Elena woke with a start.
Another nightmare. The torment was relentless.
Her body was drenched in cold sweat. She wanted to throw off the covers and get out of bed to grab a glass of water, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave the warmth of the bed—at least it offered her some sense of security. The glowing clock on her bedside table read 2:40 a.m., the faint light from the clock's hands trembling as it ticked away, each tick seeming to get louder, as if something was slowly creeping toward her bed.
Elena sank deeper under the covers, curling into herself. All she could hear was the thumping of her own heartbeat, and everything else faded into a dull silence.
She shouldn’t have rented this dark little room facing the shadowed side of the building. The lack of sunlight was suffocating. It didn’t bother her much at first, but since she took on this new case, it had been impossible for her to sleep peacefully. Maybe she should get married or find a boyfriend to live with her, someone to keep the fear at bay. Although it was "just a nightmare," the feeling it left behind was so real that it was too much for someone as faint-hearted as her to bear.
Maybe Thomas Light? But they were too familiar with each other. The thought of lying in bed with someone she knew so well made her skin crawl. No, that wouldn't work. Maybe… Sebastian Novak?
Just the thought of his name startled her more than the nightmare had.
Why was she thinking about him? She had only seen him a few hours ago, and her impression had been far from good. Was it just because she had seen him recently that his presence lingered in her mind? That had to be it!
But could he really have psychic abilities?
Thomas Light wouldn’t lie to her, but she never sensed any such power in him. Her instincts were usually spot-on, and there was no reason to doubt them this time. But what if she was wrong? What if Sebastian really did have the ability? Then maybe he could help her!
Why hadn’t she said anything to him when she had the chance?
She always did this—hesitated, never followed through. If she just spoke to Sebastian Novak, if he could really do what she thought, he might help her. If he couldn’t, it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Better than being helpless after another nightmare.
She’d already tried everything else—talking to friends, trying to distract herself—but nothing had worked. She had to find another way, or she’d lose her mind before the case ended, or before her boss returned and took the case off her hands.
Maybe tomorrow, she could try talking to Thomas again. If that didn’t work, she’d try Sebastian Novak. It wasn’t ideal, but at least—better a dead horse than none at all.
The next day, Elena couldn’t find Thomas Light. She even wondered if he was avoiding her, but then remembered that every Tuesday he had his duties as a guest professor. With no other option, she decided to skip work and visit the "Night Walker" bar again.
When she arrived, it was only 2 p.m. From a distance, she saw Sebastian Novak opening the door. His skin had a healthy tan, not the sickly pale tone typical of someone who lived a nocturnal life.
"Can I come in now?" Elena asked, standing three meters away from him.
“I just opened. We’re not officially open yet… but—well, sure.” Sebastian Novak gestured toward the bar, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. He recognized her as the woman from last night, but he couldn’t help wondering why she hadn’t spoken to him then, yet here she was again, so early. He hoped she wasn’t here to cause trouble or make a scene.
Elena stepped inside. The bar was eerily empty due to the lack of customers. The large windows were made of artistic glass, so the sunlight couldn’t penetrate the interior. The whole space was bathed in a shadowy gloom. The wall ahead had a massive hexagram decoration made from transparent pipes, something she hadn’t noticed last night, likely because of the lighting. Now, in the dim light, she could see it clearly.
Sebastian Novak took a long while to follow her inside, but Elena didn’t feel the usual anxiety she experienced when alone in an empty, closed-off space. For some reason, she felt less tense this time. Maybe she had misjudged him the night before—this man was more than just a stranger.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
"Where are your associates?" she asked.
"They’re college students working part-time. If you need them, they won’t be here until after 4 p.m."
"No, I’m not looking for them. But, um, it seems like you stay open late. Does that affect their studies?" Elena paused, suddenly realizing how intrusive her question sounded. "Sorry, I’m just… it's a professional habit. I must be so annoying!" She saw that Sebastian had moved behind the bar and quickly walked over to find a seat herself. "By the way, my name is Elena West. I’m a lawyer with Silverstone Law Firm."
Sebastian Novak paused for a moment. “Did I cause any trouble?”
“No, no, it’s not like that.” Elena quickly shook her head. “It’s just my job. I’m here today for something unrelated to work. I—I came to talk to you about something. Is that okay?”
“Of course,” Sebastian replied, gesturing toward the bar with a slight frown. “But first, would you like something to drink, Miss Elena?”
“What do people usually drink at this time?”
“It’s a bit early for alcohol,” he said with a slight smile. “Most people would go for coffee.”
“I don’t like coffee—it’s bitter! I’ll have a soda, orange flavor, if you have it. Otherwise, just water will do.”
Sebastian didn’t respond with words but simply handed her a glass of orange soda. This woman had the taste of a child—easy to please.
“What’s the trouble?” he asked.
“Well, um... you know Thomas Light, right? He said you’re good friends, so... he asked me to come to see you.” Elena hesitated, not entirely comfortable asking a stranger for help. She blamed Thomas for being so strange and not accompanying her, leaving her to face the awkwardness alone. She took a deep breath and said it outright, “I’ve been having some problems. He said you have ‘abilities’ that might help me.”
As soon as Sebastian heard Thomas Light’s name, he knew something was wrong. Big trouble was on the way!
Thomas Light had been his friend for years, and he was the only person who knew Sebastian’s secret. But he had never once betrayed that trust. Why, then, would Thomas send someone to seek Sebastian’s help? Who was this Elena West, and why had Thomas broken his silence for her? What was so significant about her, and why did she have such a faint aura? Was there a connection to the strange occurrences she’d been experiencing?
“I’d be happy to help, Miss Elena, but I’m afraid I might not be able to,” Sebastian said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, his thoughts swirling beneath the calm exterior. “Perhaps you could tell me more about the trouble you’re in, and I’ll see if I can assist.”
Elena hesitated, but then she shared everything—the inexplicable nightmares, the strange sensations, and the eerie hallucinations she had been experiencing since taking on her latest case. She watched his face closely, hoping for some sign of recognition, but his expression remained unreadable. His eyes were as deep and impenetrable as a dark abyss, as if anything tossed into them would vanish without a trace.
“Am I cursed?” she asked.
“Cursed?” Sebastian smiled skeptically. “Miss Elena, you're a lawyer, a person of reason. You don’t believe in such nonsense, do you? From what I can see, this is probably due to stress, and perhaps some passive psychological suggestions. I’m not a professional like Thomas, but my guess is that you need to distance yourself from these thoughts and take a break. You’ll feel better in no time.”
“I wish it were that simple,” Elena replied, her voice tinged with frustration. “But I can’t let it go right now.”
“Then I’m afraid I can’t help you.” Sebastian’s tone was regretful, but his expression remained polite. “Since you’re a friend of Thomas, I’d like to help, but I don’t have the ability to do so.”
“You’re refusing to help me!” Elena blurted out.
“No, no,” Sebastian responded quickly, “I’d love to help if I could! But I think Thomas may have exaggerated things. I’ve only ever read a few books on psychological studies and some metaphysical topics—nothing special. I don’t have any real abilities. Please don’t listen to him.”
“Really... you can’t help?” Elena asked, feeling a growing sense of hopelessness.
“I’m sorry.”
“Please, you have to help me!” Elena pleaded, her voice softening. Normally, with her quick temper, she would have stormed out by now. But the longer she spoke to Sebastian, the more her intuition told her that Thomas had been right. Sebastian did have a way to help, but he was simply refusing. She knew she should walk away from someone so heartless, but the situation had pushed her to the edge.
“I’m sorry,” Sebastian repeated, his expression still one of helplessness.
Seeing him continue to feign innocence, Elena knew that nothing she said would change his mind. With a resigned sigh, she stood up. “Fine, I’ll pretend I was never here. Goodbye.” She walked toward the door, deliberately avoiding paying for the soda. If she had known this would happen, she might as well have ordered the most expensive drink to at least get some compensation for the mental distress. She couldn’t stand leaving without getting something back from this frustrating encounter.
Sebastian watched her leave, his expression unreadable. He felt no guilt. Elena had invited trouble upon herself, and whether she could resolve it or not was up to her fate. As far as he was concerned, this was none of his business. His life’s first rule was to avoid getting involved with others’ problems. It was better to quietly focus on his own.
As for Thomas Light, the traitor, Sebastian wasn’t about to give him any attention. He was sure his old friend would come knocking on his door soon enough to explain himself.