‘Putrid and rancid, it devours the weak.Living in all of us until it finds what it seeks.Consume and decay, devour and feast.To uncover the truth, you must tangle with the beast.Kind and pure, its compassion knows no bounds.Fierce and strong, you quake when it sounds.Given a choice, one you must choose.One you will gain, the other you lose.Choose wisely, dear friend, for there is a cost.To dance with the beasts is to recover what was lost.’I analyzed the words over and over again, stuck in this room with nothing better to do. I was hyper aware of the scratching against the thick doors that separated me from whatever had a hold of Abel. As I glanced back at those doors, I finally noticed the design painted and etched into the stone.The two bulls that adorned the wall, they were also on the doors. Instead of glaring at one another with hatred so profound, I shuddered; they were locked i

You know how you stay up studying for a test, only to forget everything you learned while actually taking the test? That was how I felt talking to the Game Master. Once he vanished from the room with a strange shimmer, I could think of a million and one questions better suited than the ones I had asked.Great, so I knew I needed a replica of my own necklace, at the estate in this reality. I could’ve asked where it was, but I didn’t. Instead, I received a half-assed answer about the ‘ancient ones’.‘We’re still breaking into the library’s restricted section with Helena. Who knows what we might find?’ My wolf reminded me, which did help curb some of my frustration.I left the hospital nearly an hour later. I had to say, Dr. Nathanial was very thorough, checking me over nearly a dozen times to make sure I didn’t have any adverse reaction to the magical ointment. While I’m sure the emotional trauma will lin

Medieval looking sconces lined the shelved walls of the restricted section, casting orange light over the endless stacks that went on as far as the eye could see. It was poor lighting, but would be sufficient enough to read some words on a page. We stood at the beginning of the room, facing one of the many aisles down the endless book shelves. I peered to my left and right, seeing no notable end to the room. It must be similar to the magic at Castle Mist. The kind of magic that makes a castle span worlds and realms. My eyes scanned the bookshelves closest to us when Helena tapped on my shoulder. Her lips were pressed tightly together, and she pointed at the towering bookshelf to our left. On a golden plaque, the number ‘1’ was etched. It was a good sign, some promise that we could find our way out of this place. Helena and I locked eyes, and she spoke in a voice so low that I nearly missed the words. “Let the library take control.” She was quoting the poem Ad

Before I had time to process what I had just seen, everything shifted. I could feel the phantom touch of pages turning against my fingertips, making silent arcs in the stagnant air of the library.I was underground, but somewhere different. Don’t ask me how I can discern one darkness from another, but it was the truth. This place—the darkness seemed alive, like a sentient being that lingered within every nook and cranny of this cavern.We were in the dark, Sasha and I. The faint light of a crappy flash light was our only sight, the one thing keeping us afoot in this rocky place. Our hair glowed under this harsh, artificial light, like flickering flames smothered beneath the earth. She huffed out a breath, and I noticed something off about her. Something had changed. She was covered in dirt and mud, and she wore some kind of hiking outfit, but that wasn’t the thing that felt off. Her eyes were wide, pupils blown as she peered into the darkness. T

His fingers were velvety soft, and after a moment longer, I realized it was because he had gloves on. Though I couldn’t see them, they were smooth to the touch.“You’re wearing gloves?” I couldn’t help but ask, a bit exasperated. My heart was thundering, and I knew my face was already turning a horrible shade of scarlet. My dad had often toyed with my mom over how red she turned, making a game of it with whispered compliments and flirty smiles. I wasn’t feeling particularly flirty at the moment, but I was blushing down to my toes.“Would you rather I not wore them the next time I touch you? I knew you’d make an interesting player, but I never could have anticipated this.” He mused softly, in a way that made my brain flash danger. My thoughts wandered for a moment, and a part of me desperately wondered what he looked like. I wanted to see the expression on his face. Were his eyes hard and cold? Were they bright and m