Slyran

  “And we hit the ground. Our legs trembling and aching,” Isa said as she peered around the fire at the others listening. “I crawled over to Oshi, and we waited. And waited. Then, there, in front of us.” She held her thumbs and index fingers together to make a picture frame. “We saw it. The dorrani, the winged beast snacking on its prey.”

  She stood up. “With a signal to Oshi, I prepped my crossbow and took aim.” She snapped her fingers. “But a twig snapped, I knew not where, and the beast roared and spun around!” she excimed, and Varis yelped. “Its massive tail felling the forest around us, forcing Oshi and I to head for cover as the dorrani bellowed.”

  “Wh-What happened next?” Varis asked.

  Isa chuckled. “Well, Oshi and I fled, of course.” She smiled as she sat back down on the log by the fire.

  “You didn’t fight it?” Varis sounded disappointed.

  Her smile broadened as she shook her head. “Oh no. That would’ve been suicide. When hunting a dorrani, it is best to do so from the shadows. A dragon such as that would sughter you in seconds if it were to see you.”

  Slyran leaned in closer to the fire and Isa. “How’d you escape?” he asked. “Those things can smell a pile of dung ten gilos out.”

  Isa shuddered. “I became great friends with mud that night. Does wonders masking one’s scent.”

  “Can’t go wrong with just smelling like the jungle, I guess.” He chuckled. “That’s clever thinking.”

  Cailynn made a disgusted face and shook her head. “I dunno if I could do that. Gods, how long did it take to wash yourself?”

  “Too long,” Isa said with a roll of her eyes. “I spent days getting all the bits of dirt from my hair.”

  “Madam Soza, can you tell another story?” Varis asked.

  Isa gnced at the sky, towards the two moons. She then looked at Cailynn, who met her gaze and shook her head. “It’s getting too te,” Cailynn said to Varis, who immediately pouted. “We have much to do tomorrow, hon. Help Isa clean up camp and get ready for bed.”

  The boy knew not to compin. Getting up, he began to collect the tin ptes and cups around the camp.

  “Thank you for the story,” Slyran said, smiling and nodding to Isa.

  The serelli returned the smile. “You are welcome. It pleases me that you all seem to enjoy such mundanities.”

  Slyran gawked. “That’s what you call mundane?” he said.

  Isa’s ears wiggled as her smile broadened. “In Kazora, yes. Scary predators are as common as jabbers are here. Such an event to me is like… How does the phrase go?” She pondered. “Just another Fields Day.” She chuckled, though after a moment, her ears drooped.

  Slyran frowned. “What’s wrong?” he asked as Cailynn doused the fire. Isa’s ears perked up again, though she didn’t respond. Her eyes turned towards the children’s tent, the one in which Luna was resting.

  “It bothers me that I was unable to fulfill my promise,” Isa murmured, her tail flicking anxiously. “I am also concerned about what happened.” Her eyes returned to Slyran.

  His ears drooped along with Cailynn’s. “As are we,” he said, draping an arm around his wife as she returned to his side. “I know you’re not a doctor, love. But you’ve read stuff,” he said with a cringe, knowing how stupid he just sounded. “We both know she isn’t sick; the food was cooked, and she had no fever.”

  Cailynn took a deep breath and turned to thank Varis, who pced the pile of dirty tins next to her to clean. Taking one of the cups in both hands, the former magister gathered her thoughts, then purged the dirty cup of any grime or stain without a word.

  Slyran watched as the cup momentarily glowed. Steam rose from its surface in Cailynn’s grip. The two had known each other for nearly ninety years, and even now the man was still amazed by even the simplest of spells. Why didn’t everyone know such magic? If he could clean a room or his clothes so easily, life would be wonderful—but he needed to focus.

  Cailynn finally drew in a breath and pced the now clean tin aside. “You are correct, love. I am no physician; instead, what we really need is a psychologist.”

  “Psycho-what?” Slyran said, gncing at Isa.

  “She means a doctor of the mind,” Isa crified.

  Cailynn nodded. “I think Luna had a panic attack,” she said. “I don’t know what may have triggered it. She said she heard leaves as we entered the cave.”

  Isa brought her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.

  “What is it?” Slyran asked.

  “The fae,” the serelli said, her ears drooping even further. “Could I have scared her?”

  Cailynn shrugged as she grabbed another dirty tin. “Maybe, though she seemed unfazed at the time. I don’t know why she would’ve panicked the way she did. Even if that were the case, it wouldn’t be your fault, Isa.”

  Slyran nodded. “That kind of information is important for everyone to know.” Before anyone could reply, he held a finger up. “Question is, though, could this have been caused by the fae?” He cocked an eyebrow.

  “That is possible,” Cailynn said, “though I think unlikely.” While fae were known in these parts, there hadn’t been any reported fae activity in nearly thirty years. Many folk, especially the younger humans, were beginning to think they were a myth. “The chances of us, specifically Luna, being chosen for their antics just seem unrealistic.”

  Isa sighed. “Yes, but you are the Ashflows,” the serelli said with a smirk.

  Cailynn cocked her head. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

  Isa giggled. “I feel I have known you both long enough to know that trouble always seems to follow you.”

  “Back when we were swords for hire, sure,” Slyran said, “but we’re retired.”

  “And that means things would just stop?” She grinned.

  Slyran groaned. “Fates be, I don’t wanna have this talk again.” Isa snickered.

  Varis came over and said, “Camp’s clean, Momma. Anything else I need to do?” The boy sounded so professional, almost soldierlike. Slyran smiled.

  “You’ll need to brush your teeth,” Cailynn said, patting his shoulder. “You did good today.”

  Varis nodded slowly but then gnced towards the children’s tent. “Is Luna going to be alright?” he asked.

  Cailynn’s expression softened. “Of course, sweetie. Come tomorrow she’ll be all bright-eyed and eager as she usually is.”

  The boy brightened a little. “Okay. Good night!” He hugged Cailynn before hopping over to hug Slyran and then Isa. Then he came to Slyran again, and with a mock salute he said, “See you in the morning, sir!”

  Slyran felt his heart swell, and he smiled and returned the salute. “Get some rest, soldier. We have training in the morning.” As in he, Isa, and the boy were going hunting.

  Varis’s eyes twinkled as he walked back to his tent. With a deep breath, Slyran turned to the two women and said, “Speaking of things we don’t want to talk about…”

  At his tone of voice, Cailynn groaned. “Must we speak of more bad things?” she asked as she pced the st tin onto the clean pile.

  “It’s important,” he said. “It has to do with Lorzio.”

  “Of course it does…” Cailynn muttered, and Isa nodded. The serelli tutor had been looped into this discussion shortly after Lorzio visited a couple of months ago. “I told you, Slyran, his observations line up with what we’ve always seen in the past. Veilnd is posturing. Besides, even if it is true, the Sovereign Right predicts the attack will happen a year from now; we have time.”

  “Herbert knows,” Slyran said. “His family, at least his wife, knows what’s coming. So do the Olsons, Cailynn.” He looked at her. “The merchant guilds are aware of what’s coming too.”

  Cailynn stared at him, her face stern, though cracks began to show. She turned away. “And what is that supposed to mean? It changes nothing.”

  “But it does, Cailynn. We now have two sources saying the same thing.” Her stubbornness was frustrating now. “Why are you so keen on not—”

  Before he could say something that would have him sleeping under the stars. Varis shouted.

  “Mother! Father!” Varis’s feet were spping dirt as he sprinted towards them. “Luna’s gone!”

  “What?!” Cailynn gasped, and the parents shot up from their seats.

  The boy skidded to a stop a few gotts from them. His hand pointed. “Luna’s not in the tent; I—I looked around, but I didn’t see or hear her.”

  “Bst it all!” Slyran cursed. “Where could she have gone?” This was unlike their daughter. Luna running away? Absurd. The girl hardly ever left her books, let alone the house.

  Isa frowned. “I think I have an idea…” she said, turning towards the north, where the dark mountain loomed overhead. She side-eyed Slyran. “Perhaps your theory on the fae might not be too far-fetched.”

  Luna

  The night’s darkness loomed over the world after the sun had dipped beneath the mountain’s horizon, leaving as the only light the colorful rays cast down from Enora’s two moons. Even then, the thick canopy of the Heinnd Forest made everything nearly pitch bck. My elven eyes, which usually served me well in the dark, struggled to make out the winding vines and sticks lost in the underbrush, causing me multiple stumbles as I ascended the mountain.

  I moved with haste. My heart was beating heavily in my chest, its steady pulse thundering in my ears along with the static and steady beep, which grew louder and louder with every step forwards. Despite the cold, sweat formed on my brow as my hands and legs shook. Visions of my nightmare fshed across my mind. The heart monitor, the television. The disheveled man in the mirror.

  Why do I hear it? This can’t be real.

  “It isn’t real,” I heard myself say.

  But it feels and sounds so real. The static, the beep. Am I really just in a coma?

  “Don’t be so foolish. You’re distracting yourself; focus on what’s in front of you. You heard Isa, this forest is filled with fae. You know, faeries, pixies, sprites, and alps. Beings of trickery and deception.”

  That doesn’t make it any less horrifying.

  “Just keep that piece of cold iron on you, and don’t panic. That’ll only get us killed.”

  Us? Who am I talking to? Was I really talking to myself?

  “Bah, I’m really driving myself crazy now,” I said out loud.

  The steady beep echoed against my eardrums as I cmbered up the side of the mountain. My legs were aching, but I assumed I was halfway there. Behind me, I could no longer see the campfire light or hear my family. I wasn’t entirely sure if I was going the right way, yet part of me was confident.

  Then I heard it as I climbed over a fallen tree in the path. Over the static and beeping, a distant, hollow howl akin to that of a wolf. I froze up on the log, clutching it tightly. It sounded very close.

  “What are you doing? Keep moving,” I said to myself, yet my body didn’t move.

  There’s a monster out here. A dangerous one. Mother said there were timberwolves. I gulped.

  “Yes, there are, but standing still is only going to get me killed. It’s best that I keep moving,” I heard myself say, yet something didn’t sound right. What sounded like me didn’t talk like me.

  “I’m going fucking crazy,” I said, feeling in control once again. “I’m actually cracked.”

  As quickly as my control returned, it vanished when I heard my voice say, “Perhaps I am, but talking out loud is going to give you away. Keep moving.”

  Once again, I heard the howl; it sounded so unnatural. A ghostly sound mixed with scraping bark. I shivered, hopped off the log, and continued to move at a much faster pace. I whimpered as the howl received a response, this time off to my left.

  “They’ve caught our scent,” my voice said. It was in my mind yet speaking into my ear. “Double it, Luna. Keep moving. We won’t be able to see them within the underbrush; just don’t stay in one spot too long.”

  My heart raced as I pumped my little legs faster. How the fuck would I know that? I never read about timberwolves. How would I know they’re after me? Maybe that was like a mating call.

  “Just trust me, move! You don’t want to die again, do you? What if you don’t get a third chance?”

  “Fuck me!” I whined as the path meandered to the left, following the trail. I nearly tripped as I rounded a corner and caught myself on a branch. Panting heavily, I took a second to breathe.

  “What are you doing?! Move!”

  “I need a breather,” I gasped. “I need to catch my breath.”

  “We don’t have time. The pack is moving in on us as we speak.”

  “How do you know that? How do I know that?” I grabbed the side of my head. “Where did this other voice come from?”

  “As fun as it would be to try and get to know ourselves, we don’t have the time. Get moving, or else you’ll be turned into fertilizer.”

  I cursed and pushed myself forward.

  “You’re almost there. There are about a dozen yards left. Once you reach the clearing, that’s when they’ll attack. Run like hell.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “They’re ying an ambush. There are three of them. No, four. The alpha is watching far off.”

  “This is definitely not me thinking this…” I said. “Wh-What if I don’t go out there?” I shook. “What if I turn back?”

  “You cannot do that. Not anymore. If you turn back now, the rest of the pack will converge for the kill.”

  “So, I’m fucked!”

  “No. Stop panicking. Move to the cave. Trust me. You’ll make it, and you will live. But only if you run. Now move!”

  Tears streamed down my cheeks, my legs wobbled, and my heart was beating so fast I thought it’d burst. Biting my lip, I cried softly. “I—I don’t want to die!”

  “You’re not going to die. Trust me.”

  “H-How?! Who are you? You’re not me!”

  “I am you; move! They’re going to kill you!”

  “I shouldn’t have come out here. I shouldn’t have come out here!”

  “For all the love there is to be, Luna Ashflow, move!”

  My little heart thumped in my ears. My breathing became ragged, drowning out the static and beeping. I couldn’t catch my breath. I couldn’t breathe. I was going to die. I freakingkilled myself before death even happened. Why did I walk out here? What did I hope to gain? I was dead. I was going to be ripped apart by goddamn wolves because of some childish curiosity. I threw it away. I threw this new life away.

  “DUCK NOW!”

  My conscience screamed, and without thinking, I dove to the ground as a huge, looming mass lunged over me. My shoulder struck sticks and dirt as my legs flew over me, and I rolled onto my back.

  The ground shook as I found myself staring up at the stars. “Run, you need to run!” the little voice in my head screamed as I rolled onto my stomach and stood up shakily. I looked back, and my eyes widened with abject horror.

  It was rge. About the size of a stallion. Its outer shell was made of thick tree bark overgrown with moss and vines. Nowhere I could see was this thing made of flesh, only wood and other vegetation that created the vague silhouette of a wolf. Its eyes were a sickly green. Dripping from its makeshift maw riddled with sharp stick-like teeth was an oozing, almost unduting sap.

  I’m going to die, I thought.

  “Only if you stand there like an idiot. Run!”

  The wooden construct of a beast raised its head and unleashed a soulless howl, and I screamed as I cpped my ears and ran for dear life. I could see the clearing up ahead, yet one more fallen log blocked my path. Behind me, the ground quaked as the monster began to chase me.

  “It’s going to pounce! Dive to the left and immediately begin crawling forward!”

  Whatever this little voice was that sounded like me, I chose to put my trust in it as I dove left. My belly skidded against the cold mud and unmelted snow, and my nice dress was immediately ruined as I began to army crawl. Which was perfectly timed, as a second timberwolf dove through the bushes and nded right where I had just been.

  “Get up and run! I’ll let you know when to dodge again!”

  I wailed and ran, my legs burning. I kept pumping them forwards, jumping over the fallen tree. My knee scraped and gashed against it as I failed to clear it, and I tumbled forward. Face cracking into stone and grass. I yelled from pain.

  “Get up, get up, get up!”

  I moaned and crawled forwards before pushing myself to my feet. In the cliff face before me was the cave entrance, yet to my left, about one hundred feet out, the third wooden wolf broke through the tree line and charged right for me. Behind me, the two other wolves began to fnk around. I had nowhere to go but the cave.

  “Run!”

  I cried as I sprinted as fast as my little legs could carry me. Seventy feet, fifty feet, and thirty feet. It was gaining on me. I wasn’t far from the entrance when the voice in my head bellowed.

  “Jump!”

  Like a baseball pyer running for home, I leaped into the cave entrance just as the sharp, wooden cws gouged my back. Hot, searing pain shot through me. My vision fshed white and red as I tumbled into the cave.

  “Crawl, crawl! You’re almost there!”

  Ignoring the agonizing pain in my back, I heaved myself over the rocky floor of the cave as the ferocious barking and howling behind me intensified. The wooden monstrosities were attempting to force themselves through the entrance. Thankfully, their wide frames were too big to fit through.

  Yet that didn’t mean they wouldn’t try.

  Snapping wood caught my ears as one of them pressed itself in further. I was only about ten feet away. Looking ahead, I pulled myself to my feet and began to limp away.

  “Don’t worry. They’ll try to get in, but I can assure you they can’t.”

  I moved as far from the entrance as I could, about thirty feet in, and eventually, the wolves pulled away. All was quiet, save for my whimpers and moans. As the adrenaline faded, I crumpled to my hands and knees. My dress was now soaked with blood and mud. I could feel warm, wet trickles moving down my back and arms beneath the fabric. I pressed my head into the floor and began to cry.

  Everything fell silent. The little voice in my head, the static and beeping, all vanished as I wailed; the adrenaline, the pain—all of it shook me as I sobbed. Never in my life had I felt so utterly horrified and alone.

  I was a fool to come here. What was I thinking? This isn’t some silly anime or anything; I have no powers. How the hell did I survive?!

  I moaned and lightly thumped my head on the floor as I sniffled and sobbed.

  “You are no fool; I was the one who deceived you into coming here. Nor is this fictional. This is all very, very real.” The little voice returned, yet what once sounded like my own had transitioned into something else. It sounded like a man; its tone was elegant yet emotionless.

  “Do not wallow in pity or fear. You did well.”

  “The fuck you mean, I did well?!” I cried out, hiccuping over my voice. I wiped the tears from my eyes. My left arm felt limp; I could move it, but doing so caused great pain. “You maniputed me! I almost fucking died; I’m injured… I’m alone… I want my mom! Papa!” I screamed out as all of my pent-up emotions boiled over.

  The little voice fell silent for a minute. I tried to catch my breath, but the pain coming from my wounds caused me to moan and whimper. After a few moments, however, I quieted down and tried to compose myself.

  And the voice spoke again. “You did well because you’re alive. And that’s all that matters.” It fell silent once more. The sound of the static and the pulse-like beep returned. Then the little voice came back, once emotionless but taking on a more calming tone. “Your family most definitely heard the noise up the mountain here; they would’ve checked on your tent and noticed you were gone. They’ll be coming here shortly.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “Then they’re in danger!”

  “No, they are not. Your mother and father are most formidable; a small pack of timberwolves will easily be dispatched. I say this to ease your fears. You will not die here, Luna, and I do apologize for the injuries you sustained.”

  I sniffed and wiped my eyes. “Wh-Who are you?”

  “Who I am right now is entirely irrelevant; I just need you to listen to me. Though, for the sake of giving you a name, you can call me the master.”

  I hiccuped and said, “Th-That doesn’t sound ominous at all.”

  “I’ve helped you thus far, haven’t I?”

  Anger erupted within me. “You helped me by luring me to a pack of wolves!”

  “Wolves that failed to eat you,” the voice retorted. “If you had come up here without my guidance, you would surely be in little elf pieces right now.”

  I sniffled and nodded. “I—I can’t argue with that…” I winced as the wound on my back began to throb.

  “Once again, I apologize for the injuries you sustained. From what I can sense, they are not life-threatening. Your family should reach here before anything becomes dire; however, you are still capable of moving and coming to meet me again.”

  “Again?” I blinked. “I’ve never talked to you before till now.” I shifted to my feet and wiped my eyes; the tears just kept coming.

  “Long ago, we did,” the voice of the master said.

  I blinked. “Are you the reason why I’m here right now? By that, I mean… alive again?”

  “Answering that question is something I do not have the time or patience for. Now that I sense you’re standing, I would like for you to proceed to the back of the cave. A hole should be visible that you can squeeze through.”

  “How about you answer my question first?” I growled.

  “I refuse to answer the question because I know it’ll only raise more questions. Now, please, proceed to the back of the cave.”

  There’s no pleasing you, is there? I said to myself.

  “Do remember, I can hear your thoughts,” the master responded.

  Great, then that means I have no more privacy?

  “For now.”

  Feeling as if I had no choice, I began to limp over to the hole. The cave was long, but not wide. The walls were slick with condensation, and the edges were lined with rubble and sharp stagmites.

  The cave started shifting a bit to the right, with the ceiling becoming lower as the floor declined. My knee, which I gashed against the log, seeped blood down my once-white stockings and into and on my boots, making each step slippery. Yet as I carefully ventured down, true to the master’s word, a hole could be found against the back wall.

  One that was just big enough to fit me.

  “Uh… huh…” I gulped. A nervous shake entered my voice. “I—I don’t have to crawl through that, do I? L-Like, it’s going to open up to reveal a passage?” I didn’t want to crawl into that tight space, even with my small frame. What if I get stuck?

  “You will not get stuck,” the voice replied.

  I bit my lip and gnced down the hall; even with better night vision compared to my past life, I could not see what was beyond. Yet I could hear the static and the beep of the heart monitor, which was now the loudest it had been.

  Hey, voice… master? I thought.

  “Yes?”

  Since you can hear my thoughts and all, do you also hear the static and beeping?

  My conscience fell silent for a moment, almost as if the voice had paused to think.

  “As a matter of fact, I do,” it replied slowly.

  Do you know what it is? Am I going nuts?

  “This I can answer; it’s your internal fears. A phobia that is being triggered. It’s trying to distract you. Ignore it.”

  I took a deep breath, feeling a little relieved. Yet a bit of skepticism remained as I gnced at the hole. Again, I felt as if I had no choice. Shifting my body, I climbed in, my body quaking with fear once more as I began to squeeze my way through.

  Thankfully, the hole wasn’t that long. For only about seven feet, I wriggled before coming out the other end, yelping as I flopped into icy water. I panicked for a second but stopped when I realized it was only a few inches deep.

  “Dammit, I’m soaked…” I groaned as I pushed myself to my feet and gnced around the eerie darkness. The static echoing louder along with the beep made it almost impossible to think. I gritted my teeth.

  “Excellent. You’re almost there. Proceed to the right; after about ten paces, you’ll hit an abnormally smooth wall,” the voice instructed, and I obeyed.

  Sure enough, as I waded out of the water and onto the ground, I reached a wall. Yet it wasn’t entirely smooth. There were etchings on it. I couldn’t make them out, though I knew they weren’t natural.

  What is this? I thought. This doesn’t feel like stone… is this metal?

  “It’s a structure. An old tower once resided here. That much, I’ll say. Follow this wall to your left and keep your hand on it. Eventually, you’ll find a gap.”

  I nodded and did as I was told.

  Voice, why did you choose me? I asked. Why not speak to Varis or my parents?

  I continued through the cave, my hand grazing the smooth stone wall.

  There was silence for a moment. As said, we met once before.

  So why don’t I remember? I thought.

  I have my reasons, the voice replied as my fingers dipped into the gap.

  I stopped. Being secretive isn’t best when trying to form trust, I thought.

  “Again, I have my reasons, and I told you, answering questions will only raise more questions. The less you know, the better. Believe me when I say you and I are on the same side. In a mutual retionship, you help me, and I help you.”

  Ah, so I’m helping you? I smirked, and I heard the voice sigh.

  “Yes, you are,” it said softly. “Now, press your fingers into the gap.”

  Hesitating, I took a deep breath before shoving them through the slit in the wall. They pressed against a metallic surface, which then sank with my fingers. A loud click echoed throughout the chamber, and soon the wall cracked and began to part. I stumbled back as pieces of stone and dust sprinkled down from above. A blueish-white light blinded me.

  I shielded my eyes. As they adjusted, I saw a staircase riddled with pieces of broken metal and… bells?

  Ascend the tower, and we’ll meet again.

  “What the fuck…” I muttered as I waded through the broken iron and copper bells, which cnged and tumbled down the steps.

  As I stepped through a doorway, the chill of the cave vanished. The air became stuffy. Static and beeping noises continued to assault my mind. Mixed in was a ticking clock which only added to the cacophony.

  Grabbing the railing, I climbed my way up the dimly lit steps and gasped when the metal door behind me began to shut.

  “Wait, wait, wait!” I screamed and ran back down.

  “Do not worry; you’re not trapped here.” The voice said, “Keep going up.”

  I panted nervously and whimpered before turning around. “I’m dreaming,” I said. “This has to be a dream.”

  “You are not dreaming. This is all very, very real, Luna Ashflow.”

  With a gulp, I began to climb again, careful not to trip over the many broken bells. “Why are there so many of these here?” I asked.

  “Failed recreations. They are harmless, as long as you don’t trip on them.”

  “Recreating what? Church bells?” I asked as I reached the first ptform of many.

  “It is nothing that concerns you,” said the voice.

  “So bloody secretive.” I sighed as I continued up the second set of stairs.

  I went on to scale over a dozen staircases and ptforms, the shattered bells piling up more and more until finally, I reached a metal door.

  I panted softly, my thighs and busted knees aching. My wounded back and arm throbbed heavily, and my head was screaming with the migraine that brought on the incessant noise pguing me.

  “The door is unlocked. You can enter.”

  I straightened up, grabbed the metal handle, turned it, and stepped inside. Warm air greeted me, along with the sound of howling wind, a beautiful night sky, and two gorgeous moons. Radiance and Andoria were much rger and closer than ever before. In front of me was an altar, a massive bck bell with many shards missing along its rim hanging aloft above it. Yet most striking was the gentle piano music coming from the other side of the altar.

  As the metal door shut behind me, I flinched and stepped forward. Open windowpanes allowed air to flow through and revealed a dazzling vista of rolling pins and mountains. Yet these were no ordinary mountains or pins; this wasn’t Oren. This wasn’t Heinmarr.

  Where the hell am I?

  The pleasant piano music ceased. “Welcome to the Infinite Twilight.” That was the voice, except it was no longer in my head. Across from me, a dark figure rose from behind the piano, an androgynous being draped in a bck cloak from head to toe. The hood concealed most of their face, revealing only their pale mouth and chin.

  Raising their arm so the sleeve fell back, they revealed a delicate pale hand gesturing to the scenery before us. “My prison and home.”

  I’ve finally gotten around to your st etching, and I’m pleased to hear that the three-hundred-and-eighty-seventh attempt finally succeeded...