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Chapter 51
My head throbbed the moment I opened my eyes. A single stream of sunlight peered through the scarlet curtains, directly on my face. I cringed away from the light and rolled into a sitting position, noticing my shoulder was a bit stiff.
I peeled away the shredded layers of cloth that hung over my shoulder and frowned. Other than a bit of redness, there was nothing wrong with it. The Game Master’s magic had worked fast, eating away the poison that was slowly killing me.
Even though I was grateful to be alive, I couldn’t stop thinking about the offer he had made.
It played in my head on a loop as I stood under the deliciously warm water that spewed from the multiple shower heads in my bathroom. My body ached from our time in the library, and the hot water was already beginning to take the edge off.
I took those much-needed minutes in the shower replaying my night, finishing with yet another visit with the Game Master.
When our visits had g
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Iridian Chapter 52
There's something comforting about walking into danger with a friend by your side. It's so much more daunting when you're alone. The threat of death weighs heavier with only one set of shoulders to fall on.To simplify things, I was beginning to miss Helena. Our time in Castle Mist and the Library made me realize what a reliable partner she was. As I hopped out of the cab that took me out of the main town, I wondered if she was currently feeling the same thing.Cabs were free to contestants, more a courtesy than anything else. We couldn't run all over searching for clues if we had no means of transportation. I was dropped off at a small park out of the main town.It was unusual, but everything here was. There were no playgrounds, sandboxes, or screaming children. In fact, there were hardly any children here at all. However, there were a multitude of animal shaped shrubs. Bears on their hind legs, eagles with their winds spread, wolves howling, and dolphin's emer
Iridian Chapter 53
"I'm not sure why I'm surprised to see the two of you here." I scoffed, approaching the edge between Day and Night.Both men stood on their respective sides, within the circle of lanterns that sat in the clearing.I swore I could hear the creature gathering in the darkness on Night's side, eager for a new arrival."Why would you be surprised? It makes perfect sense." Day smirked; his golden hair ruffled by a warm gust.His suit quite literally mirrored the sky above, down to the last drifting cloud. Night's suit held an explosion of stars, within a network of galaxies. The shifting colors was a bit disorienting, but both were beautiful and full of that otherworldly quality Iridian was known for."Where is your destination?" Night asked, brushing an onyx lock back from his face. He stood strong and tall, and was just a tad bulkier than his companions. "While this is only my domain for a few more hours, I like to keep track of who crosses over."
Iridian Chapter 54
The humming was beautiful and cold as it echoed down the hall and into the office, I currently stood in. Goosebumps lifted across my skin, and the sickening sense that something was horribly wrong, bubbled in my gut. A cold gust of air carried a sickly-sweet stench that burned my lungs and eyes like bleach. The sound of feet padding sound the hall hit my ears, light and feminine. 'We've overstayed our welcome.' Rayna urged me, "I think we should take the necklace and leave while we can.' I gripped the amulet in my fist and darted from the room, paying close attention so I wouldn't stumble on the hundreds of journals scattered along the floor. I ran down the hall I had initially come from, the one with the least amount of trash. I was hyper focused on my surroundings, on the thickness of that eye-watering stench. Every creak and groan in the house held my attention. As much as I wanted to sprint in terror from this place, I needed to keep my wits for o
Iridian Chapter 55
I was jolted from the memory, spat out as my brain turned to mush trying to process what I had seen. Nadia and the Game Master had grown up together as children. While it was strange to think of the Game Master as a child, it was even stranger that she would insist so vehemently that a bond existed between the two. There was no mistaking what a mate-bond felt like, just as there was no mistaking the obsession shimmering in her eyes. What I couldn't seem to figure out, was how did Nadia have anything to do with Iridian? I crept down the silent hallway, every creak and groan in the old house had my hackles raised. Nadia had vanished the moment the necklace slid into place, but there was no telling if she were truly gone. My body still felt warm from the magic of the necklace healing me, though I felt nothing more from the necklace itself. No matter how hard I tried to conjure some form of magic, there was nothing to be found. I had just emerged from the estate
Iridian Chapter 56
For a long time; I felt nothing. I existed, suspended within the stars, peering into the never-ending darkness. They hung everywhere, in all shapes and sizes. Miniature orbs of light that were my only beacon. They floated through this thick liquid with ease, where everything else would sink. The moment the water rushed into my lungs, settling like bricks, I knew that I was dying. Even the amulet on my neck, which hummed and pulsed seemed unable to save me. Where death lingers close, waiting to claim another soul, that is true darkness. It doesn't just surround you, but makes you a part of it. Unfathomable peace and rest, the weight of mortality lifted from your shoulders. The choice was there, suspended in midair like an orb of shimmering light. A kid from our town had been struck by lightning a few years ago, and had claimed he saw a white light, and felt endless peace. I laughed at the time, like all of the kids in the neighborhood.
Iridian Chapter 57
'Death's sweet embrace yields to her touch,Blood and sweat, your bones she will crush.To break the curse is to seal your fate,a curse born and bred from love turned hate.''Run faster!' I screamed, giving Rayna another boost of energy to propel us forwards; away from the Ghoul and its haunting song.I was teetering on the edge, dancing between consciousness and relief as I gave all that I had to Rayna. Her panic and fear were acid in my veins, reminding me that I needed to stay awake. She was already giving her all, pushing through the exhaustion. She had no experience with these forms of creatures, ones of mist and smoke; of darkness, and death.'A house once warm, turned to ash and dust.An amulet lost, left to decay and rust.Tread to the starry lake, where the source of magic ever last.To survive the future, follow the events of the past.'Its voice was wet steel, wrapping around my brain until I had no ch
Iridian Chapter 58
"You could always take it off and give it to me." He suggested for the fifteenth time, rather than answer a single one of my questions. "Then you could be on your way. No muss, no fuss." The Game Master's brother--did anyone even know if he had a brother? In all of the rumors I had heard about Iridian, never once did I hear of the Game Master's family. I studied the man, wondering if the Game Master bared any resemblance. His hair was dark as night, and eyes a washed-out shade of navy. His face was thin and angular, probably from his diet out here in the forest. His limbs seemed a bit long for his torso, making him gangly. As he loomed over me, he all but shouted predator, but in a different kind of way. There was something off about him, something not quite right. I had asked numerous times what his name was, why he was out here in the middle of this creature infested forest, and what need did he have of the necklace I wore. He chose to answer none of them,
Iridian Chapter 59
I now understood why this path was labeled "Death". It's because, I was clearly going to perish on this trail.Rocky slopes that went down at a harsh angle, coated in gooey moss that squished beneath the sneakers I stole, threatened me with death every second. Each step was a gamble spewed from the mouth of a madwoman--that woman being me. Shallow rivers with fish that attacked my feet, even taking a few chunks from the thick rubber of my soles. I was quite pissed about that one. Walking around constantly on alert was one thing, but to do it with wet feet--absolutely miserable.The monsters and creatures in the forest knew exactly where I was, both from the string of curses that continued to leave my mouth any time I fell or scraped my knees, and from the constant sloshing and squelching of my shoes.As the hours passed and darkness began to break, I hadn't heard much from the ghouls and creatures in the forest. They were always talking, whispering, chattering a
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