The door creaked open, and a gust of cold wind curled into the café—but it didn't carry ash or decay. Just a hush, like the world outside was holding its breath.
Talia stood behind the counter, hands braced on the polished wood. Her heart pounded harder than when she'd been running from the beast. This was different. Worse, somehow. A monster she could understand.
But this?
This was civilized.
Footsteps sounded—light, deliberate. No growl. No skittering claws. Just the soft pad of boots on wood. Talia glanced sideways at the cat.
Still lounging. Grooming.
Completely useless.
The figure stepped into view.
A man. Or close enough.
He wore a dark coat, long and frayed at the edges like it had seen too many storms. His hair was silver—not old-man gray, but the sharp, unnatural sheen of metal under moonlight. And his eyes…
Gold. Bright and strange and sharp.
The man paused. "Huh. I didn't expect to see it here."
Talia blinked. "See what here?"
"This place. This café." He stepped inside, slower now, almost reverent. "It didn't look exactly like this in my world, but the feel... it's the same."
"Your world?" she echoed.
He met her gaze. "You think Earth's the only place that collapsed?"
A chill brushed her spine.
"It shows up in the ruins," he continued, eyes scanning the cat curled lazily on the counter. "Always after the first wave. Some say it's a checkpoint. A test. Or a gift."
The cat yawned.
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing in amusement. "I was hoping. Not many safe zones left. And none quite like this."
"You say that like cafés are a normal part of the apocalypse."
He stepped forward, boots clicking softly on the wooden floor. "They're not. That's what makes it valuable."
Talia's grip on the counter tightened. "Valuable how?"
He offered a half-smile—lazy, dangerous, amused. "That depends on what you're serving."
The screen above the counter shimmered to life again.
[First Customer Detected: Status – Unknown. Threat Level – ???. Alignment – ???. World-???.]
[Caution Advised.]
The cat sneezed.
Talia cleared her throat. "Uh… we have coffee?"
He raised a brow. "Do you take payment?"
She blinked. "Payment?"
The screen shimmered again.
[New Option Unlocked: Exchange.]
[Customer may offer Resources, Information, or Protection in exchange for Service.]
The man reached into his coat and pulled out a folded cloth. He unwrapped it carefully and placed it on the counter—a glowing crystal, faintly pulsing like a heartbeat.
Talia stared. "Is that a… core?"
He didn't answer.
[Offer Detected: Mutant Core – Grade C.]
[Exchange Accepted: One cup of coffee and Sanctuary for 1 hour.]
Behind her, the machine hummed again.
Steam. Cinnamon. Earthy richness.
A mug slid into her hand like it had always belonged there.
She stared at it.
"You're telling me," she said slowly, "this thing—this café—just barters safety for drinks?"
The man shrugged. "Doesn't matter why. Just that it works." He picked up the mug and took a slow sip.
His eyes closed.
And when they opened again, he looked human. Not in body—he already looked the part—but in the way his shoulders eased. In the silence that stretched after his sigh, like he'd finally remembered how to breathe.
"This is real," he said softly. "Gods, it's real."
Talia watched him like he might shatter. "Are you okay?"
"Better than I've been in years." He sat down at the nearest table without asking, eyes still on the mug like it held salvation. "I've seen havens come and go. False sanctuaries. Bait. Traps. But this… this is alive. It wants to protect you."
He looked at her.
"No one else ever activated it before you?"
Talia shook her head. "I was just running."
"Then the café chose."
The cat let out a low mrrow, stretching out lazily and then darting an almost knowing glance at Talia.
Talia blinked. "Chose me? Why? I'm not special."
"You're alive. That's rare enough," the man said, his voice distant. "And you brewed the first cup."
Another notification bloomed in the air.
[Daily Quest Complete.]
[Inventory Unlocked. Stat Point +1.]
[New Quest: Serve 5 Unique Customers.]
[Reward: Café Expansion – Reading Nook.]
Talia sat down heavily on the stool behind the counter. She looked around at the soft lighting, the impossibly clean tables, the weird glowing cat, and the man with golden eyes who might've walked out of a sci-fi fairy tale.
"What is this place?"
The man smiled faintly. "If you're lucky? Home."
'Home?' Talia thought as she glanced around while the man made himself comfortable.
The man didn't speak again. He simply sat, cradling the mug in both hands like it was the only warmth left in the universe. Talia didn't push. Something about him—the way his golden eyes dimmed, the slow drag of breath between sips—told her this was a rare moment of peace.
She didn't want to break it.
But the café did.
Another shimmer—this time across the windows.
[Fissure Detected. Rift Unstable.]
[Time Remaining: 00:15:29]
"What the hell is that?" Talia muttered.
The cat blinked up at her, its voice suddenly breaking the silence, low and deliberate. "Oh, so now you've noticed. The café's starting to catch the attention of the wrong crowd."
Talia froze, heart pounding. "Did… did you just talk?"
The cat stretched, arching its back with casual elegance. "Yes. And I've been waiting for you to realize. You're not as oblivious as you look." It flicked its tail toward the window. "You're the only one who can understand me, though."
Talia's mouth parted. "You can talk…?"
Before she could process it, the man stood. His movements were fast, precise. The mug clinked as he set it down.
"It's from the rift," he said. "Something's bleeding through."
Talia backed toward the counter. "I thought this place was safe."
"It is," the cat said grimly. "But the door swings both ways. You opened it. Others will try to follow."
Outside, the mist thickened.
Not fog. Not smoke.
Something else. It moved wrong—like a creature that had forgotten it had no limbs.
The cat's fur bristled as it padded to the door. Its eyes glowed molten red. "They've already found you. You were chosen, Talia. You've got potential. But this... this is dangerous." It flicked its tail toward the man. "He'll help defend the café. Just in case."
"Why can't you defend it?" she asked.
"I'm not up to the task yet," it replied, with a bitter edge.
Talia's screen flickered again.
[Second Visitor Incoming: Status – Hostile. Alignment – Null. Form – Unknown.]
[Warning: Rift Entities may not respect the rules of Sanctuary.]
Then—
[Decision Point: Serve or Deny.]
[Unknown Entity Requests Entry.]
[Offer: None.]
[Do you open the door?]
Talia's fingers hovered above the screen, her pulse thudding like a war drum.
"Do not even think about it," the cat growled, eyes fixed on the writhing mist. "Whatever's knocking, it's not here for coffee."
"I'm not stupid," she snapped, though her voice shook. "Nope. I do not wish to let them in. Deny, deny!"
She slammed her finger against the screen.
[Access Denied.]
A chime echoed—low and final, like a bell tolling in reverse.
The windows pulsed—just once—then went still. The shimmer faded, and outside, the mist howled in frustration, twisting into monstrous shapes that couldn't quite hold.
The man exhaled, shoulders easing just slightly. "Good call."
The cat sat beside the door again, tail flicking once. "Let's hope you keep making the right ones."
Talia looked between them, the silence thickening like smoke.
"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" she whispered.
The cat's ears twitched. "Something very old… and very hungry."
She turned to the man, unease sharpening her voice. "By the way—who the hell are you?"
He met her gaze with those strange golden eyes, something unreadable flickering behind them. Then, slowly, he smiled. It wasn't comforting.
It was ancient.
"Just a traveler," he said. "Passing through the cracks."
Talia's screen lit up again, casting a pale glow over her hands.
[First Customer.]
[Status – Unknown.]
[Threat Level – ???]
[Alignment – ???]
[World – ???]
[No Caution Needed.]
Talia frowned at the readout. "That's... not exactly reassuring."
The cat gave a sardonic purr. "That's the Rift's way of saying 'probably not going to eat you... yet.'"
The man chuckled, reaching for his mug again. "If I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have paid for the coffee."
"That's a terrible standard," Talia muttered, eyes narrowing. "Just tell me your name. And everything else about you. So I can actually be sure."
The man raised an eyebrow at Talia, as if amused by her suspicion. He took another sip of coffee, savoring the warmth before he finally set the mug down and met her gaze directly.
"Names, details... they're all a bit irrelevant right now, don't you think?" His voice was smooth, calm, with an edge of something older, something colder. "But if you insist, you can call me Xander. And as for everything else…" He paused, letting the weight of the moment settle between them. "I'm a traveler, as I said. And that's all you need to know."
Talia bit her lip, her fingers still twitching nervously over the counter. There was something about him—about his presence—that unsettled her. He was dangerous, in a way she couldn't quite define, and yet there was an odd sense of safety in his stillness. As if he wasn't here to harm her.
The screen above the counter flickered again, catching her attention.
[Quest Update: Serve 5 Unique Customers] [Reward: Café Expansion – Reading Nook] [Progress: 1/5]
Talia exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. She'd already had one customer—an otherworldly one, at that. And yet, the café seemed to be pushing her forward. More customers. More challenges. More unknowns.
The cat stretched once more, its eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. "You've got no choice but to keep going, Talia. The café's hungry for more. It's like a living thing. And it won't let you stop now."
"Great," she muttered under her breath, staring at the cat. "So, now I'm stuck serving... whatever walks in next?"
"Pretty much," the cat said with a casual shrug. "But don't worry. You're not alone. You have Xander."