《Another world》 Reality or a nightmare (1) ¡ª BEEP BEEP ¨C BEEP ¡ª BEEP BEEP ¨C BEEP ¡ª ¡°Shut the hell up already. I''m up, I''m up.¡± Stretching his languid arm toward the alarm, he tucked his phone beneath his pillow, attempting to muffle as much of the searing noise that had jolted him awake. Time passed and he sounded asleep once again. That''s when his phone''s alarm went off, this time near his ear. He hoisted himself up and placed his phone near a vanity. He eases himself into his old headboard. He drew his relatively thick, plain bedsheets closer to his waist, making as little noise as possible. Fixated on the dust particles that danced around his bedroom, courtesy of a ray of sunshine that crept in through the window curtains. He was eventually able to get out of bed after groaning about getting dressed. He takes a long, deep breath while raising his arms to the ceiling. He reached back as far as He could. Taking pleasure in the sound his joints and bones produce with each morning stretch. As he approached his window, he was met by the gaze of a familiar red rescued bird resting his wings on the window exterior. He''d been treating the bird for quite some time and had food for the little guy, but the bird flew away from the instant he opened the window just a slight bit. His sister was rushing up the stairs to her bedroom when he heard a brutal sheer squall from across the corridor. ¡°There was a lot of commotion so early in the morning. ¡°As usual.¡± He stretched a little more before snatching his bag and flinging it to his desk. ¡ª BEEP BEEP ¨C BEEP ¡ª BEEP BEEP ¨C BEEP ¡ª ¡°Yet another video. ¡°What do they have in store for us this time?¡± Retrieving my water bottle and laptop from my desk. I immediately paired my phone with the smart TV. Logging into the college news page, and seeing live footage countdown. ¡°No matter what time of day it is, the city always has news for us.¡± I sank back on the edge of my bed, swaddling myself with the blanket. Waiting for the countdown to begin. -3-2-1- -CLICK- On the screen, a familiar face emerged. Wendy Topper was her name. The show''s initial host. She was standing alone outside a fancy-looking fence from a wealthy neighborhood. ¡°Exactly like the previous video.¡± She appeared troubled as she pre-read the sloppy script that the staff had prepared for her on short notice. Wendy''s attention turned to one of the cameramen, who informed her that they had just gone live. She rolled the script up and stashed it beneath her denim pocket. Her demeanor shifted to a more severe, timid gaze. ¡°Apologizes. Again, tragic news in the Ellie neighborhood. Just a few minutes before, several homeowners contacted law enforcement in the same neighborhood, as they had done in the previous three incidents. Around 8:27 a.m., a local homeschooler found stabbed to death right outside her family''s home.¡± Wendy diverted her gaze away from the camera, noting that the paramedics had just arrived. ¡°We have yet to get authorization to release any information about an individual or her family members.¡± In previous incidents, investigators have concluded that this is just a random homicide. You, the viewers, have a different perspective. This is the sixth victim discovered on their doorstep, this month alone, I''ve been dead.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Wendy continued to ramble for a few minutes before an officer approached and asked Wendy and her colleagues to leave the premises. Being escorted by another officer, she stood up for what is right for a full minute. The crew began fleeing towards their vehicle while the cameraman aimed the lens of the camera onto the sidewalk''s pavement. Wendy, who was not visible on the screen yet was still talking, was still talking. ¡°If you''re interested in previous cases, check the link in the descriptions.¡± There''s a link provided in the paragraph below if you wish to read or share your theory about why the killer is exclusively targeting a specific gender of all ages.¡± Wendy began to catch her breath, since it sounded as if she was already in the van. ¡°More information concerning tonight''s femicide case will be provided on the website.¡± Of course, with permission. ¡°This is Wendy Topper, signing off.¡± Following a few seconds of quiet and puffing. Wendy expressed her gratitude for being on the track team before the live feed finished. The TV went dark on its own as he processed what was happening. He groped about in his covers for a remote. Believing he may have switched it off by accident. The hair on the back of his neck rose as he continued to thrash about. Someone was trying to approach him from behind. Getting ready to launch an attack. As a diversion, he hurled his blanket, only to be welcomed by Loki. His sister''s friend, whom she rescued, deserted in the wooded area. Loki was swaying his control sideways in his fingers, he realized. Loki proceeded in closer, flinging the controller on the bed. His limbs and face completely saturated with blood. ¡°If cops find you like this, we''re fucked.¡± I stared at the controller and asked Loki if he was the one who killed all those individuals. His steady demeanor transformed as he averted his sight from mine, as his grin deepened. As he grabbed both hands to his rib cage, an object emerged. It was difficult to tell what this was. Why has this stench of blood in the air alerted me just now? That''s the only odor I can detect right now. Was he out in public like this? My lungs felt clogged with such odor. It was like it was engulfing me. I grabbed my hoodie and gripped it across my face. He recalled the object he had neared his rib cage. When Loki stepped more toward me, I felt a nasty shockwave run through my body.

Should I try to run? Or should I attack my sister''s one and only friend?

Loki moved his hand onto my neck. An arm''s width away from me now, he locked his gaze with mine. I''m at a loss on what to do. I held my ground. I''m attempting my best to control my airflow constantly. Watching carefully to see what he''ll do or say next. His grip was forceful. It''s as though I was locked into a trance. I couldn''t look away, his ocean blue gaze couldn''t be avoided. This brief stillness was agonizing. My gaze wandered left to right, unsure of where to stare. The room appeared to be moving. This sensation. I never felt like this before. If he were a stranger, I would''ve been willing to flee. Of all people, why Loki? Why am I feeling this way? I''m not sure what''s wrong with me. His look shifted dramatically to a warm, lovely¡­ crooked smile. He hummed one old playground rhyme into my ear, leaning forward. This tone sounded so mellow and rich, like something someone could pay any attention to for hours, yet the tremors down my spine hadn''t died down¡­ Loki drew slightly closer, taking shallow sniffs at Winston''s oblivion. He began imploring him to contribute his blood to satisfy his need. Winston''s delirious trance was broken by having heard this. He shifted his gaze to Loki''s irises. His once-ocean blue eyes have become blazing blood-red. Reality or a nightmare (2) There hasn''t been an officer present up to this point. Does this indicate he''s safe at the moment? I can''t have him wandering about the city, casually and foolishly presenting himself to humans in broad daylight. I must accept responsibility for his behavior at this time. Then again, I haven''t really encountered those girls. I rolled up my sleeve and wedged my forearm into his teeth. I''ll confess that I was terrified when I started feeling the faintest pressure of his sharp fangs scrape against my flesh. I''m perfectly aware that what I''m encouraging him to do is considered taboo by those in command. If anybody figures out about this, both of our clans may get into major difficulty with one another, however, that doesn''t matter. Because my family brought him in, we are equally liable for his conduct. I''ve helped in drawing him closer to me. I caught a glimpse of his mouth dribbling at this moment. Scratching his head, I reassured him everything would be Alright since it would be his first time-consuming my blood. I avert my head, patiently waiting. With each passing second''s this uneasiness may be enough to kill me. My heart was pounding relentlessly. It sounded as though he could hear it. At that moment, his teeth penetrated my skin. As a result of the anguish, my body came to a total standstill. I dared, but I could not really move much at the moment. His fangs alone were enough to entrap me. This surreal sensation occurred when he drained blood from my body. It won''t do much damage. It was difficult to put into words. It just made me feel relieved. When I placed my head on his shoulder, he tugged my arm closer to him. He was gingerly holding my arm as if he was telling me he wasn''t ready to let go. I rubbed his back while chuckling at him. I''m not sure if my sensitive hearing is always a blessing, but for the time being, I''m grateful to be able to hear him feeding on my blood. I didn''t actually realize my other hand was fondling his thigh. I glanced over, embarrassed, to see if he realized, but he appears preoccupied with my arm. My soul cried from out my body as I took heavy breaths.

What am I attempting to do to him? Why did my instinct interfere in such a way?

My mind grew increasingly unusable, and I was unable to think clearly at this moment. This ludicrous thought kept running through my mind. I''m concerned that there will be nothing to restrain me. ¡°I desire more.¡± I found myself thinking as I shoved him over my bed. Hunching closer to his face, I understood there''s no turning back from what I intended to do to him- A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Good morning, my dear Winston!¡± I opened my eyes, startled, I looked around. I was stuck in my bed, trying to figure out just what happened. Seeing Loki appearing in front of my bed, his infamous sinister smirk on his face. My cheeks reddened instantly as a result of my delusional fantasy about him. Scratching my brow, I broke eye contact with him, unsure of what to do or say. Considering what I ordered him to do in my dream and what I intended to do to him. What will his attitude be if I tell him? As I was submerged in a sea of my concerns, I didn''t even notice my bed shaking from Loki''s weight. He slumped onto the bed, ripping the blanket from my grasp in order to cover himself all over for comfort. While my mind was still in the clouds from the dream, he kept muttering something about his phone. ¡°I swear to you! They announced last night that one of the news crew members had received an anonymous letter. He was spewing this bullshit nonsense on Chatbot, claiming that the killer in this year''s topic was going to deliver the next victim''s body part to each one of the crew''s doorsteps. That is, if they persist to document the victims'' killer. Wendy immediately joined the conversation. Telling him off after raising the issue to everyone else before her, and went on to explain that this is simply an impersonator out there asking for attention since our news nowadays is receiving more attention than national views.¡± He attempted to shove his phone beside my face, seeming pleased with himself. I''m betting he noticed I wasn''t paying much attention at a certain point. ¡°Look, they even put out an announcement that they''ll be going live today. Earlier, they had posted a ghastly picture of last night''s corpses on their site. Ah! They will go live in a few minutes.¡± Loki began shoving his phone against my face while bouncing closer to have a decent view of the screen. My heart was beating. I felt my blood rush. I tried to suppress it by putting my attention on the little screen, from his phone, but it didn''t help. I''m fed up with my damn self. I took Loki''s phone and connected it to my TV. ¡°Does my breath honestly reek that bad?¡± I rolled my eyes and denied responding. I managed to reach for the remote and cranked the volume up, assuring him that this was to see the show on a bigger display. Loki licked his palm, took a few little whiffs, and simply agreed with the idea. Getting wrapped up in Winston''s blanket once more. I rested my head on the headboard while I dug for my phone from underneath my pillow. Loki squeezed his body onto me. ¡°It''s beginning. It''s beginning.¡±

Loki appeared to be much more enthused in another homicide investigation. I''m wondering why this is the case.

Reality or a nightmare(3) -3-2-1- -CLICK- ¡°Yet again another piece of breaking news. We''ve arrived at the location of the ninth and tenth victims. Yes. You heard that right: two bodies. We are still waiting for law enforcement. For the time being, we can''t tell if this was performed by yet another impersonator or if it''s a case of the unidentified psychopath, ¡°The Butcher Myth.¡± What a fantastic title you, the spectators, came up with.¡± While he was finishing up with his ear mic, this individual stepped into the camera''s field of vision. Rae, Wendy''s colleague. He''s got a camera wrapped around his neck, I''m assuming he just finished photographing the corpses. Is he conversing with someone? They''re just out of view of the screen, so it''s impossible to see them. Rae''s complexion is paler than usual today. ¡°However, it is usual. As I previously stated, two corpses in the same night and area. This appears to be the work of The Butcher Myth. Could the killer now be targeting specific members of a group, or did the killer simply have a rough night?¡± She held her breath in as to peek behind her, at Rae, who was having a conversation with somebody. She proceeded, grumbling. ¡°I''d want to assume that this was really another impersonator attempt, but after hearing what Rae said before we began the cameras, I''m not so certain. It is up to law enforcement to make that judgment. Please share your thoughts on today''s case in the discussion.¡± She turned around now, motioning to Rae that they had begun. Rae bid their goodbyes to the unidentified person. Returning to Wendy and the filming crew. He took a moment to collect himself while discarding the latex gloves. He''s nodded to the crew to switch on his microphone. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°As some of our viewers are already aware, we have permission from both the academy and the city to be on the scenes. We put up some graphic photographs on our website recently, and the comments were ¨C Today''s case¡ª involved one of the individuals I knew¡ª¡± Rae placed his hand over his mouth for a moment, delaying his speech. ¡°Please be aware that we have the consent of all members of the party. If the close relatives reject, we leave it be; we don''t put any pressure on them. Some will immediately approach us, they give their blessing before we even ask. I''m one of those licensed to be near the victims, along with two other colleagues, to ensure that no one interferes with the crime scene.¡± Rae snatched the camera from around his neck and directed it at the audience. ¡°Kindly remember that we are employed interns who serve for this city. Both new and existing subscribers fail to understand this. We follow much of the same rules that every other CSI could do. As our website gains in popularity, some people refuse to see that we have the right to express and distribute photos on social media. Yes. It''s excruciating for the vast majority of you. If you are under the age of 18 or have a weak stomach, do not tap to unlock the photographs. Before committing to this type of content, which you''re paying to see, there''s a Viewer''s Discretion statement.¡± ¡°If you are outraged by this type of content, simply adjust your preferences to restrict what you see on our post. Alternatively, you may also deactivate your subscription. If you do not do so, you are liable for what appears on your devices. This is not for amusement; rather, its purpose is to inform everyone about the situation in our city. We welcome you to give feedback so that you may feel like you''re a part of our team. Make sure you understand what you''re taking responsibility for.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you so much, Rae. If any of you disagree with Rae, kindly deactivate your account. Conversely, there will be no reimbursements.¡± Rae indicated this was time to cut the recording short, since his supervisors and his crew had also just arrived at the scene. ¡°Additional information will be released on the school''s website as well as through our app Chatbot. As always, a contribution link will be available immediately to assist the victims'' families with funeral expenses. I''m Wendy Topper, and he''s Rae Ruth Gideon from the college news.¡± ¡°Hang on!. Never use my full name to sign me out! You pointy pink ear elf ¨C Ow!¡± Wendy struck Rae on the back of the head with her script just as the screen returned to its homepage. Reality or a nightmare(4) ¡°Did you hear it, as well? Two corpses in a single night. I showed the pictures to your father. He mentioned that he will need to convene a discreet conference with Lucie and the higher-ups to determine what measures both our clans should take if we become entangled in this mess.¡± I adjusted my focus away from the TV and toward Loki. I''m a little worried about everything that''s been occurring in the city recently. ¡°I''m betting one of my father''s guys will mention something about the humans hiring special private investigators to look into the matter. They will most likely discuss a strategy to ensure that there''s a method for some of us to go to protection if the situation requires it. Especially considering the victims were once again from wealthy families. If my father requests a private meeting, my sister and I would accompany him. Because we''ll be the next clan leader.¡± Loki slid out of my bed, nodding in agreement. He began grinning a few seconds later. ¡°What''s the deal with becoming amused all of a sudden?¡± I asked him. ¡°You know, as a young pup, you have a lot of energy to piss away, so early in the morning. I shouldn''t be surprised, given that both of your parents are Alphas.¡±

Now I''m concerned. Energy? What are you on about? I''m still struggling to get out of bed.

He leaned into me, with a wicked smirk on his face. I know he¡¯s able to smell my blood. That dream had left me uneasy. I can''t have those kinds of thoughts about him, since he''s like family to me. My face began to burn yet again. I needed to get away from him as quickly as possible. I leaped to my feet, quickly walking directly to the bathroom, preventing eyes contact with Loki. ¡°Keep my family entertained downstairs. I need to take a shower.¡± As I grabbed the doorknob as fast as I could. There was a mild wind everywhere around me. Looking down, I discovered that my pajamas completely vanished, leaving me with only my boxers and a somewhat protruding¡­ um. I was dumbfounded. I tugged my window curtains up to my waist as rapidly as I could. Loki appears to be trembling, as if he was fighting back his laughter. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

I can''t do anything because of my predicament. This prick undressed me down to my boxers. I''m growing tired of him playing this old joke on me. Just like when we were kids.

¡°I don''t use my abilities on many people. As a result, consider it a fair deal on your end.¡± He stated so, but he was oblivious to the fact that he wasn''t hiding his sinister smirk very well with his sleeves as he glanced away. I took Loki''s forearm and flung him out the room. Soon after, slammed and locked the door. I paused for a moment and collected my clothes before heading to the restroom. ¡°Surprise, surprise. You teleported into my bathtub.¡± Loki pretended to scroll through his phone. ¡°Hey, Winston, do you believe murderers are born or made?¡± I gave him the look that typically warns people not to talk to me any longer, but I have forgotten, Loki never listens to me. ¡°I need to wash up, Loki. I don''t have time to interact for a test. What do you want from me?¡± He teleported away as he climbed out of the tub. I turned around when I heard noises coming from my closet and saw him searching through it. ¡°Hey, may I borrow your blue-green jacket from a week ago? I promise I''ll return it. Look, I even brought this one from last year.¡± He began pulling out my lost leather jacket, which is now old and dull in appearance. ¡°I was searching for the thing for a trip a few months ago. You never told me that you had borrowed it. You owe me a new one and some pizza for wasting my time looking for something that was never in my house.¡± I motioned towards the dresser while tossing the old jacket on the bed. Loki teleported away as soon as he had what he wanted. Once again, the entire room became quiet. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡­ Loki teleported to the hallway''s entrance after hearing the rest of the Desperado Moore family conversing in the dining room. He poked his head and noticed his childhood friend racing about. While adjusting his clothes in the mirror, he decided to listen in on their chat, while snapping photos of his daily attire. A stubborn wolf (1) Quickly laying the plates on the tables. She tumbles towards the corridor''s entrance, Nearly yanked the whole wall down as she snatched her jacket from the hook rack. Her father, distraught by her lack of graces, returned to reading the newspaper. Her cheeks roundly puffed. She tripped onto the door, struggling to push the heel of her foot into her boots. ¡°If you keep running about like a starving dog, you''ll choke. Ease up. The furniture isn''t going anywhere. Yesterday, the fellow I spoke with promised it would be put on hold until the afternoon.¡± She ignored her father''s advice. Kicking her foot to the ground, tumbling from the shocking pain she inflicted on herself. Irma slowly hurried back to the kitchens, fixing her hair and grabbing another egg toast Sandwich. To cram her mouth once again. He grumbled, knowing how impatient his child can be. He folds the newspaper in half and places it beside the coffee mug his wife had set out for him. He kissed her exposed wrist, softly elevating each kiss to her small biceps, taking her hand in his. ¡°Oh! Just wanted to inform you. There may be another meeting sometime soon. Both you and Winston will be obliged to attend.¡± He cleared his throat and managed to grab his wife''s arm again, minimizing eye contact with everyone. He takes a sip of his drink and moves it as far away from Irma as he can. He slipped a pleasantly scented, unopened envelope from his pocket on the table. ¡°Also, the same suitor from the far South has written. He wants me to contact him again. He continues to pose to meet his soon-to-be mate. If. Perhaps you''re interested in him. Please contact him straightaway. His contact information is in the last letter he sent us.¡± She began coughing up her breakfast. She scowled at what her father had just said, then dashed to the garbage and spat out the part that had lingered in her throat and had been causing her to choke. Despite being surprised, he maintained his composure. He didn''t dare to suggest anything else. He then picked up the newspaper he had laid down a while ago and attempted to read something. Elena, Irma''s mother, was amused at the whole situation. She made no attempt to disguise her laughing at her daughter''s predicament. She patted her on the back and brought her a cup of lemon ice tea to calm her down. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. She was so flabbergasted that he sent another letter to the leader''s son. ¡°Pap¨¢, I''ve told you time and time again that I don''t need a partner right now. My hunting skills are rapidly improving. Everyone in our group pays much attention to Winston and my orders. For the seventh time, I ask that you stop mailing letters to every wolf pack guardian. The same remains unchanged for your non-pack pals. I can get by on my own.¡± Hugging her mother, she rested her head on Elena''s shoulder. Irma was fully aware of her mother''s vulnerability, She was the only family member who just couldn''t turn away from a weeping help of a puppy face syndrome, Especially if it was her own children making that expression. Elena''s heart felt like it would rupture if she didn''t help Irma, but she knew it was for her own good. Tempted to save her child, she freed herself from her daughter''s clutches. Patting her on the top of the head. Choosing to ignore their talk and carrying on with breakfast in the kitchen. Irma watched her mother ignoring her and realized she was about to lose her support. She dashed after her mother. ¡°Mam¨¢. Please take my side. This old dog is acting irrationally again. I never beg for your help.¡± Irma was being difficult by tugging on her mother''s arm as if she were a small child. ¡°Stop it right now. If you think that dragging me into this debate would fix both of your problems, then you are wrong, you''re acting childish.¡± He looked at his wife and daughter with dismay as he spewed out the coffee he was just sipping.

On the same day, they label him as irrational and an old dog. They have no right to speak such things.

He pondered, knowing that if he wanted to avoid sleeping on the couch, he needed to keep his lips shut. He remained focused on his daughter''s well-being. That is all that is essential to him. ¡°Using a shady tactic. When was the last time you called your mother, Mam¨¢? Also using fake tears. We all know that if you cling to her, she would still side with you. Do you truly want to avoid this promising companion of yours?¡± He massaged his neck after feeling an irritating sensation in his throat. He coughed some more. Elena gently wrapped her arms behind him, rubbing his back, suppressing the impulse to giggle at her husband''s misfortune. ¡°She will always support you and Winston. Let me win once in a while, too.¡± A stubborn wolf (2) ¡°Are you stupid or something?¡± Everyone looked about, shocked, at the source of the noise. Loki opened a little portal with his spell. He took a mug from inside, handing it to Irma''s father. He was still dying from that dreadful cough. Irma raised her eyes to Loki. He was soothing her father as he stood behind him. She was well aware that he was listening to everything they said. One of the characteristics that distinguish Loki as a Loki is his tendency for laughing at the darkest of circumstances, especially his own. When he holds his laughing in, his face gets slightly reddish, which is a dead giveaway. She could see right away that he was siding with her father on this issue. ¡°Irma, living with your soon-to-be-mate isn''t just about hunting or being the most powerful leader.¡± Loki snatched a chair and sat down, munching on grapes from the table''s center. ¡°Young ladies have been going missing for months. Some of them didn''t even appear to be human. Have you ever considered what happens to their relatives, at least once? They must carry on as if nothing has occurred. They are unable to file a missing person report or contact the authorities. They woke up one morning and saw their mother or daughter dead on the doorsteps. Having to pretend as if nothing happened.¡± Loki leaned in close and repositioned his arms and chest on the table. ¡°They had no choice but to flee the city for a while. They had to lie to their kids'' teachers, employers, and friends. They didn¡¯t feel safe since their leader couldn¡¯t protect them and their family. Some of them even got exiled from their pact. They feel restrained that there was a killer out in the city that knew what they were. That it may come after them or, worse, send someone who''s an expert at catching us.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°That¡¯s right, sweetie,¡± Elena interjected herself from Loki''s lecture to her stubborn daughter. He was the only one she could think of who could make Irma see sense. ¡°Last year was tough enough on its own. Someone posted police data on the internet. They had images of freshly or decomposing bodies of non-human women stored away for who knows how long. Everyone tried locating their relatives, but they immediately went into hiding.¡± ¡°Irma, think about the risk you''re putting your family in if you reject.¡± Irma pleaded with her mother for assistance in escaping her father''s and Loki''s priority. Her mother, on the other hand, simply nodded. ¡°My pup. The worst part is that sometimes the victim¡¯s friends will see them dead in their real form. Regardless, you''re moving out, so having someone to guard you is a good idea. Give us the gift of not having to worry about you; it''s the finest alternative we have for you.¡± Irma gently slugged her mother, her head drooping in defeat. She didn''t have a choice in the issue. Her parents easily dissolve in his fingertips once that snugged demon speaks. ¡°Irma. Winston and uncle will not be in town to defend you when you need them the most. You may be the wolf pack''s future leader. You''re tough, but so were some of the ladies who died. It''s for your safety as well as your pact. You''re putting everyone in danger if you die. ¡°This includes my side.¡± Consider this man. Please.¡± A stubborn wolf (3) The entire room became absolutely silent. No one tried to speak out on this topic. Irma''s father simply sat there, nodding in agreement. She remained silent for the rest of the conversation. Retrieving my keys off the table, I placed them into my pocket with caution. I wondered if I had gone a bit too far when I looked back at Irma, who was still remarkably quiet. I drank some water from a cup. Then I noticed Auntie staring at me intently. A drop of sweat was trickling down my brow. I averted contact, continue sipping the water I''d poured for myself. No one dares to annoy Auntie. The last person to be admitted to the hospital was just an ordinary guy, but he was afraid of her terrifying stare. In an attempt to run away from Auntie, he ended up falling down the stairs. All because he attempted to take her and Irma''s bags while they were in the city years ago. He was left with a broken leg and other broken bones. ¡°How about you, dear?¡± When I turned around, Auntie was placing food in a basket, wrapping it with crimson linen, and handing it to Irma. ¡°In the city, she''s moving closer to you. Will you continue to protect her for us?¡± I picked up my shoulder bag from the floor and set it on the table, nearly knocking over my uncle''s coffee on his lap. I gave a comforting grin to auntie. What a ridiculous question to ask me. ¡°Auntie, leave it to me. I''ll put her life ahead of mine in order to protect this pup from anyone and anything. She did the same for me many years ago. I owe her my life, which I will willingly offer up for her if needed. If it hadn''t been for her, I wouldn''t be here now.¡± (This isn''t because I''m afraid of what you''ll do if I say no.) If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. If it hadn''t been for uncle grabbing her from the waist with one arm, she would have fallen from one of Irma''s moving boxes. (I''m not going to lie, this uncle impresses me sometimes.) Auntie must really be moved by my words. For shoving Irma aside and trying to run towards me. Auntie gripped both of my hands and brought her face closer to mine, which made me a bit wary. ¡°Please, Loki. If Irma does not choose to marry one of the other wolves, will you take my daughter''s hand and become her mate?¡± I was at a loss for words because Irma is more like a sister and friend to me. I had never truly seen her in that way before. I turned to stare at uncle, stunned. He spewed out his coffee all over himself and the newspaper, which horrified him too. ¡°Me? Get married to an alpha wolf.¡± I nervously chuckled. No. Impossible. That can''t happen. I''m not a werewolf. That sweat from earlier has now turned into a downpour. I held my cup as gently as I could, but my hands couldn''t stop trembling. If I say yes, Uncle might murder me, and Auntie can kill me if I say no to her. ¡°It seems, you didn''t tell Uncle about it yet, did you? So early in the morning, he''s already spewing his coffee. If the vampires hear you, they will be outraged.¡± I crossed my arms and sipped my water again. We were all standing in the silent room. I avoid making eye contact with everyone I know uncle won''t hurt me, but his death glare has almost as much intensity as auntie''s, and I''d rather avoid both of the death glares. Irma marched past her distressed mother, shaking the frenzied Loki. Taking Loki''s shoulder bag from the table and forcing him out the door. ¡°Wait a minute! I''m hungry too. Irma! You big bully, I''ll never marry an alpha who won''t let their weak spouse enjoy a meal with their mother and father-in-law.¡± Auntie burst into weeping joy as she hugged her husband after hearing Loki''s comments. Uncle appeared bewildered. (He, too, is scared to say no to Auntie about certain things. One of them is this. His own child.) A stubborn wolf (4) Irma, on the other hand, swung the basket she had dangling from her arm and bonked it on Loki''s head, her cheeks reddened. Breaking the basket''s handle and nearly dropping everything hidden beneath the crimson fabric. Loki promptly grabbed the basket, grinning and waving goodbye to Irma''s parents before jumping in the truck and driving away. ¡­ ¡°I can''t believe you. Attempting to smooch up with my parents again, and giving my mother hope by referring to them as an in-law. That is merely treachery. Also, thanks to you, I''ll have to buy my mom a new basket to keep Winston and my father from discovering the pills.¡± Irma twisted and ripped the basket''s broken handle off and dumped it under her seat. Trying to rummage inside the basket to the bottom, she grabbed the breakfast tacos and handed them over to Loki, along with some compact jars of handmade omega pills. Loki was unconcerned about the jars, stuffing them inside his shoulder bag. He then ended up eating one of the unwrapped tacos Auntie had made for him. ¡°Don''t forget about sending that person a text. We''re on our way to get the furniture. It''s an hour''s trip from here to the flea market, but that will give the person enough time to read the message, and the furniture will stay on hold until this afternoon.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. She did as Loki instructed, and sixteen minutes later, she got word that the person would be waiting for them. ¡°Hey, Loki. When we went to Roumas Library, I spotted a book on familiars for anybody with witches'' blood, saying that a half-breed may still be a summoner. Also, unlike others. Half-breed Witches aren''t limited to familiars. It claimed that unless you''re a witch''s descendant, you have a possibility of obtaining a familiar. Can you imagine me conjuring up a familiar? Ah. How useful will that be during Rouma schooling? My strength would not suffer if I had a cute companion. It could be a mouse, owl, or a cat.¡± Irma went on about how many familiars she would be able to summon someday and other witches she had learned about from Rouma. Loki gladly listened to just about everything. Taking another mouthful of his taco, he handed the rest to Irma, who was surprised yet gladly accepted it from his grasp. Taking a mouthful while still staring at Loki, who is just staring at her with a foolish grin. ¡°You get very passionate when talking about witch-y stuff. Your great-grandmother, along with her daughters, were witches, but her granddaughters didn''t show any traces of magic. The same is true for auntie.¡± ¡°The Lord sensed you had something, so he shared a little drop of his power with you, instructing you to lay your hand on a sphere, and his study area lighted up, transforming it into a small forest. Of course, it was too good to be true; you were unconscious for three days, and I nearly defecated myself that day.¡± ¡°It was the most hilarious thing I''d ever seen happen to you. Your physique couldn''t take even a slight amount of Lord Deus¡¯s energy. He ordered Rouma to train that potential of yours, but the drawback is that this has been four years, yet you seem to be unable to go on your quest.¡± Loki thinks for a moment before biting into the food. Looking over to his side, he considers if he should continue, hesitant of upsetting Irma''s feelings. To Ogres Flea Market (1) ¡°You must accept that responsibility, since you are now regarded as a first-generation who will start from scratch with a family grimoire memoir or whatever because no one in your family appears to have any knowledge of any book.¡± Loki kept his focus glued on the road, gradually becoming ignorant of what he was babbling on about. ¡°The book should have been the witch''s first year of training''s accomplishment. You also have the Lord''s strongest witch mentoring you in his house and his personal library. If it''s taken you this long, you could wind up with an imp who is disobedient.¡± ¡°I''m equally surprised that Rouma has any endurance with you. She is typically napping or yelling and belittling everyone who bothers her for whatever little reason. You''re barely getting by with one of Roumas Familiars. I just can¡¯t believe her pink sheep hates you, she is the softest, and she treats everyone with kindness. At your current rate, you''ll definitely obtain the Lord''s demon mark by the age of sixty. Even though you''re utilizing my blood in practically all of your experiments.¡± Loki winked at Irma and took another bite of his food. He noted her disappointed expression as he realized what he had told her. She said nothing in response to him. Even though Loki had a foul mouth with no filter, he never understood how to communicate to others without first upsetting them before comprehending what he had just said. He never intended to upset or disappoint Irma, but he has always known how to make her happy. ¡°Unless. I help you in your search for your family''s forgotten grimoire. If they ever had one, to begin with, or even better, I''ll take you to a location where lost grimoires have been abandoned and forgotten, waiting for a new master to adopt them.¡± Irma moved her gaze off the scenery and towards Loki. ¡°Adopt a book? This isn¡¯t a puppy we find at a dog pound. We¡¯re talking about books, right? You know, the ones with old ink and paper sewed into the spine, with the written language we can¡¯t understand.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Rouma was going to tell you to adopt if you couldn''t track down your own in the end. Mostly because I don''t want to spend another weekend cleaning your aunt''s filthy basement for ''gratis'' for a book that isn''t even there. I mean, we''ve been there all day and the cleaning hasn''t even moved an inch. I suspect your aunt is putting more things down there while we aren''t looking, and she can''t even give us pastries, since the scent from her pastry shop is torturing me.¡± ¡°Like always, Loki, you pronounced the word wrong. There''s no need to roll the R for that long in this one.¡± Irma was irritated, seeing as she knew his comment was realistic. She might as well throw in the towel at this point. Her offspring may outrank her before she can even earn the title of Certified basic level witch, at the pace she''s going. She stared intently at her palm, remembering the energy she felt for a moment, how powerful that tiny drop of magic was. She knew she was strong, but having so much untapped potential hoarded inside her since birth and just using a small amount stresses her body, forcing her to be bedridden for three days to totally recover. Irma no longer felt compelled to finish her meal. She wrapped the remaining food and placed it into the basket. Irma placed her arm on the door and returned her gaze to Loki. ¡°There was no book from the start, was there? She did use us to clean her grimy basement, and she didn''t even bother to offer us a treat.¡± Loki remains focused on the road, nodded, and drove silently. Irma, on the other hand, rested her head on her forearm, well aware that she would no longer be able to enjoy the forest''s iconic pine aroma every day. She lowered her window, soaking in the warmth of the mountain trees, the falling rapid rivers, and the breathtaking landscape warmth, while covering half her face with her arm she inhaled the damp terrain as they drove past. As a tear tumbles down her cheek, she recounted her childhood up in the mountains. Until the day she returns to the wilderness, to her family and friends. She had no idea how homesick she felt as of now. She passes out practically the entire ride to the city, completely unaware. To Ogre鈥檚 Flea Market (2) Irma threw her arm out, stretching away from her sleepiness. As she accidentally struck a man from behind the head, causing him to drop his hat, not realizing her window was still rolled down. The poor chap attempted to catch his hat, but with each couple of steps, he ended up causing his hat to soar up even higher until it was thrown into the river. Embarrassed by what she had just done and the fact that everyone had witnessed and laughed at the situation, she felt very uncomfortable. Apologizing quickly, she tried to roll up the window as quickly as she could, but the handle kept getting jammed against itself. The man from earlier who she hit with her stretching stopped her by placing his hands on the glass. As he hauled her partially out of the truck by her collar, he began cursing at her. She held her position and shoved the man''s hands away from her clothing. He didn''t budge, and he wasn''t going to back down after that; he intended for her to reimburse him for the money he lost due to her meddling. He extended his hand once more towards her. He was determined to grab her long brown hair this time, but Irma plunged back towards Loki and kicked open her door, causing him to slip directly into the rivers. Releasing her from his grasp. When the ruckus subsided, the crowd that had gathered went their ways. Irma rolled up her window to see the jerk she had kicked into the river, slithering out of the water. She securely locked the door. ¡°Oh, dear. Franklin is a pity. He needed to go for a swim in the cold water regardless, and he had to do it early in the morning, as well. Ignore that alcoholic; he''s well-known in the city for being a nasty jerk to everyone after losing his job approximately three years ago. If you ever approach him on the street, simply turn around and walk the other way, because the instant his attention falls on you, your day is vandalized. Unless you need him to deliver or gather anything, he''s your man.¡± Irma was adjusting her shirt while constantly looking towards the front market entrance. She has just seen a sign that she repeatedly tried to read, but Loki interrupted her. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°It happened when you were sleeping. He was attempting to grope some unfortunate, vulnerable person in front of everyone. That''s when you accidentally smack him in the back of the head by mistake. I smelled and tasted his blood twice, the first time was when he was intoxicated, and it got me drunk as well. He''s hundred percent guaranteed human, but his blood tasted awful; I wouldn''t suggest it.¡± Irma thought about it, but she''ll never drink anyone''s blood. When they arrived at the pay booth, she watched as Loki crouched down while utilizing his abilities in front of a bystander, who doesn''t seem to be responding to what Loki is doing at the moment. He''d transmitted an opening to his kitchen counter, then closed it after pulling his arm out, holding something. This idiot has again left his wallet at home. Loki grabbed two little bronze ogre coins and handed them to the lady dressed in an ogre mask. Irma has never seen that kind of currency before. The lady returned a parking permit as well as a two-string red bracelet with identical bronze coins connected in the center. ¡°All right, here you go. Wear this bracelet if you wanted to explore it here by yourself. Its purpose is to support sellers in determining to whom they are selling their items too. This bracelet should not be lost, traded, or sold. It took me a long time to earn the money in Lord Desu''s realm.¡± Irma nodded and slid her new bracelet around her left wrist. As she lifts her wrist above her eyes, she recalls the coin''s features, as well as the red thread. How neatly it was braided into the coin, and how the ends dangled. When she looked at the coin again, she discovered that it was progressively engraving her name onto itself. ¡°There we go. Now that we have a parking lot secured. Let''s go shopping.¡± Finally, when they exited the truck, both idiots stretched as far as they could. They knew it would be a long drive, but that old, stuffy truck isn''t the greatest option for them both. She shifted her attention back to the enormous sign in front of the entrance. To Ogre鈥檚 Flea Market (3) ¡°The Ogre''s Flea Market.¡± She brushed her skin on the dusty wooden sign, following the harsh engraving. The odd scribbles that surrounded the empty section of the wooden sign awed at her. ¡°This market was originally owned by that of the Ogre tribe. This property has its own history of how it became a market. Those symbols you''re touching into are just a welcoming to all species, large and very little. If you ever need help, search for a worker wearing an ogre mask and no one else. The other employees without masks are just plain human.¡± As they both stood there. She scented a very little aroma she had never detected before. She visits the city with her family on rare occasions, yet the aroma is still unfamiliar to her nostrils. ¡°If you intend to shop at the backdoor of the market, commonly known as the Ogre''s gem of the market, you''ll need to buy a card or bracelet.¡± Loki took Irma''s arm and pointed at her and his wrist. ¡°Once registered, you can come and go however you like; this however will also have to provide that you aren''t human or, if you are, that you''re traveling with your master, as in any beast, demon, monster, and so on. So, welcome to the opposite side of the city, the Ogre''s Flea Market.¡± She has only ever been around her pack, as well as vampires, and inside Lord Deus''s mansion. She was taken aback by this. Throughout her whole lifetime, she had never heard of a market for other beings. It sounds like a scenario from a book. ¡°Irma. I want you to message the person, ¡°The Ogre''s Sapphires Gem.¡± It''s to check if they only do business in the human section or not. While we wait for the response, let''s see what the ogre department has in store for us.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Loki took Irma''s hand in his and strolled down a back alley, beyond the noisy carnival area. The area was packed with tourists, and there were new smells that Irma hadn''t noticed previously. The more they wandered away from the plaza''s main center, the fewer people there were. Irma looked about and inspected her hearing and sniff many times; there are no humans around, yet she can plainly hear conversations right next to her, by the wall. She couldn''t help but raise her guards, even if she couldn''t see them. She trusts her natural instinct more than her eyesight. Loki was aware but did not turn to address her about the situation. In his opinion, seeing her respond in this manner was simply adorable. Passing through a few food vendors, then heading into another back alley. Loki let go of Irma''s hand and presented her with a random wall, using the same posture as that celebrity used to present his stunning wife to the media. He looked to be satisfied with himself. Irma, on the other hand, turned at the dusty, grey wall and then back at the loony, who was still in the same posture. She occasionally wonders why she had adopted him as her brother, and questions whether it''s too late to send him back into the forest. To avoid hurting his feelings, she pretends to be fascinated while searching for the source of the voices. Even though she couldn''t see anyone, the scent caused her to believe as though they were standing in front of her. She planned to return the way she came, irritated by the mysterious commentary. She spun around and grabbed her untamed brother Loki by the collar, but he wasn¡¯t where he should be. Although she could smell him nearby, he nonetheless wasn''t. There was nothing but a brick wall. Irma hoisted her hand with concern and placed her palm against the wall, but her hand managed to pass through it. As a result, she almost but not quite toppled forwards. ¡°It''s a hidden gate.¡± To Ogre鈥檚 Flea Market (4) Irma drew her hand to her chest. She closed her eyes and exhaled a sigh of soothing. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Loki''s head protruding from the wall. Irma took a step back, but Loki yanked her towards the unseen gateway before she could take another. Irma yelped in disbelief. She refused to open her eyes, no matter what Loki told her, but the other voices she had heard earlier were clearer as if they were there in front of her. As she cautiously peaked from above Loki''s shoulder, she was astounded to see a tiny, small creature dangling directly in front of her face. The little thing and Irma moved away from each other, but Irma knocked into a man wearing an ogre mask. She promptly apologized, but the man remained silent. He didn''t care for her words. He also chose not to respond to Irma. He motioned to his forearm and gestured to his wrist, implying that she did the same. She merely stood there, perplexed, staring at both him and Loki. Irma flinched back as the man with the ogre mask got closer. Loki grabbed Irma''s hips and put his chin on her head. He softly took her hand in his and presented her palm to the masked man. The Ogre placed his pointer finger on her wrist and palm. Everyone else in the booth was aware of what was going on, except Irma, who was concerned, having no idea what was going on and simply waiting to see what would happen next. A dazzling flame exploded from the ogre''s finger and into her hand, however, she couldn''t feel the effects of the bright blue flames. The flame danced about her palm, swiftly morphing itself into a card, suddenly it mysteriously disappeared precisely above her hand as she blinked a few times. ¡°You. Are. Welcome. I bought you a card. So you¡¯ll be able to enter the Ogre section whenever you want. If you want Winston or your parents to come here, just let me know, since you need a VIP like me.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Irma didn''t look away from her hand or the masked guy. Where did that card go? As she was prepared to start asking some questions to Loki, she felt a slight blow of wind over her head, and something heavy was placed above her. She reached out to capture the mystery object, but as she was about to do so, the thing seized her hand or, more accurately, her finger. She overheard some gibberish. Just before she looked up, she saw a little fairy, the same one she had seen previously, but this time there were more than one of them. The tiny fairy, who was still squeezing her pinky, was pointing toward his hand. The fairy began floating across her arm and gesturing at her bracelet as she raised her hand closer for inspection. He kneels in front of the bronze coin and smacks it with both of his small green hands. ¡°He''s trying to reassure you that this is where your card has disappeared to.¡± Loki drew his sleeve down and presented his bracelet to Irma. ¡°You could put some money into it. To physically get your card, simply extend your hand and swipe the coin to open the ogres'' eyes. It can display any extra information about your card if you double swipe while its eyes are closed. The greatest part is that you are the only one who can view it unless you grant permission for someone else to see it, and the card could also be used on the human side.¡± Loki paused for a good few seconds before continuing. ¡°Before you ask, this is a Pixie. They may be little, but they are mischievous. For security, they live and operate with the ogre tribe. If they ever run out of food, they can go to an ogre and extract a little of their spiritual energy, which will sustain them for a time until they need to refill.¡± Loki swatted the pixie lightly, attempting to separate Irma''s pinky and the others surrounding her as far away as possible. ¡°However, I wouldn''t trust them; usually they whisper shit into your ears to divert attention away from you, just long enough for them to steal your snacks. I was the victim of their countless cruel pranks.¡± When the pixies overheard what Loki had just revealed, they immediately crowded around. The faint chatter of each individual progressively increased until the littlest one spoke, and the pixies became silent, admiring at the smallest one''s amazing idea, one by one, they all giggled, and then they all departed. Loki didn''t give the adorable creatures a second thought while Irma was being surrounded by them. Loki placed his arm around Irma''s and eventually pulled her through the market, showing her the prominent shops and stalls where he typically spends his time. Unforeseen Trouble (1) Irma was taken aback by everything. Horns, long pointy ears, antlers, and glistening scales and feathers. Everyone and everything here is a precise replica of the Lord Deus City of Creature. There seem to be normal humans working alongside the mystical beast here. Do they have auctioned slaves here as well? She wondered and hoped they didn¡¯t. The last thing she wanted to do, is worry that she might get taken away one night while living in the city. Irma caught up with Loki, while he kept searching at the items around each one of the stalls. She took a deep breath around the area. Realized that there was a scent inciting from all the magical creatures that they walked past. The other beast and creatures from Lord Deus City didn¡¯t seem to have the same scent as the ones here. These smell a bit softer. ¡°They all have a third scent. Back at the Lord¡¯s City, everyone only has two unique smells, but here, the majority of everyone is in their beast forms right now. They¡¯re involuntarily releasing a scent as if they¡¯re a human.¡± Loki also pointed out, that since they live in human territory, their original scent has been strongly masked by the surrounding humans, in this city. Making it impossible to know what they originally smell like unless they stop living with humans for at least a year or two, so they can get the scent back stronger. ¡°I haven''t really seen anything like this before, except in Roumas'' books at his library and once when you were a small kit. I''m remembering having been able to find you so easily every day when we were children playing in the woods, because your scent was so unusual, unlike any vampire and werewolf I''d encountered at the time. Although you''re not a wolf.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Looking around, they saw almost the same things you would normally find back in Deus City. ¡°Even if the vast majority of the magical beast that is selling here have never been to Deus City, the things they are selling now are identical to Deus market. Look, they even sell antiques that are handcrafted items that the beast market lacks.¡± ¡°Hey Loki, if they made this by scratch, does that mean it¡¯s possible that this thing contains energy that they embedded onto the items?¡± When Loki confirmed her question, she immediately began buying small trinkets that she had only read about in Rouma¡¯s library. Irma walked around, leaving Loki geeking out behind her, for a while. She started buying and stuffing more items inside Loki¡¯s sunshine yellow shoulder bag, all while she kept taking in the new fascinating scent. The beast citizens were not interested in the fuzzy brown fur wolf girl who took out her second form until she started to sniff a little too much. The new scent was beginning to affect her in the same way that catnip would affect an unaffected cat. She was way too excited about being able to stretch out her wolf body in public, that wasn¡¯t in the woods. ¡°Irma, slow down, will you.¡± Loki was starting to feel as if he was taking a dog out for a walk, And this dog is much stronger than he is. ? unaware that the scene they were causing had caught the attention of two centaurs marching their way towards our protagonist and his pet sister, with a distinguished expression. As one of the centaurs seized Irma by the arms, the other kicked Loki with enough force, that he ended up flying and crashing into a nearby liquor stand. Knocking bottles onto the floor. In the new scenario, Loki was completely soaked from head to toe with a strong scent of alcohol, making him a bit dizzy, and he ended up fainting for a while. Irma tried to fight back, attempting to escape from their grasp as everyone watched from a distance. But she was caught and held up by her arms, then whisked away by the two half horses. All while screaming and struggling for Loki to wake up and help her. Unforeseen Trouble (2) ¡°Up¡­ Wake up." A faint light shone through the glass screen door of a residence Loki contemplated, a place he probably once knew. Sitting up, he remembered being booted towards a devilish beverage wine cart with such a powerful aroma that could really knock anyone unconscious with just an improper whiff of it. ¡°Wake up.¡± A woman''s somber voice quivered around the room. ¡°Hello?¡± Loki exclaimed. ¡°What am I doing here?¡± The cheer shouts of solitude echoed off from the walls. ¡°I''m desperately looking for my sister. Two half-ass horses took he-¡± When he moved about, he experienced a brief ringing pain at the crown of his skull. ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°Lady, I''m already up!¡± He encountered a bubble barrier after tracking the unknown rhythmic thumping steps coming out in the hall. When he awoke, the atmosphere was freezing, but Loki could now see his breath. ¡°I''m imprisoned by such a basic spell.¡± A notion struck him. He rummaged in his satchel and grabbed a little compact mirror with a crescent moon in the middle. When he knocked on it, a lifelike hologram of his beloved raccoon appeared before his eyes. ¡°Bitz! I''m so delighted to see you. Look, I''m in a bind right now; could you kindly do me a favor and show me your collar for a second?¡± The raccoon did not cooperate as he tilted his head, glaring at Loki in the compact mirror that contained the morning star. When he heard his voice, the raccoon quickly delivered the other half of the compact mirror to Lucie. ¡°Would there be something wrong? You can''t be out of energy right now, can you?¡± The man on the opposite side of the mirror is Lucifer Lawrence, his leader and one of the pure breed offspring of the vampire grand members of the royal family. Unlike the dimwit protagonist Loki, he is respected by everybody and is never addressed by his first name. When Loki was officially introduced to Lucifer, he was only a child, he was persisting on calling him Lucie rather than Lawrence, just as everybody else should have. When Lawrence or Loki¡¯s father were not present to suppress the violence, the other vampires physically expressed to Loki to mend his mistakes. Lawrence removed his reading specs, running his middle finger and thumb across the bridge of his nose. He commanded Loki to visit his mansion after the meeting with the wolf family was over. Immediately hanging up the holographic phone call, abandoning Loki alone in nothingness. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°More often than not, I want to wander in your thoughts,¡± Loki huffed as he stripped away the dusty sear curtain off the window, allowing light to shine through with tiny dust particles caught slowly drifting around in the air. He could see where he was since there was a considerable amount of light pouring in. ¡°It''s a living room?¡± Sneezing his guts up from his lungs, he swatted the surrounding air. ¡°A dusty living room.¡± He began to gaze about, using his newly acquired used jacket as a masked filter. Everything was presented in black and white. The books, the couch, and even the walls, all the way to the edge of the creaky floorboards he stepped on. Except for him and a painting protruding from a diluted grey tablecloth draped over the canvas. As he reached out one of his hands to uncover the painting, a squall of wind with the rumbling from the walls violently began to shake around him. Something didn''t want to unveil the artwork, but it just piqued his interest as to what might be underneath it. The room grew angrier as he approached, but the moment his hand gripped the material, everything seemed to come to a standstill. Something rushed into his thoughts, as if time wasn''t being kind. The realization has just now hit him. He wasn''t in human territory right now. Everything is currently considered a potential trap. He slowly lifted the tablecloth, hoping not to be directly affected by what was beneath. It wasn¡¯t anything he expected to see, he didn¡¯t sense anything sinister emanating from the painted canvas. It was just a normal object featuring a lady covered in vibrant hues. Yet there was something familiar about her. The top half of her face was painted over, the more he focused on it, the more it pained the crown of his skull. He snatched his phone and took some pictures of the canvas to look at later when his discomfort is lifted. ¡°It''s a nuisance to implement a bubble barrier spell!¡± Clap, clap, clap. He accumulated a clapping sound with both of his hands. This basic spell is notable for how much it echoes and shakes only in the interior within one bubble. From a different part of the room, he repeated the procedure. Clap, clap, clap. Exactly what he was speculating during the first set of claps. He was located outside the bubble barrier spell, not inside of it. As he walked back to the hall entryway, he formed a little casting spell of the water symbol between each of his hands. Adopting a prayer gesture, he planted both hands flat on the bubble and slowly opened them, making sure the nails of his thumb remained overlapped with one another. He inserted his nose through the triangular gap opening between his palms, sniffing the opposite side first. It had a familiar odor to him. ¡°Wake up.¡± That strange voice from before was at it again. Loki pressed his ear between his hands, not comprehending the voice was coming from behind him. Unforeseen Trouble (3) ¡°Hey lady¡­ Are you able to hear me?¡± He slanted forward again, positioning his nose between his hands, in order to get another whiff of the atmosphere, hoping to catch a scent of the women''s location. He waited to hear the unchanged words, ¡°wake up,¡± from within the space of his hands, yet no sound emitted from across the bubble barrier of the dark hallway. It seemed as if there was no life beyond the point where he stood. Aware that the atmosphere had changed tremendously again, the tiny hairs on his body shot up. Somehow, he felt compelled to be cautious behind him. Something was waiting and watching to see what he would do next. He put on a false front, pretending not to notice the drastic temperature change. As he wasn''t sure if there were more surprises in this room, especially those that tangle and reacts with a change of emotions. His raccoon would have easily been able to speak to him if something was off, but Bitz was off at the mansion on a play date with Lucie''s husky familiar. Closing the bubble back up, he sensed the intense heat on his back growing fiercer than what it was seconds ago. As if the room has suddenly combusted. Cautiously, he tilted his head back and drew in a strong whiff of fumes, along with the ambiance of the flames beyond his back. The living room, which was just a shade of monochrome a moment ago, now screamed in grueling suspense as a blazing inferno of hell began greedily devouring it whole. Peering around, using his garments to mask the smoke. All except for the portrait remained untouched by the smoke and fire, everything within the room was rapidly getting scorched. The unknown painted lady had the corner of her lips turned up and once had her hands softly crossed to one another while holding a boutique. The way she was drawn now seems as if she was trying to escape the painting. The anguish her body was experiencing was apparent to the perceiver''s eyes. She was powerless and confined within the boundaries of the canvas. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°No.¡± He muttered, taking a few steps closer. ¡°You were cursed to be forever trapped in there.¡± He was still incompetent to determine who she was since her face was etched out, but something about her left a level taste in his mouth. The specs of hair shot again, ¡°The sensation from earlier.¡± He thought silently to himself, keeping his eyes fixed on the lady. He wasn''t convinced if he was the one in danger or if she was. Something was definitely wrong here. ¡°Wake up¡­!¡± He widened his eyes and turned around, he sensed a nippy touch brushing the skin of his neck seconds ago. ¡°What do you want!?¡± He screamed as he watched the fire crackle above him. The fire now seemed to be approaching him faster, as if a predator were getting ready to attack. The vulnerable half-blood that stood below it was about to be bombarded. A blaring, impaling cry can be detected from within the living room. It was not the woman''s voice, he heard, but the voices of two grown men. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± He whispered. He then tried to swat the blazing predator fire with the table cloth and cautiously rattle his way towards the shrieking males, from across the room. The fumes of the burning room were not making it any easier for him to breathe. There wasn''t much ventilation at the moment. ¡°Please, Wake up.¡± The voice was now behind him. Falling to his knees, he peered back toward the location of the sound. ¡°What kind of fucking living room is this?¡± He gasped as he struggled to speak. He turned and watched the barrier of the bubble, that was heading to the voided hall. It shouldn''t be this strong against any type of magical flame. He thought to himself, as he stood up. ¡°Unless this is just a regular, plain fire?¡± He faced the painting, but all that was left was the color of the background, she was nowhere to be seen. Unforeseen Trouble (4) Crawling on his knees, he approached the frame that previously housed a lady. ¡°She''s left¡­¡± He paused for a moment. He felt a sensation of irritation and inflammation as he grabbed his throat. Sweat and saliva trickled down his face while clinging to his clothes. He panted so loudly as he ended up sounding like a dog. He stood up and took hold of the varnished canvas with both hands, studying every detail that might offer him any indication of what kind of nightmare he had encountered. No matter how long he looked at it, that be from the back or the sides, it merely felt like a regular item from the earth realm. There wasn''t anything special about it. ¡°The paint is not mixed with any types of blood, and the frame and fabric appear to be handmade.¡± He retrieved a luminescence shell compact containing Merfolks Pearl Powder from within his bag, then began dabbing a bit onto his brush. He layered the parts of the missing lady where she once was. He peered back at the fire. It wasn''t making the situation any better, but at least it was keeping its distance from him for now. He repeated the powdering process several times, until a solid, vibrantly colored layer appeared, but no matter how much powder he applied, nothing happened. ¡°GET OOOOUUT!¡± The ghastly cry of that woman seemed as if she were inside the fire. Having nearly enough, Loki stood up, removing the sweat from his brow, ready to fight whatever cursed demon thing this painted lady was. He threw his bag over his shoulder, wrapping it around his torso, preparing for whatever little magical essence he had stored away. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. He fixed his vision so that he could see inside the fire, and she was there, her arms wrapped towards herself as she cried to herself. Her skin was severely damaged all over, including her arms, legs, and the side of her torso. The charred fabric fused within the figure of her body, the mid-waist length, dark raven blue hair scorched to her ears, while half of her face bared a set of canine to molars. She was hardly recognizable from how she used to look in the painting earlier. When he felt a numbness cross his legs, he stumbled backward, catching the painting before it hit the ground. He reached for the easel for support. He was unconsciously forcing all of his essences to accumulate on one part of his body, in preparation for a flight or flight response. Back up against the corner of the wall, the brunt-painted lady didn¡¯t seem as though she was going to stop shrieking any time soon. It mostly only had the effect of making Loki cower onto the floor. Her outcries were getting wilder with each of the new verbal gashes hitting his ears, which was enough to foresee who was going to win if she were to attack him. The thought of running spiraled around his head, he wanted to do just that, but his body was unable to move at all. His vision was also not helping him, and he was rapidly moving into panic mode, with his breathing growing heavier. She looked him straight in the eye, while she was on all fours, with the tears still running down her face. She didn''t move an inch, she remained inside the fire as if it were her protection or her curse of some sort. Loki stepped away from the wall, keeping his head turned away from the dead woman, and accidentally stepped on the picture frame. The woman flew at him out of sheer annoyance at destroying something that wasn''t his. When the image of his sister appeared in his head, he unwittingly opened a portal with the remaining essence he had assembled earlier. He realized that he didn''t know where she could be at that moment, after he had been kicked and knocked out. ¡°Help me.¡± He uttered a soft whimper. He needed to find her soon.