As Helios gazed at the setting sun, an uling feeling tugged at him. It was like a stathering on the horizon—vague, but undeniable. His intuition had always been sharp, a sixth sense for dahat had kept him safe more times than he could t. He trusted it, even though he couldn’t yet pinpoint the threat.

  Rising to his feet, he surveyed the city skyline, knowing he had to be ready. Strength, both physical aal, was key. Whatever was ing, Helios o face it head-on. As he made his way back to his apartment, he sed the streets for anything unusual, a habit born from experience. Better cautious than caught off guard.

  When he reached his building, he hurried up the stairs, two at a time, the uill gnawing at him. Inside, he locked the door behind him, feeling a momentary sense of relief. He was home—safe, for now. But the feeling of impending doom g to him, stubbornly refusing to fade.

  Helios sat at his desk, pulling out his notebook. Writing always calmed his nerves, so he let the ideas flowing through his mind spill onto the page. As the hours passed, he lost himself iory, almost fetting the strange sense of foreboding. When he finished, he looked at the title: Kingdom Hearts.

  A strange realization struck him—it didn’t feel like he had writteory. It felt more like he had remembered it, as if it had always existed somewhere deep in his mind. As he read through the tale of a boy named Sora battling creatures called the Heartless, his eyelids grew heavy. The hing he knew, he was dreaming.

  In the dream, Helios watched Sora fight, his movements haphazard yet still powerful. At first, it seemed absurd, but there was no denying the strength behind each strike. Sora’s journey and the enemies he faced stirred something within Helios. He felt like he knew who they were especially those that wore the bck cloaks.

  But the dream was cut short. A loud noise jolted Helios awake. He groggily realized it was just his arm. The early rays of dawn streamed through the window, warming his face as he tur off. Rubbing his eyes, Helios got ready for the day, but the restless feeling lingered. Something was still off.

  He decided to go for a walk, hoping fresh air would clear his mind. As he strolled through the city, he noticed a figure approag him from the distahe person was tall and lean, draped in a long, dark coat that fluttered in the breeze. The sight was eerily familiar—just like the figure in his dream. The coat, the deep-set yellow eyes uhe hood, the unnatural darkness hiding their face—it was all the same. However, dreams ay were different so was he halluating.

  The man stopped before him, his gaze intense. "You're Helios, aren't you?" His voice was low and gravelly, sending a chill down Helios’s spine.

  Helios blinked in fusion. Although he dreamed of such a coat He had heard the voice of this man before, yet the stranger seemed to know him. Feeling a sharp pain Helios supported his head. "Yes, I am. Who are you?" Helios asked, trying to mask his unease.

  The man smirked, his eyes gleaming. "Just a stranger passing through. But I've heard about you. They say you’re strong—someoh a heart that burns bright. Now that I see you, I’m ined to agree. So I'd like to test that."

  Helios tensed, instincts screaming that something was wrong. "I don't know what you're talking about. I have somewhere to be," he muttered, turning to leave. He didn’t want to find out if this man really was ected to his dream.

  The stranger’s chuckle followed him. "o run, young Helios. I believe you have potential—a fire in your heart that only a few possess. I'll put that to the test soon. Whether you survive will depend on your strength. I hope you’ll show me something iing young man."

  Helios’s pulse quied as he hurried away, but when he gnced back, the man had vanished into the crowd, as if he were here.

  He made his way bae, thoughts rag. Who was that man? And why did he seem so familiar? As he reached his apartment, his parents greeted him with wide smiles. It was unusual for them to be home early. Then he remembered—it was his birthday.

  They hugged him tightly, wishing him a happy birthday and revealing they had taken the day off to celebrate. Helios, momentarily distracted from the enter, was touched by the gesture. They went out to a nice restaurant, ughing and sharing stories. The tension in his chest began to ease.

  During the meal, his mother smiled warmly. "We're so proud of you, Helios. You've e a long way."

  His father nodded. "You're a strong young man. We don’t care ath you take, as long as you're happy. We're grateful to have you as our son."

  Helios smiled, feeling a warmth spread through him. "Thanks, Mom, Dad. I’m grateful too—everything I’ve achieved is because of you."

  They exged gifts, his parents giving him a new watch with a built-in recorder. "We left a message for you," his mother said with a wink. "Py it when you're alone."

  Later that night, after his parents had goo bed, Helios sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the new watch they had given him. His fingers brushed over its smooth surface, and he smiled at the memory of the dinner. It had been a good distra from the stras of the day. Yet, as the quiet of the night settled in, the enter with the man in the dark coat lingered in his mind.

  Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to check the rec his parents had left for him och. Helios pressed a button, and his parent’s voice filled the room.

  "Hey, Helios. Honey, are you sure it’s rec? Yes, I’m sure now let’s say what we wao say. We wao give you something special, something more than just a watch. We wao give you... a message, something to carry with you no matter where life takes you."

  His father’s lone voice then filled the room. “Son, I want you to know that the proudest and happiest moment of my life was the day you were born. It was my joy and privilege to watch over you as you grew into the young man I see. I know I haven’t always been the best dad but I just want to say I love you and I’m proud of the man yrowing into.”

  His mother’s voice followed, ge firm. "We love you, Helios, more than anything. No matter what happens, know that you have a family who will always be by your side. We’re so proud of you, and we believe you aplish anything. But just remember—your happiness matters the most. Also honey, what do you mean that was the happiest moment; what about when you married me?"

  Helios felt a warmth rise in his chest again as he ughed. His goofy parents messed up and recorded all this extra stuff but he still liked it. He id ba bed, but sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw those deep-set yellow oaring at him from uhe hood. The man’s words echoed in his mind: "I’ll put you to the test..."