing the events of that morning out of her mind.


    Students gathered in clusters near the front steps, chatting about their weekend plans or grumbling about upcoming tests. Artemis moved through them, avoiding eye contact, used to the stares that followed her wherever she went. Her unusual silver-white eyes always drew attention, but she had long since learned to ignore the whispers.


    "Arty! There you are!" a familiar voice called.


    She turned to see Jeon Minjun jogging toward her, his dark blue hair tied back in a messy half-ponytail, a lopsided grin plastered on his face. He wore a dark cardigan over a plain black t-shirt, his ever-present rings glinting as he adjusted the strap of his messenger bag.


    "Took you long enough," he teased. "Thought maybe you finally gave in and decided to run away to the woods to live as a mysterious cryptid."


    Artemis smirked. "Tempting, but no. Guess you''re stuck with me a little longer."


    "Lucky me." Minjun held the door open as they stepped into the school building, the warm scent of old books and disinfectant greeting them.


    Just as they reached their lockers, a light blue butterfly, almost glowing in the morning light, fluttered down and landed gently on Minjun''s shoulder. Artemis blinked at it before grinning.


    "You know, I swear this happens almost every day," she joked.


    Minjun chuckled, tilting his head slightly as if to get a better look at the butterfly. "I think they just like me. Maybe I was a butterfly whisperer in a past life."


    Artemis watched as he carefully lifted his hand, letting the delicate creature crawl onto his fingertip. They both stood there for a moment, watching as it slowly flapped its wings, shimmering like a tiny blue flame in the dim hallway light.


    Then, with a gentle movement, Minjun raised his hand, releasing the butterfly into the air. They followed its flight with their eyes as it fluttered toward the nearest window, disappearing into the sky beyond.


    A comfortable silence settled between them before Minjun finally broke it with a small laugh. "See? They can''t resist me."


    Artemis shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Don''t let it get to your head, butterfly boy."


    The bell rang before Minjun could retort, and they filed into their classroom.


    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


    The halls were still filling with students heading to their lockers, exchanging notes, and groaning about first-period classes. Artemis and Minjun made their way to their usual spot near their English classroom, where Andrea Bradley was already waiting, nose buried in a book.


    "Morning, guys," Andrea murmured without looking up. Her dark curls framed her milk chocolate face as she turned a page, completely absorbed.


    "Morning, bookworm," Minjun said, peering over her shoulder. "What’s caught your interest today?"


    "Ancient myths," she replied, finally looking up. "Did you know there are stories about gods being reborn as mortals? Like they just wake up one day and start remembering their past lives."


    Artemis paused, something about Andrea’s words striking an odd chord deep within her. A strange, unexplainable feeling crept up her spine, but she shook it off with a forced chuckle.


    "Sounds like a cool story," she said. "Maybe someone should make a movie out of it."


    The bell rang before Andrea could respond, and they filed into their classroom. Artemis settled into her seat, staring absentmindedly at the board as their substitute teacher entered.


    Mr. Sage.


    There was something off about him—something in the way he carried himself, his quiet but commanding presence. His sharp brown eyes swept across the room, pausing on Artemis for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.


    He was tall and lean, his black suit slightly rumpled as though he had slept in it. His dark hair fell around his face in a way that made him seem both timeless and out of place. When he moved, there was an uncanny grace about him, as if his every motion was calculated yet effortless. The air in the room seemed to shift with his presence, an unspoken authority weighing down on the students.


    "Good morning," he said, his voice smooth yet carrying an underlying edge, like a blade hidden beneath velvet. "I am Mr. Sage. I will be your substitute while Mrs. Johnson is away."


    There was a strange hush in the classroom, as if everyone instinctively knew not to chatter under his gaze. Even the usual troublemakers sat unusually still, their usual smirks absent. Artemis couldn''t shake the feeling that he wasn’t just any substitute. He seemed to be studying them, watching them too intently for a simple teacher.


    Her birthmark tingled under her hoodie.


    She frowned.


    That had never happened before.


    As he started the lesson, Artemis tried to focus, but she couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something very strange about Mr. Sage.