CHAPTER 2: The man in her dream
1580 Words
The dream always began the same way.
Fire.
Endless fire stretching across a dark kingdom beneath crimson skies. Massive black castles towered over rivers of molten lava while screams echoed faintly through the air like whispers buried beneath the wind.
And standing in the middle of it all…
Was him.
Heaven could never fully see his face.
Every single time she tried, darkness swallowed his features like smoke refusing to part. Yet somehow she always felt him watching her.
Searching for her.
His presence alone sent strange chills through her chest—not fear exactly, but something deeper. Something heavy.
Sinful.
That was the only word Heaven could ever use to describe him.
The man felt dangerous in ways she could not explain. Like destruction wrapped in beauty. Like temptation disguised as a person.
And every time the dream ended, he would begin walking toward her through the flames.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
As though he had finally found something he had been searching for.
Then Heaven would wake up.
Gasping.
Her heart racing violently against her chest.
And just like always…
She forgot his face immediately.
The memory slipped through her fingers like water no matter how desperately she tried holding onto it.
All that remained was the lingering feeling of crimson eyes staring directly into her soul.
Heaven sat up slowly in bed, breathing unevenly while moonlight filtered through the curtains of her room.
Again.
The same dream.
The same man.
The same unsettling feeling.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
“Heaven?”
Before she could answer, the door swung open casually.
Holland walked inside carrying an apple in one hand, already halfway through eating it.
“You’re awake,” he said lazily before studying her expression carefully. “Bad dream again?”
Heaven sighed quietly.
“How do you always know?”
“You make this tiny confused face every morning afterward.”
“I do not.”
“You absolutely do.”
Holland dropped carelessly onto the edge of her bed while tossing the apple lightly into the air.
“The mysterious dream man again?” he asked with obvious amusement.
Heaven rolled her eyes immediately. “Don’t start.”
“Oh, I’m definitely starting.”
“Holland.”
“What?” he grinned shamelessly. “Maybe your future prince is trying to visit you dramatically.”
Heaven grabbed a pillow and threw it directly at his face.
Holland burst into laughter.
“I’m serious,” she muttered quietly after a moment.
The laughter faded slightly as Holland noticed the unease in her expression.
“You really can’t remember his face?”
Heaven shook her head slowly.
“No matter how hard I try.” Her voice softened. “But every time I wake up, I feel like…” She hesitated briefly. “Like he’s searching for something.”
Holland leaned back against the bedpost thoughtfully.
“Well, that’s not creepy at all.”
“It isn’t funny.”
“It’s a little funny.”
“Holland.”
“Alright, fine.” He raised both hands innocently. “Describe him again.”
Heaven frowned slightly while trying to remember.
“I can never see him clearly,” she admitted. “But he feels…”
“Handsome?”
“Sinful.”
Holland blinked once before bursting into laughter again.
“Sinful?” he repeated between laughs. “What kind of description is that?”
“I’m serious!”
“That somehow makes it worse.”
Heaven sighed heavily.
Only Holland knew about the dreams.
Not because she feared telling their parents, but because she hated worrying them unnecessarily. The kingdom already carried enough responsibilities without adding strange nightmares to the list.
Besides…
The dreams had never actually harmed her.
They simply lingered.
Night after night.
Like shadows refusing to leave.
“You should tell mother,” Holland suggested eventually.
“And have her summon every royal priest in existence? Absolutely not.”
“She’d probably think you’re cursed.”
“Exactly.”
Holland smirked slightly. “Or in love.”
Heaven stared at him flatly.
“You are unbearable.”
“And yet deeply lovable.”
She shoved him lightly.
The twins fell into comfortable silence afterward, something they had always shared naturally. Unlike most people, Heaven never felt exhausted around Holland.
Even when he annoyed her endlessly.
“You know,” Holland spoke again while staring toward the ceiling, “if a mysterious sinful man keeps appearing in your dreams, maybe fate’s trying to tell you something.”
“Yes,” Heaven replied dryly. “That I need more sleep.”
“That too.”
A small laugh escaped her despite herself.
That was Holland’s talent.
He could turn almost anything into something lighter.
The morning bells suddenly echoed throughout the palace.
Holland groaned dramatically. “And there goes my peaceful morning.”
“You have sword training.”
“I’d rather fight death itself.”
“You say that every week.”
“Because every week remains disappointing.”
Heaven smiled while shaking her head.
“Go before father starts another lecture.”
Holland stood reluctantly before pointing toward her warningly.
“But if the sinful dream man proposes marriage, I expect details.”
“Holland!”
His laughter echoed through the room as he escaped before she could throw another pillow.
The moment the door closed, silence returned.
Heaven’s smile slowly faded.
Her gaze drifted toward the large windows overlooking the kingdom below.
Everything looked peaceful from here.
Safe.
Normal.
Yet lately she kept feeling strange unease she could not explain.
Not just because of the dreams.
But because the man inside them never felt imaginary.
That frightened her more than she wanted to admit.
Far beneath the mortal world, Netherland burned beneath crimson skies.
Lucifer stood alone on the balcony of his palace overlooking the endless kingdom of Hell.
The dark winds carried screams through the air while lava rivers glowed beneath the mountains like veins of fire.
Beautiful.
Perfect.
A demon approached carefully behind him before kneeling.
“My king.”
Lucifer did not turn.
“What is it?”
“There are rumors spreading among the lower territories.”
Lucifer’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly. “About?”
The demon hesitated.
“A prophecy.”
Silence.
Dangerous silence.
Finally Lucifer turned slowly, black wings shifting behind him.
“What prophecy?”
The demon lowered his head further immediately.
“They say fate has begun moving again.”
Lucifer’s expression darkened instantly.
For centuries, ancient prophecies regarding the balance between darkness and light had remained nothing more than forgotten whispers.
Lucifer hated prophecies.
Hated fate.
Hated anything suggesting his existence could one day be controlled.
“And why,” he asked coldly, “are demons suddenly discussing destiny?”
“The seers claim the signs are awakening.”
Lucifer laughed softly.
A terrifying sound without humor.
“Seers are pathetic creatures who survive by frightening fools.”
“Yes, my king.”
The demon remained kneeling while tension filled the air heavily.
Lucifer turned back toward the burning kingdom below him.
“Erase the rumors.”
“At once.”
The demon disappeared instantly.
Lucifer’s jaw tightened slightly afterward.
Prophecies.
Destiny.
He despised such things.
No force in existence controlled him.
Not Heaven.
Not fate.
Not anyone.
Yet for reasons he could not explain, irritation lingered beneath his skin long after the conversation ended.
Above Netherland, life within the royal palace continued normally.
Heaven spent the afternoon exactly as usual—visiting the palace gardens, helping younger servants arrange flowers for an upcoming celebration, and listening patiently as elderly women from the village spoke about their families.
Everyone adored her presence.
“She has the heart of an angel,” one maid whispered while watching Heaven help a servant carry heavy baskets.
“Unlike Prince Holland,” another muttered.
The first maid laughed quietly. “The prince has a good heart too.”
“He hides it very deeply.”
Meanwhile, somewhere else inside the palace—
“STOP RUNNING!”
Holland sprinted through the corridors while three furious royal tutors chased after him.
“You cannot avoid lessons forever!”
“Watch me!” Holland shouted back proudly.
Servants jumped out of the way while the prince disappeared around another corner laughing recklessly.
Complete opposites.
Yet somehow inseparable.
Later that evening, Heaven stood alone on her balcony as cool wind brushed gently against her skin.
The kingdom glowed beautifully beneath the setting sun.
For a moment, peace settled over her completely.
Then suddenly—
A strange chill crawled down her spine.
Heaven froze.
Her heartbeat quickened slightly.
It felt like someone was watching her.
Slowly, she turned around.
Nothing.
The balcony remained empty.
Still…
That unsettling feeling refused to disappear.
Far away beneath the mortal world, Lucifer stood inside a chamber filled with enchanted mirrors reflecting scenes from Earth.
Humans continued falling into temptation beautifully.
Greed.
Violence.
Lust.
Corruption.
Lucifer watched it all with satisfaction.
Yet strangely, one mirror flickered unexpectedly for a brief second.
A girl standing beneath the evening sky appeared before vanishing again instantly.
Lucifer frowned slightly.
“…Odd.”
Then the mirror returned to normal.
Lucifer dismissed it immediately.
After all, one mortal among billions meant nothing to the ruler of Hell.
And above, completely unaware that darkness had unknowingly brushed against her existence for the very first time, Heaven stood beneath the stars with the image of a faceless sinful man still haunting the corners of her mind.
- Writer
