Firestar

Snowy garlands hung from every lamppost as Firestar stepped onto the quaint main street of Bramble Creek, the little town glowing with Christmas lights and the smell of cinnamon drifting from bakery windows. She’d intended to spend the holidays quietly, maybe even enjoy a cup of cocoa without someone trying to punch her through a wall—but the whispers started almost as soon as she arrived. Locals spoke in hushed tones about an “altered human,” someone who had wandered into town a week ago and left confusion, fear, and sudden mood swings in his wake. Firestar followed the trail of panicked shopkeepers and dazed pedestrians until she found him standing in the center of the empty town square, a thin smile carved across his face as snowflakes spiraled around him like dancers. He called himself Mindspool, and the moment Firestar stepped forward, she felt his presence slide into her thoughts like an icy needle. The festive lights dimmed, colors blurring as her own memories twisted and distorted—her childhood home melting into a burning cityscape, familiar voices warping into accusations. Firestar clenched her fists, flame gathering instinctively in her palms, but this wasn’t a threat she could burn away.