The clash of swords echoed through the sanctum, the sound reverberating like a monstrous roar. Each strike shook the ground beneath them.

  “Give up Orec,” Morack said, a devilish grin spreading across his face, “You’ve already lost.” With a powerful shove, he threw Orec against the wall. “I’m showing you mercy on behalf of Arion,” he added, turning his back on Orec and heading for the exit. The massive doors were locked. Morack strained, trying to force open the gates.

  Orec laughs weakly, “It’s you who has lost,” he said, “She has put a barrier over this sanctum that even you can’t cross.”

  "Lies," Morack's grin faded. "She wouldn’t leave you here to die—at my mercy."

  "But she did," Jayce murmured, his eyes flickering open. Morack's sword flew at his head—

  Jayce woke up, drenched in sweat, his breath coming in heavy gasps. He buried his face in his hands, trying to steady his breathing. Glancing at the clock, he sighed, "That dream again."

  "Jayce! Wake up, honey," Ms. Clark called from downstairs.

  "I'm already up, Mom," Jayce replied, dragging himself out of bed just as the alarm blared at 6:00 a.m. "Well, let's get going," he muttered, heading for the shower.

  Jayce came downstairs with his backpack. In the kitchen, Ms. Clark was serving breakfast.

  "Goedemorgen, moeder," he greeted her.

  "English, Jayce. Remember?" she reminded him gently.

  "Yes, mother. Good morning," he corrected himself. "You know we don’t have to. I’ve seen them talk, I’ll be fine."

  "I just want you to be as prepared as possible," she said, placing a plate of pancakes in front of him. "I’ve packed some for Derrick as well."

  "Thank you, Mother," Jayce said, checking his notifications as he ate. "How’s Granny doing?"

  “The same,” she replied.

  “No improvement at all?”

  “No. At her age, I don’t think there will be any improvement at all.”

  “Show a little optimism, Mother,” Jayce urged.

  “It’s been two years Jayce.”

  “I know but still.” Jaye finished his breakfast and stood up, clearing the table. He waited for Ms Clark to finish her last bite and then picked both the plates to put them in the dishwasher.

  “Have you grown taller?” Ms Clark asked, noticing.

  “Don’t think so, it’s rare to grow taller after eighteen.”

  “But you’re still nineteen.”

  “True. I’ll check later.”

  Ms Clark picked up her bag, “I’m leaving now. There’s pizza in the fridge. I’ll be late tonight so don’t wait up. Order dinner and eat on time.”

  “Okay,” Jayce said, “Bye Mom.”

  "Bye, sweetheart," she said, leaving. Jayce cleaned up the kitchen and locked the house before heading to university.

  The warm July sun bathed the day in a golden glow. Jayce was both excited and a little discontented; this would be his last visit to the university before joining UCB in August for his fifth semester. He had already taken care of his visa and passport. Feeling the sun on his face, he smiled. Ever since childhood, Jayce loved the open sky and the free air in his hair.

  An hour later, Jayce reached the university entrance and hurried to attend the departure orientation. Spotting Derrick, he sat next to him. After the somewhat boring yet informative seminar, the two headed to the cafeteria. The summer break had left the university relatively deserted. Everyone from ‘The Bois’ group was waiting for Jayce there. He handed Derrick the pancakes and they spent the afternoon celebrating his farewell.

  By 4 p.m., the group decided to call it a day and everyone, except Derrick, parted ways. Derrick lived halfway across Jayce’s. Derrick was taller than Jayce and had a ripped physique. With dark brown eyes, his perfect haircut and good dressing sense made him the most attractive guy in the group. The two had been friends since Jayce couldn’t even remember, not that Jayce’s memory was all that good. They grew up together and were like brothers and like brothers they occasionally tested their strengths against one another. Jayce always won effortlessly which sometimes stirred up some feelings in him.

  Jayce invited Derrick but he had some errands to run. Back home, Jayce lay on the couch, scrolling through Instagram. Thirty minutes passed when his phone rang. He silenced it and let it ring. Setting his phone aside, he opened every window on the floor and took a deep breath. He then grabbed his yoga mat, laid it in the living room, and began meditating. An hour later, he transitioned to stretching and light exercises.

  The following days blurred together as Jayce stuck to his routine. He had already taken care of all the preparations. The nightmares had plagued him since childhood, but meditation helped control his thoughts and reduced their frequency. He had stopped waking up in tears since eight years old and had made peace with the nightmares. His mother worked tirelessly to support him. She’d often leave early and return late. Jayce took care of the house, ensuring everything was in order for both of them.

  July in Bruges brought long, lazy days and warm evenings filled with the hum of summer. But for the Clarks, this July was anything but lazy. Despite her busy schedule, Ms Clark managed to get a week off before Jayce left Belgium. It was the final week of July, and Jayce’s flight was on the second of August. Ms. Clark wanted to spend every possible moment with her son.

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  Their mornings began with a jog. Ms. Clark would end up exhausted, while Jayce barely broke a sweat. After their run, they would make breakfast together. On the first day of the week, they went bowling. Jayce enjoyed bowling but hadn’t been able to go as often as he would’ve liked. Afterwards, they treated themselves to ice cream in a nearby park. Back at home, they started a movie marathon. Jayce, a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, decided to introduce his mother to the MCU, starting with Iron Man.

  On the second day, they visited an amusement park. Jayce had always wanted to ride a roller coaster but never had the chance. This time, he chose the most thrilling roller coaster in the park, the adrenaline rush leaving him exhilarated.

  Day three was for shopping. Jayce bought new winter wear and accessories, and he got his mother a new dress. While trying on a shirt, he felt a bit dizzy but shrugged it off and took his mother to lunch.

  As the days went by, Ms. Clark took Jayce to some of his favourite childhood places. On the sixth day, they went golfing. Neither of them knew how to golf, but they had fun figuring out the rules and making up new ones along the way. At one point, Jayce thought he saw someone familiar but couldn't place the face. His mother snapped him out of it, and they continued their game.

  August 1st was chaotic for Ms. Clark. She meticulously ensured everything was ready for Jayce’s departure. Jayce, on the other hand, remained calm, knowing his mother had everything under control.

  Soft, pre-dawn light filtered through Jayce's window. The summer air was already warm, promising another hot day. Ms Clark entered his room, gently caressing him awake. “Wake up, sweetheart,” she said softly. “Jayce, wake up.”

  Jayce stirred, his eyes red and head heavy. “Yes, Mother,” he replied in a husky voice. He glanced at the clock. “Isn’t it late for jogging?”

  “It’s Wednesday, Jayce,” she said, opening the window. “Second of August, remember?”

  “Hmm,” Jayce murmured, wiping his face. “Oh, right!”

  “Now hurry up and get ready,” Ms urged.

  “Yes,” Jayce said, picking up his phone and dialling Derrick. “Wake up. We leave at 7,” he said before hanging up and heading for the shower.

  He stepped into the bathroom, the cool tiles a comfort under his feet. He turned on the shower, letting the cool water cascade over him, refreshing and invigorating. After a few minutes, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel, briskly drying off before wrapping it around his waist.

  As he approached the mirror, he noticed it was fogged up, likely from the contrast of the cool shower and the warm, humid air of the early morning. He reached out and wiped the mirror with his right hand which revealed the left half of his face. He looked into his eyes, the amber-red iris faded into black. Shocked, Jayce blinked, but the eerie change remained.

  Shaking off the shock, Jayce shifted his focus to the rest of his face. The right half was still obscured by the mist, giving his reflection an odd, dual appearance. His straight glossy hair appeared curly and wild. Darkness lingered through his face and the shadows of the room deepened the lines of his face.

  Then, the reflection’s lips curled into a crooked smile, a sinister smirk that would send chills down anyone’s spine. It was as if a demon mocked him through the glass. Jayce was frightened, but not by the face rather he was frightened about what was happening to him. The face, however, felt uncannily familiar.

  He blinked again, harder this time. When he opened his eyes, the mirror showed only his frightened face—his straight black hair, brown eyes, and bright but scared expression had returned. He wiped the rest of the mirror, but nothing out of the ordinary happened.

  Jayce took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair, still shaken by the disturbing vision. He quickly got ready and headed downstairs with a suitcase in each hand, placing them near the entrance. He wore a plain white t-shirt under a baby blue shirt with sleeves folded up to his elbows, paired with denim jeans.

  As he turned to the kitchen, the doorbell rang. Jayce opened the door and let Derrick in. “My man!” Derrick exclaimed, hugging him. Jayce greeted him with a big smile. They joined Ms Clark at the kitchen table, where breakfast was already served.

  “You look handsome, Jayce,” Ms. Clark said.

  “Yeah, bro, looking,” Derrick agreed, “You’re going to slay the ladies in UCB.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Jayce said, ‘That’s the plan man, that’s the plan.”

  After breakfast, it was time to leave. Ms. Clark went into her room and came out with a gift. She handed it to Jayce and asked him to unwrap it. Eagerly, he tore off the wrapping to reveal a brand-new smartphone, the latest in the Samsung Galaxy series. Jayce's smile widened.

  “Thank you, Mother, but you didn’t have to,” he said.

  “Your old phone is old now. I didn’t have the budget for the latest iPhones but I thought it was the second best,” Ms. Clark said.

  “It’s great Mom, iPhones are overrated anyway,” Jayce said, “No offence, Derrick.”

  “Non-taken,” Derrick replied.

  “We should get going now,” Ms. Clark suggested.

  Jayce and Derrick loaded the suitcases into Ms. Clark’s Chevrolet Equinox LT. After locking up the house, they hit the road to Brussels Airport. The boys sat in the back seat of the car to unbox Jayce’s new phone. They set up his phone and waited for it to finish downloading settings and chats.

  “I’ll miss you, Jayce,” Derrick said.

  “Me too, bro. Don’t let anyone bully you, alright?” Jayce said.

  Derrick laughed, “Bully is giving advice against bullies.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Remember Victor?” Derrick asked.

  “From high school, yes.”

  Derrick stared at him, “You really don’t remember?”

  “Remember what?” Jayce asked.

  “How he went from being a bully to one of the nicest people to you?”

  “I don’t know, spiritual awakening?”

  “It was you. Somehow he managed to get into a heated conversation with you and when he started talking about your mother slammed the desk. He hit you, but then you grabbed him by the throat with one hand and tossed him like a basketball. He must have fallen 15 feet away.”

  “No. I remember getting into an argument but not it being physical. And he’s 6 feet tall and over 70 kg. It’s impossible.”

  “Bro I was there. I saw it. After throwing him you collapsed. I held you.”

  “Mom, is it true?” Jayce asked.

  “It doesn’t matter Jayce,” Ms Clark said.

  “It does to me, Mom, tell me the truth,” Jayce insisted.

  “Yes, I did get a call from your high school about a fight with Victor. And yes, you’ve always been stronger than other kids your age. But tossing him with one hand is taking it too far. You don’t remember because you black out when things get too intense,” Ms. Clark explained.

  “Wow, Okay,” Jayce said, “Is something wrong with me?”

  “No,” Ms Clark said firmly, “There is nothing wrong with you. Being stronger than others isn’t wrong. Just stay out of trouble when you’re in there.”

  “Okay.” For the rest of the ride, Jayce kept trying to remember the incident, but to no avail.

  Jayce reached the airport with his mother and Derrick. As they unloaded the suitcases, Ms. Clark noticed Jayce’s quiet demeanour. “You’ve been quiet for a while now. Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Yes, I was just thinking about the blackouts,” Jayce replied in a low tone.

  “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. You’re perfect,” Mrs Clark gently brushed his hair. “You’re about to start yet another chapter of your life. Don’t think about it. Just stay out of any intense situations and you won’t have any blackouts.”

  “She’s right Jayce. And Victor deserved what he got that day. Now stop sulking like a lady.” Derrick added.

  “Fuck it,” Jayce said, managing a small smile, “I’ll miss you, bro,” Jayce hugged him.

  “I love you, Mom,” Jayce said, hugging her. Ms Clark embraced his son for one last time before he left. With tears in her eyes, she released him, but Jayce held on to her. She was his home. She was his all. All he’d ever known was because of her. She eased his heart and comforted his mind. Derrick snapped a photo of the moment before reminding them, “Jayce you should check in.”

  Jayce and Ms. Clark let go of each other. “I love you, Jayce,” Ms. Clark said, kissing his head.

  “Alright, bye then,” Jayce turned and walked forward.

  “Don’t forget,” Derrick almost yelled from behind, ”You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

  Jayce turned, took one last look at his mother and friend, smiled, and moved to check in.

  The check-in process went smoothly. Inside the plane, Jayce looked for his seat, “24 C…” he read and noticed a tall, about 5 '8, wheatish-skinned guy about his age sitting in 23 C.

  “Excuse me?” Jayce said to the man.

  The man exuded an air of effortless elegance, dressed in a crisp white linen shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled up. His light beige trousers were perfectly tailored, and his brown loafers spoke of impeccable taste. The man looked up, revealing hazel green eyes.

  “I’m at 24 C,” Jayce said.

  “Right,” the man said, scooting over to let Jayce pass. Jayce settled into his seat and offered a handshake. “I’m Jayce Clark,” he introduced himself.

  The man's handshake was firm. “Mark Evans,” he replied. A brief silence filled the air, charged with a strange, inexplicable familiarity. Jayce saw flashes of them together as if they were old friends. He ended the handshake, taking a moment to process.

  “Did you feel that?” Jayce asked.

  “What?” Mark responded, looking puzzled.

  “Nothing,” Jayce replied, dismissing the strange feeling.