A book. A mysterious writer. A girl. Marebel da Silva - or Nina, as she prefers to be called - never imagined herself as a girl of great secrets. All he wants to do is write his horror books, graduate from a good college and take care of Merlin, his cat. And things were going very well until Lucas, who proudly bears the title of his best friend - something that at times seems an exaggeration -, put Rafael Lange in his way. Now, Nina's secrets are hopelessly threatened. The question remains: how bad is it?

The first thing Daniel thought when he met the line up of the Mystery Club was that the club had to be really unpopular this year. The club normally met after school, but Oliver had called all the members to the meeting room right after he and Felix had agreed to join so they could all meet each other.

Sitting at the head of the table was Oliver, a brown haired boy called Harry was on his right, there was another teenager called Amien on his left and the only female was a redhead called Meredith who seemed to have a thing for Oliver. That meant there were only four members before he and Felix had agreed to become members. Daniel had got the impression from the talk given by the head of sixth form that the clubs were all quite large. This one definitely didn't seem to match that impression.

"Is this everyone?" Daniel asked.

Oliver coughed awkwardly. "Yes it is. Harry is the accountant and Meredith is the secretary. Amien is the former leader- final year students have to step down from club leadership."

"We don't even have any students from the school this year," Harry added with a groan and Daniel was able to work out that Harry was Welsh from his accent.

"I maintain my theory that everyone who was interested in joining saw Harry and ran away," Amien commented dryly.

Daniel frowned. Amien should have been a pupil at Kingston Royal Academy, he was stuck up enough to belong there. He even looked the part with his very straight posture and slicked back blond hair.

Oliver coughed again. "That's why we are going to lure people back by solving the Seven Mysteries. It will do wonders for our reputation as an obscure club."

Daniel thought it would be best to ask a certain question now rather than look like an idiot later on. Oliver had termed it like they all should know what the Seven Mysteries were.

"What are the 'Seven Mysteries'?"

It was Amien who answered his question in a concise manner.

"The Seven Mysteries are a part of most schools in Japan. They are seven separate mysteries connected to the school. What is important is that they are horror based unsolved mysteries."

The basis in horror explained why he had never heard of the concept. Daniel didn't have the fascination with horror that lots of people seemed to have.

Oliver continued on. "They're usually generic stories. Mysteriously moving anatomy models, moving staircases and things like that. Each school has their own take on it, but they're normally quite similar."

Daniel waited for further information. If they were as generic and fake sounding as that, why were they bothering to investigate? Should he even bother filling in the form that would formalise his membership? 

"This school has a very unique Seven Mysteries which is why we want to investigate them. There is a chance they might have a grain of truth," Meredith added.

"What are the Seven Mysteries that are unique to this school?" Felix asked.

Oliver held up a finger and began to tick them off.

"First is the blood filled well, second is the cherry blossom tree which sucked the blood of the dead body buried underneath, next is the self playing piano in the music room, the twelve steps that became thirteen steps, the body hanging from the statue, the bloody face at the window and finally the electrocuting light in the science lab," he narrated in a dramatic manner with wide eyes.

Daniel stared at him. Oliver looked like he really was enjoying himself.

"I see," was all he could say.

This territory was unfamiliar to him. He really needed to become acquainted with the horror genre. Felix on the other hand looked highly interested. He had noticed from the books in Felix's bedroom that he was fond of horror.

"They are certainly unique here, but all you have done is to find out what they are," Amien observed critically. "How are we supposed to investigate them with that scant amount of information?"

Oliver's eyes moistened and he frowned. Harry patted him on the arm and stepped in. Daniel had the feeling that Amien was not the most popular member of the club.

"Why don't you suggest how we investigate then?" Harry snapped.

"Why don't you ask the new members of the club?" Amien was unperturbed by the question.
"Remember how useless Oliver's previous recruit was?"

The four of them turned to face Daniel and Felix with inquisitive eyes. Daniel thought about it analytically. The Seven Mysteries sounded like a game of Chinese Whispers- the information became different when it was passed from person to person. He had never heard such a series of unlikely things said together. It sounded like a mess of information and could be a loose interpretation instead of the original mysteries.

"You need to find out when each of them first started or what they originally were. The current mysteries may not even be the original seven."

Meredith started taking notes frantically and even Amien was beginning to look impressed. Felix gave him a thumbs up.

"Any more ideas?" Amien asked.

Felix was the next one to speak up.

"If the Seven Mysteries are such an essential part of Japanese schools and the Mystery Club has been going for a while, why has the club never investigated them before?"

"That is a very good point," Amien conceded and readjusted his glasses. "The club has been going for twenty years by the way. I admit to not considering that before."

Felix looked decidedly smug. Daniel raised an eyebrow. He was enjoying seeing Felix in action.

"Actually I found something when I was organising the cupboard after the last meeting," Meredith announced. "The Seven Mysteries were investigated six years ago in 2013."

"I've checked the yearbook for that year and there's no record of that. How do you know that?" Oliver wanted to know. 

"I have the minutes of a meeting from that year," she explained and drew an extremely crumpled and discoloured sheet of paper out her notebook. "It was wedged in the panelling at the back of the cupboard and was hidden by the old club diaries."

She smoothed it out and placed it in the centre of the table so they could all have a look. The paper was titled 'Mysteries of the School Meeting- Role Allocation' in neat handwriting alongside the date which was March 2013.

"Interesting," Daniel commented. "Is there anything else?"

Meredith got off her chair and started rummaging around in the cupboard. She pulled out a slim black book with 2013 stenciled on the cover in gold and the thicker 2014 equivalent.

"This is the 2013 yearbook. It's very thin like they did nothing that year, despite what we have evidence of. There's no mention of the Seven Mysteries. There's also something else."

She opened it up on a certain page and then showed them the 2014 yearbook.

"The club photo and member list are missing in the 2013 one, but they are in the 2012 one as well as the 2014 one."

Daniel compared them. There was a tear mark in the 2013 one where a page had been whereas the 2014 had a club photo in the equivalent position and no tear mark. Meredith was definitely right about something being strange.

"...I was here in 2013, unlike the rest of you. I was in the first year so I couldn't join any clubs," Amien began with obvious hesitation. "There were some rumours about a missing student. I think he was supposed to be a member of the Mystery Club."

Daniel and Felix exchanged looks. It seemed like there was a real mystery at the school.

Daniel thinks he has it hard going through school again at a snobby all boys academy in the middle of nowhere.

Instead his first day ends with his roommate bleeding out into the snow right in front of him.

His boring second life just got interesting and dangerous.

An adoptive father recounts the life of his gift son and the ramifications of the lives they led.

Morning came sooner then later, I went about my routine after offering proper prayers to God, I'm no fan of churches but I believe God exists and he's the supreme being, I thankfully woke up early so I was able to eat a proper home cooked meal.

 The rest of the day went really well too, I had no problems as Mark, Tess and Matt was all absent, it was unsettling however but even the populars barely noticed and there wasn't really anything I could do so I held my peace.

 Three exact days after my banter with Mark, they –Mark, Tess and Matt still were all not present, I didn't know why but I couldn't shake the unpleasant feeling that something was wrong somewhere, so even if it was a herculean task, I asked the populars for their whereabouts, I mean Mark's and Tess', then I found out it was Mark's birthday week so the lovers were on a week's vacation to the popular city of love – Paris. Even at that, I still wasn't satisfied and that didn't actually explain the mysterious disappearance of Matt, as far as I could remember the Bookworm had a perfect attendance.

 Tuesday was when my worry was confirmed to be valid, all three of them were declared missing by the school management, Mark and Tess' parents only noticed they were gone yesterday and it turns out Matt is an orphan and the orphanage was obviously careless about his whereabouts until a family showed interest in his adoption, no one had a clue of where they could be, not even the populars. 

 The school's CCTV footage for the entire week was mysteriously wiped clean and the security guard on duty all week said they hadn't left the school compound, everyone was dumbstruck, even the teachers couldn't take a guess of what might have happened and the unusual part was that it disturbed me even more than I was willing to admit, why it was so was what I couldn't fathom.

Sure enough, the next day Eastwood high was more of a desert than a school, very few teachers and almost a nonexistent population of students were present, I could tell it was because of fear, no one knew what gobbled up two popular students and the Bookworm, they had probably all come to a conclusion that their disappearance had something to do with coming to Eastwood so they all stayed in the security of their respective homes.

 Cops were everywhere around and in the school building, they were trying their possible best to piece the puzzle together but there were very many unfounded pieces, pieces I might be able to help with, for example, only I knew Matt went to the library during lunch hour, only I knew Tess was also in the library at that time,it was only me that could tell that Mark probably went in after I told him off several days ago, I wanted to tell the cops that I might have figured out the link behind their disappearance, that maybe something or someone in the library was connected to their disappearance, but I wanted to get my facts proven first so I decided to go to the library – alone.

 The library's quietness was creepy, everything was just as it used to be, neat rows and rows of books stacked properly in the wooden shelves, reading desks were just as orderly as it used to, even the librarian's nude nail polish that had been there since I could remember hadn't moved an inch, I wandered all through the large empty space but not a thing was out of place except from the new stack of books at the rear end of the room.

 Those books however were kind of disorganized and out of place, I carefully looked around it for anything that could be a clue, 

Nothing.

I sighed in resignation and made to leave the room when I noticed a bright book cover strangely hanging out of the remaining books on the top shelve by my right, out of curiosity, I picked the book and checked the cover for the title,

The mystery.

It had the picture of a glowing golden mansion drawn very beautifully over the cover, however the author's name wasn't indicated. I turned the book over instinctively to check what the story is about and surprisingly, very few words were written as the synopsis.

….four highschool students join forces to unravel the mystery….

It was strange, no author, no publisher, nothing. I opened the first page of the book, THE MYSTERY was boldly written on it, the next page had the table of contents, it only had fifteen chapters outlined on it;

1. Shawn Theodore Bradford.

2. Theresa Aurora Maxwell.

3. Matthew Matthew Matthew.

4. Mark Octavos Stoner.

5. Joanna Yvonne Cooper.

My heart skipped a beat when I read my own name on the fifth chapter, maybe it was just a coincidence? I went on to read the rest of the chapter content, the book can't actually be based on lives of random people right?

6. Find and fit in the key to the golden mansion.

7. Fit in the missing pages to their appropriate books.

8. Obtain the treasure box.

9. Change the course of history.

10. Tame the lions.

11. Get the yacht to the shore.

12. Race to the crown.

13. Secret task; protect your teammates.

14. Walk through the house of horror without screaming in horror.

15. Unravel the mystery.

Of all novels I've ever read, both electronic and paperback, this novel is sure the most unusual. I mean, who publishes a book without her name being indicated, no dedication, ten worded synopsis, unusual and unrelated chapter names? It was really strange but I couldn't put the book down, so I ignored all the warning alarms blaring in my head, went over to a study desk and opened the next page of the mysterious book –The mystery.

 

All is not what it seems," I whispered with my fingers crossed and everything changed, literally everything....

Have you ever wondered if there is a world of imaginations and imaginary friends and characters?, well here's a spoiler; there is and it's up to Joanna Coopers to get sucked into it so she can rescue her friends/enemies and by rescue, it means living through and maybe changing details of a number of novels to unravel a very unusual mystery.
But that might seem farfetched as Joanna is a timid,shy,highschool loner that barely talks and does nothing but read books, is that going to be a blessing or a curse?, would she be able to handle the seat of leadership being dumped on her by fate?, would her long time crush finally notice the beauty and strength she has under the nerdy facade?
Find out in this adventurous story of abnormalities where nothing is what it seems.
Notice: A few books highlighted in this work has nothing to do with me, they're solely works of authors I love and adore, a link to their work(s) would be indicated in the author's note. However, the general concept is my intellectual property and I wouldn't tolerate plagiarism, if you notice anyone copying my story without reference to it, kindly DM me.
✌illusionistic

"Brayden, I told you to wait outside!" Nate snarled at me, even though he couldn't see me from his position.

"What, again?" I argued with Nate's backside, stuck in a narrow corridor of paper. Flecks from the pages danced in the dim light as if alive. No wonder, since we were boxed in by mountains of books, stacked up to the room's ceiling. When I had first entered the classy mansion, the view had been a surprise, but no shock. 

After many wards and many houses, I had grown used to this sort of neglect, to the dreamscapes of the city's people. Not even the real, physical books were a surprise. Others might have been fooled by the wealth all that paper represented, but I could tell the truth from the smell. Rather than true paper, they were all synthetic, made from the materializer. Even so, all of it still felt like an enormous waste.

"All year you've had me stand in front of this house," I continued my complaint in response to Nate's grunt. "What can be so bad I can't even meet the ward here? How am I supposed to learn if I can't even go inside?" I looked left and right, into the darkness of the paper corridors. This place was a maze. At least I had been brave enough to rush after Nate right away. Without him to guide me, I would never find my way.

Under grunts and pants, Nate made his way through the corridor and into a crossroads, just wide enough for him to turn and stare at me. For a while, we had a silent duel, but my will stayed firm. I wouldn't give in, not again. This time, I would do my job as a proper caretaker. Nate couldn't coddle me forever.

"Fine," my co-worker sighed. "If we argue here we'll only upset Ms. Lector. So you're off the hook for now. You can come along, just... be careful and don't touch anything."

Even though Nate still stared me down, a giddy jolt rushed through my body. At last I could meet the mysterious Ms. Lector whose presence had eluded me for months. With a silly grin splayed all over my face, I bounded over to Nate, focused on the books around me.

"Slow!" a panicked voice hissed at me, so I looked up at Nate. Only now did I realize that his face was pale as a sheet. "What are you doing? I told you to be careful."

"Sure, Nate." My eyes rolled as I squeezed my way past my colleague. Beyond my mountainous companion I found another two long corridors and a set of stairs to lead us up above. "So where to now?"

"It's up the stairs. Be careful though. Don't touch the books."

"Right," I said. Of course I understood Nate's worry. If I moved the books, there was always a chance the entire stack could collapse. We might end up buried alive and the birds couldn't enter the houses to save us. So I took a step into a corridor before I motioned my partner to move ahead. He knew the way, and knew the ward. It wouldn't be the best if Ms. Lector first saw me, someone she had never met before. With nothing but a grunt, Nate squeezed past me and trundled up.

For a while we walked in silence, until something caught my eye. On top of a short book stack sat a novel titled 'Enlightened'. I knew this one. It was one of my grandma's. Oh neat, I thought and decided to pick it up. Since the book sat on top, there was no danger of collapse, was there?

"Stop, dammit!" Nate's shout made the fake paper around us rumble. My foot slipped from the step and my hand stretched to the precarious pile of books to my side. Only inches before my trembling fingers touched the paper walls, my toes caught the lower step, and with it the rest of my body.

Again we stared at each other, Nate's eyes large in horror. After a few seconds, the swaying books around us settled back into place. Not even the home owner showed any reaction, so my heartbeat calmed again.

"What?" I whispered with a frown. "Why'd you scream like that? I almost fell, and the book isn't gonna hurt anyone. It's just lying there. Nothing's gonna fall."

"I know what you're thinking," the gruff voice whispered back, always the mind reader, "but this place is made of more than just books. There's traps everywhere!"

"What?" I hissed back. "What do you mean traps? Like an adventure game?"

"I told you not to touch anything. The owner, Ms. Lector, has placed traps all over her bookshelves in case anyone tries to take them."

"Who would expect traps from just that? What kind of maniac would-" before I could finish my sentence, I caught myself. My hands covered my mouth as I stared at Nate in shock. Insults against the wards were the worst offense I could commit before the dutiful caretaker. However, rather than scold me like he usually did, Nate just frowned.

"Just stay behind me, keep quiet and don't touch anything." And with that, Nate turned and marched ahead again. His silence hurt more than his usual scolding. This time I followed with weary steps, but my boss still glanced behind every three steps. Though the tension between us increased further and further, soon we reached the bedroom of the homeowner. At once, Nate readjusted his attitude as he put on his usual buddy facade.

Meanwhile, I looked around the room itself, careful to not touch anything. Unlike the other rooms, this one was at least barely considered clean. In the corner, I found the expected materializer, which had spewed out all the books for its owner, in exchange for much of her social credit. At least in here, the books only stacked waist high, and there was more room to move around. No wonder, as the room's inhabitant was bound to a wheelchair.

According to the documents, Ms. Lector was a woman in her forties. However, she barely looked human any more. Like many of our wards, she appeared thin like a twig, burned out from her obsessions. Her legs were immobile, but didn't flop down like I had thought. Instead, they were folded up on her chair and scrunched together, intertwined with her arms in an arthritic nightmare. Only her face still seemed mobile, and she used a small monitor to its side to live her entire life. In horror, I watched as Nate began his standard procedure, indifferent to the misery before him.

"And that's your checkup done, Ms. Lector." For how much he talked about the caretaker's code, there were far too many instances where he had forced me to watch as people just died from his neglect. In that regard, I could never understand Nate's so-called 'respect' for the freedom of our wards. To me, this inaction was nothing more than sloth. For many of these people, a real, human connection would achieve much more than robotic nods and standard procedures. Thus, I did what I had rarely done before. I disobeyed.

"Ms. Lector. I saw that you've read Enlightened."

When I stepped forward, I could see Nate move in my periphery, but I was focused on my ward alone. Although the crippled body didn't move, the dim, gray eyes also focused on me in turn.

"A. R. Rovis was my grandmother, you know? It's great to see that there are still people out there who enjoy her writing." I tried to put on my warmest smile. It ignited a tiny, almost invisible flame within those dull eyes.

"Who are you?" a raspy voice echoed from her dry throat.

"My name is Brayden Rovis, Ma'am. Unfortunately, I have none of my grandmother's talents, but I always loved her books."

"A. R. Rovis was a good writer. Her themes always had a weight most others lack today."

Encouraged by the ward's reception, I took another step forward.

"You know, if you like her books, I can bring you some," I urged. "I actually have the real ones at home."

True shock entered Ms. Lector's apathetic eyes. "Really?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, it's real paper, too. They're in my room, to make sure nothing happens to them. We also have some handwritten manuscripts, but those are in lockup."

"I would love to see them only once, more than anything."

"You can. It's easy," I grinned.

Wasn't this a great first step? A real human connection? Maybe like this, I could convince Ms. Lector to leave her house and get her arthritic body cured. However, our ward responded with a hollow laugh.

"Not with my body. I can hardly see, I can no longer walk. In my state, how could I ever make it through the city and appreciate those rare pieces?"

Sadness filled her voice, but to me it sounded sweeter than any laughter. This was real emotion, real desire beyond the prison Ms. Lector had built for herself. Just one more push and I could save her!

"That's not a problem, is it? Just call on a clinic and request a pick-up. I can stay around until the-"

"No!" While I froze in confusion at the outburst, a dry cough overcame my ward. Things had been going so well. What happened?

"No doctors. I've read. I know. No tests. No probes. They'll only take out my eyes! How will I read without eyes?"

Confused, the woman begged to be spared. Still, I couldn't give up now.

"They won't. Ma'am, if you want to read my grandmother's-"

"Excuse us." With a rude tone and a rough hand, Nate barged into the conversation and shoved me out the door. "Ms. Lector, I am very sorry about Brayden. He is still in training. Please have a pleasant day."

When Nate followed me outside, I wanted to argue, but his stern eyes shut me up. This time, he wouldn't even let me walk ahead, and instead decided to take the front again. Every time he looked back, my mood soured.

How could he know that I couldn't have convinced Ms. Lector in the end? If he wasn't so paranoid all the time, if he was willing to push just a bit harder, how many of these poor souls could have been saved? Although he always said not to disturb the peace of the wards, where was the peace for a miserable existence like Ms. Lector's?

At the foot of the stairs, Nate turned again to look at me like a disappointed parent, as if I would run back at any moment. And then it happened. With large eyes I saw how Nate's foot slipped on the lowest step. Before he realized what had happened, he had already stumbled halfway across the room.

"Careful!" My shout was as pointless as it was late, and Nate's hands found balance on the stack of books by the entrance. Like a child in front of his first school, Nate stared up at the towering books. Whether or not he had activated a trap, the entire stack began to sway back and forth. With a sluggish inevitability, the stack leaned farther and farther, dragged to the side by its own weight, soon to bury Nate beneath mountains of synthetic paper.

A terror ran through my entire body as everything around me slowed to a crawl. While my mind was frozen solid, my body reacted all on its own. My feet shot off the steps and launched me halfway down the stairs, faster than I had ever moved before. A single leap and I was across the room, leaned against the crooked stack, while Nate still stood there paralyzed. As soon as my hands touched the paper, I could feel my weakness. I wasn't strong enough! Several tons of synthetic paper had been stacked together. How could I ever hold them by myself?

Though my muscles quivered, the paper buckled more and more. As my heart escaped into my stomach, I looked to Nate for rescue. My former caretaker just stood there with big eyes, no use to anyone. My view returned to the book shelves right before me. Since I couldn't rely on anyone else, I would rely on myself.

And then, a miracle happened to save us both: Somehow, from somewhere, my body pulled a strength far beyond me. A strange power shot into my veins to fill me with strength. Above, the stack shifted and buckled, before I forced the unwilling paper back into its original position.

Drenched in sweat I turned to Nate, who stumbled out of the house, and back into the sunlight. For a second I took in the claustrophobic maze of knowledge, and the few loose books on the ground who still waited on all their brothers to follow. Soon however, I returned to my senses and followed Nate out into the city.

"That was close," I said as I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead.

"What were you doing in there!?" Nate screamed at me out of nowhere.

"What do you mean what was I doing? I saved your damn life, man!"

"No, not that! When you talked to the Ms. Lector! I would have never tripped if I didn't have to keep an eye out for you all the time!"

Even though his excuse was more than just a bit unfair, I would much rather focus on the actual core of our conflict. It was important to be open about our misgivings, otherwise nothing would ever be resolved. Nate taught me that.

"I've been a caretaker for almost a year now and all I've done is watch you work. How am I ever gonna get any better if you never let me do anything?"

"That's not how this works, Brayden! You can't just invade people's personal space like that! Ms. Lector has a hard time as is! You need to be delicate or you'll make things worse!"

"How much worse can Ms. Lector possibly get!? If we don't push her a bit, she will just rot away!"

At first it looked like Nate would just push back stronger, but instead he held his breath. Once he released it with a sigh, it appeared like he had cooled off and aged a decade in the process. Suddenly, I felt bad about my outburst. I had known Nate for years, and I knew what kind of man he was. He always just wanted the best for me, and I repaid him with nothing but entitlement.

"Brayden," he said at last. "I know I've not been forthright with you, but please try to understand me. I'm worried. Not only about the wards, but also about you. I'm sure you'll be a great caretaker, but you don't want to get involved too deeply. So far, you haven't seen what sort of stuff goes on in the City Council. Believe me, you don't want to do to well and get promoted. Recently, the boss has asked some questions about your performance. I'd rather you just stay an anonymous cog than-"

Before he could finish, Nate's phone interrupted his explanation. As the caretaker read the new message, his eyes widened.

"Ah, shoot. Looks like there's an emergency at Carlos' place."

"Mr. Oraya? What happened?" I was worried, maybe more than I should have been. After all, even though Nate always stressed how the wards came first, he also talked about the importance of distance. Still, over our past visits, the haggard painter with the peculiar temper had grown on me.

"The old idiot's been drinking paint for no goddamn reason," the caretaker frowned, in spite of his own advice.

"What? Why would he do that?"

"How would I know? Anyways, as his official wardens, we have to show up there, give a statement for the clinic. Let's just hope he's fine. I hate this part of the job," he mumbled more to himself.

"But... what about the rest of our route? It's almost evening and we still have one more place to visit. There is no way we can get this done on time."

If there was one thing I had learned in my first year, it was to avoid tardiness. Whenever we failed to finish our schedule, we would be deducted part of our monthly allowance, with no warnings. Nate looked conflicted as well, torn between his responsibility towards his ward and the one towards me. This time, I had to make the choice for him.

"It's fine, Nate. Go look after Mr. Oraya, I got the last one for the day."

For a long while, he stared into my smile, before a curt "you sure?" showed the full extent of his distrust. Still, this was the best solution for us. Maybe like this, Nate would relent and finally let me do a job by myself.

"Yeah, you should really go to Mr. Oraya. It sounds serious, and I want him to be fine too. After all, he was my first ward."

With another deep sigh, Nate thought again, before his phone rang a second time. Without a single look, we both knew what the message was about.

"...alright, guess here's your chance to prove yourself. At least the last ward seems like a mild case. It's only a registration, so you should just have them fill out the basic form and leave right away. I'm serious, stay on protocol and don't try too hard to fix everything. Our work takes time, even more so with new wards."

"I'll just do my job, nothing more." Even though I didn't mean it, at this point I would say anything to get some hands-on experience. "Call me when you know more about Mr. Oraya."

"Will do. You can take the cab over and then sign it off when you're done."

"Wait, the cab? What about you?"

"It's only three streets away from here. I'll walk over and take the bus home."

For the third time, Nate's phone rang. Although the sound was the same, it felt much more urgent than before.

"Anyways, gotta run. Good luck, buddy. Do your best." After Nate had thrown his last well-wishes over his shoulder, he ran down the empty street. Had I known what would happen next, I would have said something. Our past selves are always so carefree.

Unaware of future regrets, I found the silvery gleam of the cab ready and waiting for me.

"Finally!" I called out in relief. Of course, I was grateful for Nate's help. Throughout the year, he had done his best to shield me from danger and answered all of my beginner questions. Still, I wasn't allowed to do anything under his watch. Rather than his trainee, Nate had treated me like one of his wards. This was my chance to prove myself. With swagger, I grabbed my permit and slid it across the cab door.

A few seconds of nothing and I began to get nervous. I had never even opened the cab, so I thought that swiping the permit in its vague direction would be enough.

*Don't panic.*

An examination revealed a found a slight, rectangular indentation towards the door's top. This time, I made sure to abandon the confident flourish from before and stared swiped with a slow motion. The light beep from the door made me recoil in terror. Before anyone could witness my embarrassment, I hid inside the vehicle.

As my heart calmed from the excitement, I looked at my phone, at the documents for my first solo ward.

*Sophie Rayne. 19 Years old. Recommendation as teacher. Scheduled to continue studies. Depression. Address...*

"Please bring me to Sunlight Boulevard. Erm... Acacia Alley. House number is 47."

"Sunlight Boulevard. Acacia Alley 47. Now driving."

"...thank you," I whispered to the machine.

The mundane shatters with a single touch.

On his 18th birthday, Brayden is tested for his magic powers, like all young adults in the utopian city of Astralis. Yet his dreams of a glorious future are crushed once he turns out to be normal... ordinary.

However, his hidden talents manifest only days later. As he explores his newfound powers and the city itself, he pulls away the curtain to uncover the city's true, horrific nature, as well as his own future.

If you like what you've read here and want to see more, this novel is available in full on amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082RC6G9W

I will post the remaining chapters here eventually, within a couple months.

Also, if you want to support me, check out my patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/hermitscave

Ten years passed, 
The fifteen-year-old Laura was now solving her maths questions. Her study table was right in front of the large glass window. She turned off her lamp and pushed the curtains aside to let the sun rays light her room.
At a very young age, she started to work hard for her better future and her promise to her father that she would earn enough to let him not leave her again and again. Her career and her future plans were always at the forefront of her life. She was independent, smart and more mature than the children of her age. She was now the elder sister to her younger brother. She took responsibility for her younger brother to help her mother. She tried to help her mother as much as she could.
Her best friend, Lilly, who was her neighbor always complained of her not playing with her.
"LAURA! COME DOWN I SAID," Lily screamed as she saw Laura studying.
Laura sighed at hearing Lily scream. She slid the window open…
"What!?  Have you completed your homework yet, Lily?" Laura shot daggers through her eyes at Lily.
"It's Saturday, Laura! We got two days to complete it. Now come down right now," Lily crossed her arms and pouted.
"Lily, mom, and dad aren't here. I have to look after Joseph." Laura couldn't help but frown.
"Okay then… see ya, Laura." Lily sulked as she turned around to leave.
"WAIT!" Laura shouted.
"Why don't you come inside? We can play and look after Joe!" Laura had only one best friend and loved her unconditionally. They both grew up together and coincidentally, they shared the same birthday. Their mothers eventually became each other's best friend as well. 

"Yay! I'm coming!" Lily rushed towards the main door. 
Laura carefully climbed down the stairs. Lily was patiently waiting on the other side of the door.
Laura unlocked the door and was about to welcome Lily home when she saw Lily jump into the house like a rabbit.
"Why are you so clumsy?  I waited for so long outside! Now tell me where is Joe?" Lily was always excited. The reason why Laura loved her company so much. 
"One question at a time, Lily. First, I was climbing down the stairs and safety is important. Second, Joe is sleeping. Do not shout." Laura emphasized the last three words.
"Why do you always make him sleep, Laura? I never get a chance to play with him." Lilly pouted.
"What do you mean? He's only four years old, Lily. You silly girl," Laura sighed at her best friend's childish behavior.

"Whatever… what are we going to do now?"  Lily was growing impatient.
"I solve the math problems and you look at me," Laura spoke.
…
"Laura! Why do you study so much?"  Lily complained.
"I give you fifteen minutes to complete your homework. Go, fast fast fast!" Lily ran up the stairs to see Joseph.
"Calm down! Don't run," Laura carefully climbed the stairs.

Lily went straight to Laura's room. Her brother was sleeping peacefully on her bed.
"Laura, if this continues… I'm going to shift all my belongings to your room and stay with you. I never get the chance to play with your brother. Or maybe I should ask Kiara aunty to call me next time," Lily continued complaining.
"And you always study. How are you even my best friend? What will you do studying this much at this very young age?" Lily pouted.
"I want to become a successful person in my life, Lily." Laura didn't mind her rantings as she walked towards her table and started solving maths.
"And yes, do not expect me to show you the answers this time." 
…
"Let me bring my books with me," Lily knew that she won't be able to complete the homework on her own. She rushed to her house and came back with a bag full of copies and books.
Laura was shocked by seeing the bag.
"But, we only got fifteen problems as homework. Why did you bring your school bag?" she was confused and tried to remember if she missed any homework.
"Uh… yes, I have a lot to do. Don't you remember? We have to submit our science report on Monday." Lily stammered while speaking.
Laura gave her a hollow stare.
"Lily, the submission date was last Monday." she crossed her arms and raised her left eyebrow.
"WHAT?" Lily gasped in horror. This made little Joe turn his side.
"Quiet!" Laura whispered.
"But, why didn't you tell me, Laura?"
"I made two reports… one for me and the other for you. Did you check your mail?" Laura answered obediently.
As soon as Laura said this, Lily immediately took out the phone out of her pajama's pocket and started refreshing the mail.
"What will I do now? HELP ME, LILY!!" Lily freaked out at the thought of her teacher calling her mother for not completing her homework.
"Quiet! Nothing can be done now. Mail the report right now." 
"Hang on for a second… there you go! I sent it." Lily face broke into a wide smile.

The two best friends started doing their homework and completed within two hours.

“Mr. David, do you have anything to say to prove your innocence?”  a lady in her mid-twenties, asked the man standing in front of her desk. Her face was full of grace, her brown eyes reflected confidence, and her attitude; a class apart.
“No, Ma’am. I have nothing else to say. I admit my mistakes.” David’s eyes were downcast and had no courage to look at her fierce eyes.
“Draft a termination letter and specify the remarks in the code of conduct certificate. Make sure you report every single mistake he committed during his stay in this company.” the lady directed her secretary, Lily, while reaching out to a file, out of the stack of files on her desk.
 
“Leave.” She looked at the man hanging his head in dishonor.
 
Laura Williams, the Chief Executive Officer of a huge conglomerate, is known for her impeccable business acumen, accompanied by her equally fierce and ruthless demeanour.
 
A perfectionist, a loving daughter, and a responsible sister, she started working at a very young age to earn enough to not let her father leave her again. Her only dream was to have a happy family who always spent time together. But destiny had its own plans. One day, her whole family died in a car crash, when she was just fifteen years old. Her relatives abandoned her. In the time of need, she had only her best friend, Lily, and her mother, who had always stood by her side. They were her only family.
 
An all-rounder of her school, a gold-medalist of her university, she set an ideal example for the world. She devoted her whole life to working hard and becoming successful, whatever her parents had dreamed for her. Named one of the “Top CEOs of the world” and a history of a decent past, Laura was one of the most desirable bachelorettes. Despite that, she had no intention of seeking a partner or starting a family of her own.

But what will happen when the CEO of the largest conglomerate, Brandon Reynolds, crosses paths with her accidentally?

*Disclaimer: I do not own the cover. All credits to the owner.
The cover has been edited by ash_knight17.

Ellie was happy to see that Henry had known that she too would enjoy his childhood haunt.  She could imagine herself sneaking up here as a child to get away from her insufferable brother.  It was that type of a nice hidden place where things could be kept dry even in rain. Ellie liked it immensely when she sat on the wooden table under the gazebo like roof.  It reminded her more of a restaurant booth, but instead of a good view, there were books placed within easy reach on the shelves all around them. There was a charged kindle waiting for both of them which strangely seemed out of place.  They both sat down and read for a while. But after a bit, Ellie found her eyes drifting away from the novel she'd been reading.
She found herself drawn to the statue standing pensively in the garden and wanted to remark on how similar it looked to Henry.  The expression was spot on from when he had accompanied her on their morning stroll. The taunt musculature was the same as the biceps and shoulders that Ellie could see through his thin grey sweatshirt.  It was a simple piece of clothing, but compared to the tailored business suits that Ellie was used to seeing him in. This type of clothing seemed to suit him best. It had been like walking next to an angel as the sun highlighted his perfect features.  It was only now that Ellie realized he was truly relaxed as cookie crumbles clung to the side of his mouth. She wanted to touch that area of his face, but it was too soon.
Like a mirage disappearing, she had felt safe enough to try her true intent.  She had let her feelings spill out when she had tried to present another avenue to their relationship.  It had shocked her to see his quick horror. True horror -- like the small child who had walked into a haunted house and regretted instantly.  It had also made her wonder why that little boy would be scarred when he had been brave everywhere else. Ellie had taken some steps back to get a more firm grasp on the situation.  Henry's reactions were strange so she had not taken the response personally. It was alright to take these things more slowly. She could not let her feelings command her actions quite yet.  There was more to understand before she made some progress.
To think Henry could be frightened?  She wished it was some type of misunderstanding.  The darkness that had flashed over his face had made her feel uneasy.  It would have been simple if he had the regret of someone who was in love with a lady whom was not the same woman who was approaching.  His expression had not really been consistent with the words that were coming out of his mouth. His true thoughts were obviously motivated by some trauma that was deeper than what she had seen of him.


Facing a marriage deadline, CEO Henry Wong impulsively weds Ellie Chen, a broke former professional race car driver dying of a wreak she had on the track. 

In return, her younger brother will receive a generous scholarship -- and Henry will have the enchanting Ellie as a wife, if only for a time. 

Then fate takes a hand, and Henry suddenly finds herself with a healthy, vibrant wife -- a siren he finds it hard to keep his eyes off of.

Henry turned to the other woman who was standing in the room as he clutched Ellie close to his chest. "You have seen it yourself now Aunt Dorota, she is such an elegant lady, with a humble character, and her kind nature is something I will never find again. And you know, she has the strength to match my mother -- she used to be a well-known race car driver you know." 

The hug around Ellie started to grow uncomfortable as she squirmed a little. She wanted to move away, but knew that would detract from all the work that had been put in upto this moment so she swiveled her head. Like a butterfly landing she put her head on his shoulder and looked at Dorota. "I'm so lucky to have you, my love."

The promised QnA section:: hope this answers all the questions...if not mention in the comments ...


About WDE::

1. What inspired you to write this book WDE? Is the idea derived from the Akatsuki No Yona?

Ans. Well I love reading books and comics about magic. Like the Legendary Master's Wife….or Mo Dao Zu Shi...they are pretty interesting. Whenever I read some new stuffs, I try to imagine and enact the scenes in my mind. Imagination and analysis leads to new plots. I try my best so that my lovely folks could not just read but also feel my story.

2. What is favourite genres of novel or the genres you prefer writing in?

Ans. They will be Romance, Fantasy and Mystery. 

3.When is Zhang XinYi gonna fall for Yu Long? And vice versa.

Ans. Actually none have fallen in love with each other. ZXY is kinda infatuated and thinks that he can get anything he wants. Pride issue i suppose! 

Yu Long might fall in love...but what will he do if he learns his parents died in the Qiying capital prison? Hmm...if I were he, I would love to keep ZXY as the enemy….and probably beg the author to change the book title...

4. What about Rahu and Yu Long?

Ans. Rahu and Yu Long might have a fling here and there, as you can see it will be rivalling the main lead couple's story...still will be fun..😈

5.Who and where are the other dragons?

Ans. The other dragons are Yong and Zu. Location of one is known that is timeless forest. The forth dragon is missing or as Maasa said untraceable. Rest will be revealed in upcoming chapters….

6.How did Taijing react to the annexation of Qinshen and Xianghua?

Ans. Taijing was kinda selfish and coward, when ZhaoShu started with its annexation and gave up their eldest princess to the harem of ZhaoShu emperor. I haven't started their story line yet . But the ruler of Taijing is currently the Provincial Head of Taijing province.

7.What happened to the all the Qinshen people after annexations?

Ans. They are still the citizens of Qinshen. But after the loss of their ruler , most of them submitted themselves to the authority while some went to rebel against the ZhaoShu emperor. Their story will be soon introduced….(spoiler)

8.Who killed Yu Rong and Lin Na, if not XinYi?

Ans. Do you guys want spoilers? Well, you know its not XinYi...its someone else...who wanted them gone...against XinYi's scheme to keep them alive to use them as bait Long to him...must be someone who is looking for death in the hands of our demon emperor...

9.Favourite pairing? 

Ans. They are Rahu and XinYi...its cute and subtle..I like it when they are still in the primary stage of affection ….like still  confused about what it is that is happening to them...let's hope it doesn't cause an issue for our main pair… i wish I could change the title...😢

10.How many chapters will this go for?

Ans. That is unplanned. I think at this rate of plot development...and there is a lot more to come...so roughly 50 more...don't want to cut down the tiny details and shorten the chapters as they make it more interesting….I suppose...

11.What are the story's arcs so far?

Ans. So far four I suppose…

Annexation of Qinshen

Search of the Kungu's scroll( Red Dragon)

Floating gardens incident

Annual selections of Knights

Upcoming( The timeless forest expedition)

12.Is Maasa a girl?

Ans. Lady. She hates being called a girl. She is too ruthless and unsophisticated for a Lady though...

13.Where did you get those strange names like Rahu, Maasa?

Ans. I borrowed these names from some Asian astrology book...😛

14.Why you don't follow traditional Chinese statements or way of addressing?

Ans. Time taking...I write using MS Word. I get auto suggestions for English words not Chinese Romanisations… Sorry...

15.If you wanted to recreate a character, which one would that be? And why?

Ans. Actually I want to make Yu Long more courageous not cowardly… But screw it...its okay.. We will do something about it soon...

16.Concept of cores is kinda confusing. Can you elaborate?

Ans. Cores concept...kinda simple..

The cores are allotted based on family lines or genes....The maximum strengths of a golden core bearer is highest, then the silver, then the bronze….that is the maximum strength… But not all are able to achieve the maximum strength in this world...like people ask why is Lin Na a bronze core bearer when she is so strong...she is stronger than most silver and golden core users as they are failed to achieve the cultivation level that she is in…

The distribution of golden core is found in the ZhaoShu because the origin of golden core started with the two legendary dragons who descended the Heavens to live as humans...they were the only the golden core bearers...soon generation and generation this core started spreading in most parts of the world…

Feng Bi was a golden core bearer...so is Yu Long...but not Yu He...

About the author:::

1. Are you racist? 

Ans. No..why would I be...😶

2.What are the other books you have written? 

Ans. And He stole my heart...its kinda about my love life ..pretty screwed up….😛

3.Can we know your age?

Ans...still in college...so guess

4.What are the genres that you prefer reading?

Ans. I like all except horror… I love imaging all that read… So horror will be kinda...hahah

5. Is Evelyn Park your real name?

Ans. Its my pen name….😃

Yu Long was born into the royalty. He was the second prince of Qinshen, a small kingdom in ancient China. He was a beloved son and a prominent cultivator. He was resolute when it came to serving his people and kingdom. 
What will happen when his small kingdom is in danger? To what extent will he go to save his loved ones and the innocent people? Especially when his trouble is at the door step and there is no place to hide.
Zhang Xinyi is the strongest yet the ruthless king of all times.  Mercy is not his call.. He gets whatever he wants, even if its by force. What ill happen when he crosses path with Yu Long?

"Now, this is going to be the last stroke! Heaven and Earth, witness the completion of I, Adrian Glen's masterpiece!" Declared a haggard looking old man in front of something that was never been seen before in this world. It had exquisite design, but had an imposing appearance and aura. 

In front of this thing, the feared Eagle Artillery would look like a normal building! Because it was already dark and clouds seemed to gather in the sky, even though the base was the only visible place, it still could still bring terror to anyone who would see it. Such was created by the Master Builder with a godlike reputation in this world. He had many disciples across the world that were also very well known. 

He is the Legendary Builder, Adrian Glen. 

A single stroke would complete this piece, a single tick of a small hammer would complete it. 

Adrian could feel a strong sense of danger, he did not know where it came from, but he did not care. He only stared at the place where he would put his last strike on. He raised his hammer, a hammer with a wooden handle, made with ordinary iron with no impurities, but there was a gold designed with a house-like appearance at each sides. If another person saw it,builder or not, they would be shocked.

Because the godly item, Hammer of Building was being used just to complete a last stroke for this new creation. 

The Hammer of Building was also created by Adrian when he was still young as an experiment. At first, it was only a one time use item. Even then, it was still coveted by builders and non-builders alike. Why? Because the hammer had the power to read the mind and instantly create what you want to create as long as you willed it. Of course, as long as you have the resources to make it.

But that was when he was young, and as a Dwarf, they had a lifespan half of that of an Elf, which was five hundred years old. 

After creating millions of things over those years, his techniques, skills, and abilities improved. 

When he finally reached the age of 340, he remembered his forgotten craft, the Hammer of Building. It was an interesting concept, so he casually made one and was surprised that it wasn't a one time use anymore. It could now be used two times. 

His interest grew as he began to seriously think and make these hammers. Until he finally reached  3 times. Ten years passed and he created 3 more hammers with different functions, with a 4 as total. 

Hammer of Building, Hammer of Fighting, Hammer of Heroes, and Hammer of Spells. He always put his best and even exceeds his limits when creating things, and creating this for hammers were no exception.

Even then, he could only improve the hammers limit to ten times. But he was still content with it. 

He called them ... Magic Hammers!

100 Years passed, in these years, he accepted exactly 100 disciples after traveling the world. Humans, Beasts, Elves, and even Demons, Adrian did not discriminate. He taught them the Way of Building, he did not hold back at all, teaching them all he knew. The only rule he made was: Only the trusted and worthy are to be given Magic Items. 

The saying you can learn from everyone was proven in these years. Even though he was also a Grand Master of Building, a Grand Master of Alchemy still took him as a disciple. 

After millions of trial and error with his Master and disciples, they created many things. They called them... Magic Items. 

His four Magic Hammers, Runes, Potions and the Books. These were the Magic Items they created. He was a master in creating in all of it, except for the Magic Books. He only touched it's surface before leaving to create his Masterpiece. He knew he had a little time remaining. 

...

With anticipation, excitement, nervousness, and fear... these were the emotions he was experiencing right now as he raised his hammers readying to complete the last stroke. 

"Tank!" 

When that last stroke hit, the aura of the 'thing' multiplied a hundred times! The clouds that were gathering slowly earlier stirred as they created a cyclone with the 'thing' as the center. Slowly, the clouds turned darker and darker, gathering farther and farther filling the heavens. Violet! It was a terrifying sight that could send horror down to anyone's whole being. Especially when it reaches far and wide, with an area nearing a million. 

It was then that Adrian knew!

He created something that he shouldn't have! He created something that the heavens did not allow! And now, the heavens were destroying it, and the heavens were also destroying him!

But contrary to everyone's fear and horror, he smiled... he smiled with satisfaction and contentment. He looked at his calloused large hands, hands that created millions. It could now be considered the hands of a soon to be... Legend!

As he stood there by the side of his final creation, his Masterpiece, the purple cloud was now release sparks of different colors and screeching like gigantic eagles in the sky.

"Even if the world has not seen my last creation, I am still content knowing that it was truly a creation worthy of naming it as my masterpiece! Haha!" He raised his head and laughed while staring unblinking at the blinding nine-colored light coming his way.

"CRASH!!!" "BOOOOMMMM!!" 

That was the Legend of Adrian Glen, the man who created something he shouldn't have. 

...

"Uwaaaa! Ungaaaa!" It also marks the day when a baby was born but the nurse had to spank him until he cried.

In his previous life, he was a reputed builder. He could forge anything as long as he wanted to. He started as an orphan when he touched a hammer, he knew he was made to create things. Things that could rival even that of the gods of the legends. 

Until one day, when he he created his masterpiece. Purple clouds gathered in the sky, nearly reaching the span of a million kilometers and releasing a single bolt of a nine colored lightning. 

It was then that he knew, he made something that he shouldn't have. But when the nine-colored lightning hit him and his masterpiece, he had a contented smile on his face. 

Even if the world has not seen my last creation, I am still content knowing that it was truly a creation worthy of naming it as my masterpiece. Haha!

...

But then, he suddenly woke up as a newborn baby with all of his memories and experience in his previous life as a Master Builder, no, as a Legendary Builder.

He was reborn in another world vastly different from his previous life. And in this new world, there was a mysterious thing called 'Magic'.

...

Disclaimer: SUPERCELL owns the COC Game that I am basing it on.  I also don't own the cover.

The release rate will be random. I will try my best to write chapters. 

Thank you for reading!

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