Luxiana SommerisI blinked, momentarily taken aback by her statement. My cheeks grew warm, though I refused to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, I shook my head and let out a quiet sigh. Margaret, with her ever-youthful sense of humor and boundless energy, always managed to catch me off guard. Her age was worlds apart from her way of thinking, yet that very contrast was what made her so uniquely endearing.“Stop it, it’s early in the morning to tease me about that. Besides, Anton might be uncomfortable about it.” I said while tying my hair into a bun.“I am sure he wouldn’t mind!” Margaret claimed childishly. She excused herself because she had to prepare the library with me before we could open.Anton arrived just as we were preparing to open. He usually carries the same cheerful energy as Margaret, always bright and lively, making me feel like an outsider in this little group. Unlike them, I don’t seem to belong to the world of easy laughter and effortless joy. In
Luxiana SommerisWhen I got home, I went through my usual nighttime routine, letting the comforting familiarity settle over me before I crawled into bed. With a sigh, I reached for my laptop, deciding to distract myself by diving into Anton’s manuscript. It was better than sitting with the restless thoughts that had been nagging at me all day.Should I ask Damien about this? The idea crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. He’d only tease me, turning my genuine questions into a game I couldn’t win. He never answered me seriously unless it suited him. The thought left me frustrated, and I sighed again, trying to shake off the unease curling in my chest. I closed the laptop, deciding it was better to sleep than dwell on things I couldn’t resolve tonight.But as soon as I settled into the quiet, something felt off. My ears picked up an eerie sound—so faint and strange it made my eyes snap open. I stayed perfectly still, glancing around. It was my room, no doubt, but there was som
Luxiana SommerisWe stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, the silence between us charged with an unspoken tension. His eyes held me captive, their depth and intensity pulling me in like a force I couldn't resist. They were… utterly mesmerizing, the kind of eyes you could drown in without even realizing it.I tried to tear my gaze away, but it was as if my will had been snatched from me. Finally, with great effort, I managed to gather the scraps of my composure and gently pushed him away, breaking the spell he had unknowingly cast.“Whatever,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “Just… stay away from me for now.” The words came out like a hiss, betraying the frustration bubbling inside me—not with him, but with myself.Because deep down, I knew the truth. What happened between us last night wasn’t something I could bring myself to hate, no matter how much I tried.It lingered in my thoughts, strange and confusing, leaving me unsure of how to feel or what to do. I
Luxiana SommerisA week had passed since the day Todd borrowed a book about incubi and succubi, and I couldn’t help but be curious about what happened to him after all that time had passed.Each time the delicate chime of the wind bells at the entrance broke the stillness, my eyes instinctively darted toward the door, my heart lifting slightly with hope—only to sink back when it wasn’t that guy.There’s a part of me that wants to know how he was doing, whether he had delved into the enigmatic world of succubi, or even, perhaps, accepted one into his life. Did he manage to learn more about their kind? Was he disappointed, or scared? He is experiencing the same thing I have in my dreams at night. It’s rare for me to have someone that close, which is why I can’t stay put. I glanced at the door again when I heard it open, but it was not him again.“Who are you waiting for?”I jumped at Margaret’s voice. She had appeared at my desk with her usual energy, startling me out of my thoughts.
Luxiana SommerisI couldn’t shake Todd and Clarisse from my thoughts when I got home. Their presence lingered in my mind, consuming my attention as though they owed me some unspoken debt. It was odd, this relentless pull I felt toward them, but I couldn’t deny it. I just wanted to help. I wanted to see them at peace, to watch their troubles dissolve, because deep down, I was convinced that whatever had transpired between them was simply a colossal misunderstanding.I couldn’t help but wonder what Todd would do next. He had been so caught up in sharing his excitement, so eager to relive his experiences, that he didn’t realize the pain he’d inflicted on someone else. Words, once spoken, could never be taken back, and I knew that truth would weigh on him. Still, I clung to the hope that Clarisse might find it in herself to confront him, to speak her mind and hear his side of the story. Communication—is what everyone needs to mend a rift, or so I told myself. With a heavy sigh, I pushe
Luxiana SommerisWork had been exhausting, but I felt a quiet satisfaction at the end of the day. A steady stream of students and middle-aged readers had come to the library, eagerly searching for books to immerse themselves in.I’d always assumed that technology would take over even the simple joy of reading. With ebooks and online platforms offering instant access to stories—often for just a handful of coins—it seemed inevitable. Yet, seeing people choose the weight of a book in their hands, cherishing the earthy smell of its pages, and savoring the anticipation of flipping to the next chapter made me undeniably happy. It was as if these readers were keeping something sacred alive, and I was grateful for their quiet rebellion against the digital tide.Todd and Clarisse didn’t come by today, which was unusual. I could only hope they were working things out. I didn’t want to see their friendship end because of what had happened. They deserved to keep the bond they’d nurtured for so
Luxiana SommerisDamien’s words lingered in my mind, stirring thoughts I hadn’t considered before. I had never seen him so serious.The furrow of his brow and the sharp set of his jaw were as if he had transformed into someone I barely recognized. I didn’t even know he could make a face that carried such a heavyweight. like that“Don’t let your thoughts wander to anyone or anything connected to you when you sleep,” he said, his tone low but commanding. “Your powers are still wild, uncontrolled. If you’re not careful, you could put yourself at risk.”His words wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket, dense and inescapable. I tried to absorb what he was saying, to make sense of it, but the more I thought about it, the more muddled everything became. Deep down, I knew he was probably right, but I couldn’t help the lingering confusion that clouded my understanding.“Who would even come after me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “And how much harm could they possibly inflict?”“Morpheus
Luxiana SommerisThe sound that escaped my lips seemed to ignite something primal within him, a spark that made his actions more deliberate, more fervent. His hands on my breast felt like a mix of warmth and electricity coursing through me, leaving a trail of sensations that made my breath hitch. His touch was a paradox of tenderness and intensity, his movements slow and careful as his fingers brushed against my chest. Yet, with every small sound I involuntarily made—a gasp, a quiet whimper—his pace would shift, his touch growing more confident as if he were searching for the music my body made and craving to hear it over and over again.Damien’s lips never left mine, a connection so consuming that I couldn’t imagine wanting it to end. He did touch me before, but I don’t know why this feels so different.Each kiss was a confession, an unspoken promise that burned through me, making my skin feel alive in ways I’d never experienced before. The pleasure he gave me was raw and consumin
AntonAt first, she couldn’t bring herself to meet my eyes. She stared down, her fingers trembling slightly against mine. But after a long, weighted pause, she finally smiled — a soft, bittersweet curve of her lips — and tightened her grip on my hands.“I have feelings for you,” she whispered, her voice barely above the breeze, “but it wasn’t allowed in the faction...so I forced myself to forget.”She gave a short, breathy laugh that sounded like she was trying to make light of something that hurt far too much.“I slept with others in their dreams,” she admitted, her eyes clouding with memories, “but no matter what I did, I couldn’t forget you. I couldn’t forget the way we opened up to each other so easily... the way we were so gentle, yet so passionate together.”I swallowed hard, feeling the familiar ache rise in my chest, and found myself confessing before I could stop myself.“I felt the same,” I said, my voice thick. “I tried...I slept with others, too, but it never worked. I eve
Luxiana Sommeris“My walkers… they can’t fully possess the people in either the waking world or the dream realm—what did you do?” Morpheus screamed, his voice sharp and accusing, echoing like a crack of thunder through the heavy air, forcing me to leave Damien’s side and step forward until I stood directly in front of him, unflinching.“What I did,” I began, my breath shaky but my voice steady, “was use everything I am as an Oneiromancer to stop whatever it is you’re trying to tip out of balance.” I exhaled sharply, the pressure of it all catching up to me. “You really think I came all this way just to fight you without a reason, don’t you?”“We know what you've been doing,” I continued, my fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms, “I swear I won’t let you get away with it.”“Maybe you escaped the consequences before—I don’t know how or why—but this time, I’m here to make sure it ends.” “I might be the last of my kind,” I said with a quiet strength that came from something
Anton“Y-You saw it? B-But how?” I asked, my voice almost breaking.“It doesn’t matter how. I want to see it and take it from you, so let’s go back, okay?” Mira said as she held my hands.“O-Okay,” I replied, the word trembling from my lips, but it was enough to make them both smile, and for a moment, that warmth was all I could feel.“There’s still time,” Mira said again with the authority of someone who had walked through too many endings to be afraid of one more. “But we have to act now. Morpheus still has his grip on you, and if we wait, he’ll pull you too deep—we might never reach you again.”I looked at them—at Luxiana’s steady eyes and Mira’s unshakable calm—and for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself believe that maybe I wasn’t lost after all. That the darkness hadn’t consumed everything, that the flicker of light I thought was long gone had survived because they had come before the dream collapsed.“I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” I whispered, the trut
Luxiana Sommeris“How can we reach him?” Mira asked, her voice low but laced with worry, the concern lingering in her eyes despite her valiant effort to mask it.A sudden surge of hope rose within me, a warmth that spread through my chest like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. I was just about to tell her what to do, to explain the next step, when a sound tore through the stillness—a scream, raw and anguished, that shattered the moment.Damien was down on one knee, his flames sputtering like a candle on the verge of going out, his breath ragged and uneven. Across from him stood Morpheus, towering and bloodied, yet crackling with the vicious energy of victory, his form coiled and ready to deliver the final strike. Time stretched unbearably thin in that instant, as if the world held its breath with me, one heartbeat, one second suspended in the space between what was and what could still be.“Damien! No!” The words ripped from my throat like a bolt of lightning, sharp and despe
Luxiana SommerisFor a fleeting moment, I saw fear flicker across Morpheus’ face—a brief crack in his mask of arrogance—but he quickly smirked, recovering his composure. I had been told before that he never liked Damien, and now I understood why. It was the white flames. Something about them, something pure and ancient, unsettled him.“You’re making this even harder,” Morpheus sneered, rising slowly from where Damien had brought him to his knees. He dusted himself off as if the attack was nothing more than a minor inconvenience, but I could see the tightness around his eyes, the tremor in his voice. “Do you really think the two of you can be together?”Damien took a cautious step forward, eyes narrowed in disbelief. Clearly, he hadn’t expected Morpheus to recover so quickly—not after being consumed by white flames, the same flames that had once been powerful enough to destroy entire darkness.Despite Morpheus’s attempt to appear unshaken, I could tell the damage was real. He was hur
Luxiana Sommeris“Where’s Anton? If you hurt him, I will end you.” I clenched my fists, which made him chuckle.He didn’t say anything, but he moved forward. I didn’t flinch—not when the shadow moved like a living creature, snarling without a mouth, nor when Morpheus hovered a little closer, like he was trying to study me, savor me, as if I were a guest of honor at some twisted performance he’d been rehearsing for centuries. My fists clenched at my sides, and though my heart thudded hard against my ribs, I refused to let him see fear. Not now. Not when I had come all this way.“What kind of show are you planning to put on this time?” I asked, my voice firm, even as the chill of his presence settled into my bones. “Another nightmare? Another illusion to trap me in?”He tilted his head, his expression between amusement and curiosity, like a child toying with a fragile toy, waiting to see how easily it would break.“Oh, this one’s going to be special,” he said softly, almost sweetly, as
Luxiana SommerisUntil I reached a clearing—something that might once have been a beautiful place. A forest, frozen in twilight.The trees were twisted now, unmoving, but not dead. The air hung heavy with silence that pressed against my skin, sharp enough to hurt.And then I saw him. Anton stood at the center, his back to me. He was still—too still. His shoulders were stiff, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and his head was tilted slightly, as if listening to something only he could hear.But I could feel the wrongness in the air. His energy wasn’t right. It vibrated dark and low, coiled and waiting like a snake beneath the surface.“Anton,” I said, almost tearing up, my voice piercing the silence like a blade. He didn’t move or answer.“Anton, I know you’re in there. I know what Morpheus is doing. But I also know you’re still fighting.” I called out again.A gentle but biting wind passed through the trees. When it stopped, it became extremely cold, so when Anton laughed, I
Luxiana SommerisAfter drinking from the cool, rushing river, a wave of exhaustion washed over me so heavily that I decided to set up camp nearby, letting the gentle murmur of the water soothe my weary senses. As I sat alone beneath the twilight sky, the fire crackling softly beside me, my thoughts spiraled into a restless haze, each clinging to the next as I tried desperately to anchor myself in some semblance of calm.If Morpheus had taken Damien, I was certain I would have felt it—some thread between us tugging, snapping, crying out—but the silence was deafening. Could it be that those who took him were not of Morpheus’ kind at all? What if... the grim reapers had come for him instead?The thought struck me with a cold, paralyzing dread. Lying within the thin walls of my makeshift tent, I stared at the fabric ceiling, my heart pounding louder than the night sounds beyond. Damien could hold his own against nearly anyone, but when it came to the reapers... it was a different game e
Luxiana SommerisAfter the incubus delivered his cryptic message, he vanished into thin air, leaving nothing but unsettling silence. I stood there, rooted in place, unsure of how to process what he had said—unsure of what I was supposed to feel.“For some reason… I don’t want to continue this journey anymore,” Damien murmured with a bitter laugh that held no real amusement. His voice pulled my attention upward, and I found him looking off into the distance, his expression tight with worry.“We don’t have that luxury, Damien,” I replied, my voice steady and resolute despite the turmoil churning inside me. “I have a responsibility to protect both the dream realm and the waking world. I’m the only one who can.”His eyes met mine then, dark and stormy with concern. “But going back there means risking your life,” he said, each word heavy with truth. “If Morpheus really wants you, he’ll find a way to take you. He’s done it before, and now… now he’s stronger, more prepared. You know that.”