Zach died in a train crash and was reborn in a world he’d only read in books and seen in movies. The same world turned out to be less fiction and more hard reality than even his past boring life.

This Fiction Horror Novel is about a kid that goes by the name of Micheal Thorne. He is a Junior Highschool student from Langston High and the son of his now two loving step parents, Katy and Stewart Thorne. Unknowingly to them though, Mike has a huge secret... 

~Mike is a sociopath~


If you are interested in a mysterious horror story with a little bit of realistic fiction, then come join the journey into the mind of a sociopath as he tells his story. 

~warning, this book may contain very graphic imagery and language.~
~This book is also used for educational purposes.~

Sunlight was shining in from the window and I immediately turn away to get a few more hours of precious sleep.

I pull the blanket closer and cover my head so the light can no longer threaten to wake me. It was then that I realise something is wrong. 

'The bed is softer than normal and the covers lighter. Even the pillows feel fuller. Wait a sec... Pillows? I only get one. And why is the bed so big?'

I peep open one eye and instead of seeing my usual dirty white covers, a forest green colour greets me. I open the other eye as I pull down the sheets.

'That is not my ceiling.'

Where there was once artex swirls and a single lightbulb, there is now a smooth ceiling painted silver and a beautiful crystal chandelier.

The bed I lay on has deep green cotton covers with a white throw and a mix of green and white pillows. It looks like a queen sized bed compared to my normal twin size. In the middle of huge bay windows, sunlight pours in from every angle and bathes the bed in warmth. A grey chaise lounge chair is placed at the end of the bed with a green throw and white pillow. 

It faces a pair of open door that reveal a girls every dream; an enormous study with floor to ceiling windows behind an elegant desk. 

To the left is a large fireplace with two doors either side. The one closest to the bed is open slightly to show part of a grey tiled bathroom and what looks to be a freestanding bath. The door closer to the study is open wide and lines of clothes cover its walls. A beautiful silver mirror hangs above the white marble mantel and the kindling was already set ready to be lit.

To the right is another pair of doors that most likely connects the suite to the rest of the house. A seating area is set out with comfy chairs and a glass table.

'This cannot be real...'

I get out of the bed (although a little reluctant) and open the bathroom door seeing the room in all its glory.

A white freestanding bath is strategically stood in the centre of a grey tiled room giving the best views out the large window overlooking a beautiful flower garden. The light from the window floods in and shows the wall shower unit to the left with a sink unit to the right. A toilet is partly hidden behind a divider and green towels lay neatly in silver racks.

'Definitely not.'

Pinching myself, I wince in pain and decide to just see where this dream takes me. Doing my normal morning routine, I explore the set of rooms more.

The walk in wardrobe is filled with clothes ranging from comfy hoodies to formal dresses and even robes that distinctively remind me of my Harry Potter merch. Trainers (sneakers/runners, whatever), boots, and flats ran along the bottom of the room with a few heels now and there.

I pick an outfit consisting of ripped black jeans and a loose emerald zipped hoodie open to reveal a black t-shirt with some matching green converses.

Heading over to the study, I see that two walls are filled with books. The right side looked educational while the left more fiction. Floor to ceiling windows frames a lush forest and makes me want to get my sketchbook or camera.

'Can this please never end? It's so organised!'

Piles of paper and notebooks are placed neatly on the desk with labels clearly outlined. A snug looking sofa is placed strategically where there was the most light and a view of the entire room with a side table to the right. A small stack of fiction books is placed upon it with a cup of tea to the side.

Steam was still drifting up and the sofa looked like it was used regularly. The scene was oddly familiar and it drew me closer.

A gasp behind me breaks me from my daze and a deep male voice whispers my name. "Jade? How?"

We’ve all heard of The Mirror of Erised. An ancient, ornate mirror with clawed feet and a gold frame inscribed with the phrase “Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.”

The writing engraved on the frame of the mirror is supposedly in a foreign and probably dead language, but if you look closely it says “I show not your face but your heart's desire” backwards, with the spaces rearranged.

The mirror shows the most desperate desire of a person's heart, a vision that has been known to drive men mad.

But have you heard of the Mirror of Noitcelfer? Said to be created at the same time as the Hallows, the mirror has never been seen but stories warn of the power it holds.

Said to be an dark archaic mirror that can change forms, the tales caution of how it taints even the purest of hearts and turns them cold. Its original form is said to be encircled by a frame of threadlike strands of silver, interlaced together in a floral arrangement, with places in the polished glass surface blemished black.

“Niht iwnoi tce lfer ehtt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.”

•••••••••

Written from the perspective of Jade — a Potterhead — who manages to enter the wizarding world and see the events we all know unfold herself. But the stories doesn’t go as we remember... 

In fact, the series changes drastically with the point of view Jade sees it from. How you might ask? Read to find out.

•••••••••

Completely AU!
Inspired by a comment from NarutooSenpaii (link below)
https://my.w.tt/Jm68ahQ59X

[Cross-published on Wattpad.]

8th July 2019

•••••••••

This book will have irregular updates and periods of barely any at all. However, I assure you that I will complete this novel even if it take me 3 years. I hope that you will support me in this adventure and enjoy being brought into our wonderful Wizarding World from another perspective.

Yes, the story is NOT preplanned so the plot is a work in progress but I have an idea of where I want to go. You may see that previous chapters get updated, this is usually to fix typos and edit. If I change a section or add a new section I will inform you all so that you may be up to date and not lost if any new information comes up.

Please bare with me. I have a lot of exams for the next two years and I do not wish to fail them. Thank you for being understanding and for all the support. I really did not expect it!

When coming back to retrieve his treasure, Noah just smiled. His new fellow brother and sisters wondered whether he had gone crazy or if Oliphia went a bit overboard. After all, it was strange to see a child pressing ice on the head while wincing slightly, but also smiling like the lottery's winner. There was no way they would know why such optimism.

'Damn, I struck jackpot this time around.'

Even though he was an orphan, again.

'The caretaker has a gentle heart, way better than that witch.'

Even though she hit his head pretty hard.

'She can't fake her personality to me. She is a good person, and I have a lot of friends in this life.'

Despite all the circumstances, he could only smile. All in all, he had it rough in his past life. Not only did his past caretaker try to make everyone's life miserable but he also didn't have any money to buy books, which were important for his future. The education of the public school he enrolled in was lacking in every possible way, so he needed to study by himself (something made impossible by the strict senile woman). He still painfully remembered all the mornings he woke up earlier than the others to slip out and go to the library, which was 9 blocks away. In addition to that, there was no public transport nearby. He went as far as working illegally in a shady restaurant to gain money, all so he could buy a bike to move faster around the city.

But against all odds, he made it through. He became a cunning and smart teenager by the age of 16. Along with his life, he prepared and studied to enroll into the best universities, which were far, far away from the orphanage he hated so much. If someone asked Noah what saved him from his unavoidable future, he would say:

Books, as simple as that.

Other than educational ones, he liked to read about fiction and fantasy, which allowed him to forget about his life's difficulties and carry on. Although what made the most impact on him, reminded a lot of his life; Harry Potter's saga.

Similar to him, Harry Potter's adoptive family was as good as trash. Nevertheless, he became a wizard and his life changed forever.

Change. That's what Noah craved for.

He wished his life took such a turn around.

Still, there was no magic, in reality, there were only harsh truths. He knew what fiction and reality were though, so he never lost himself into the books. They were more of a motivation to him, the promise of a better future.

And here he was, with the Hogwarts letter underneath his bed cushion and a new family. He knew they were good people, after meeting with all types of individuals he could judge well people's character. Although he wasn't informed why or how he got there, he was focused on his new objective, which was getting inside Hogwarts and learn some god defying spells. 

'How I got here? Why am I here?

I don't know and I won't discover in the near future, so let's focus on other things.

You got to do what you can. And right now, I need to get into that college, and that's all I need to know.

Speaking of which...'

He looked around his bedroom.

'I'm poor...'

He stated as dread crept its way up to his spine.

'So how am I going to buy my school materials?

...Shit... I am feeling just like a Weasley.'

"Oh hey Noah, are you okay?" A soft voice came from outside.

"Shit" He urged, raising his bed to hide the letter back. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, no need to... worry about me!" Noah insisted. 

"Are you sure-" A tall girl with long black hair opened the door. Her face showed all the worry on the world.

"Shit." He was caught red-handed. 

"What's that in your hand?" Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the paper.

"Oh nothing, just... the postman weekly letter." Noah blurted while trying to hide it behind his back.

'No way I am getting out of this now.'

"Of course... the postman, right?" An evil smile crept its way on her face.

"It looks like something else though..." She suggested while approaching closer. "Why would you try hiding it otherwise?" She asked with a thoughtful face.

'My cute Noah! Receiving love letters! How could I, his sister, not know about this?' She asked herself.

As the oldest in the house, it was her duty to know everything about the younger ones. Especially Noah, who was so cute and defenseless that she took him in as her brother - without his saying on the matter of course. 

"Who is the lucky one?" She demanded with her best intimidating stare.

"Lucky one?" His face contorted in confusion.

"You won't fool your sister! Who is the girl we are talking about?" She got closer.

'Girl, are you mad? What are you... OH! I see.'

"Is not from here..." He babbled while making an embarrassed face and staring at the floor.

"I knew it! Is it Madeline?" She concluded, making a triumphant smile.

He gasped for air and was surprised for a moment, then got back to staring down.

"How did you know?" Noah stuttered, refusing to look up.

"How? I am your sister." She kneeled and hugged him. "There is just no way you can hide your secrets from me." A gentle smile replaced her previous one.

'Are you sure about that?' He thought while hugging back.

"You could tell me about it. I can give you a few hints of what a girl wants." She winked.

"Really?"

'God, please no!'

After 30 minutes of a long and painful session of cringy pieces of advice, he was by himself again.

'I feel dead inside.

At the very least, during that torture, I could brainstorm some ideas about how to raise money.

Yup, that's right.

I am getting myself a job at brewing potions.

... I do wonder if they will accept a youthful boy with an 18 years old mind filled with potion recipes.

Thank god I still have a good memory.

I also discovered that I am very close to the Diagon Alley. Such a strange coincidence...

Not that I am complaining though, I already had my fill of walking long distances.'

After Voldemort's death, a lasting era of peace begins. The heroes of Hogwarts; Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley are hired into the Ministry of Magic and Minerva McGonagall becomes the headmistress in Hogwarts. Everything is fine for the wizards, this is their golden age.

Or so they thought...


Author Notes:

I do not own J.K Rowling's fictional universe and characters.

Adam proudly showed off his car and Abby felt her heart burst. Too cute! How was she supposed to handle a cuteness attack of this level?
Katie mock whispered, "He shows it to everyone he likes."
It was official. She melted into a puddle of sentimental goo. Her nephew liked her right off the bat! He was very trusting considering his mother barely told him they were family, which proved he was a happy and well-adjusted kid.
What kind of childhood did he have living out here in the middle of nowhere? Katie had obviously commissioned that toy for him but what about his other toys? Were there any picture books? What sorts of things did little kids even do in this world in the absence of a playground?
"Who made it for you?" Abby asked, gesturing to the car.
Katie was a bit embarrassed. "Ah, I got one of the carpenters who moved here from Rowenhilde to do it. He made a few others toys like this for him and other kids started wanting them too so now there are wooden cars all over town. We even started selling them in bulk to the merchants who pass through here after one of them bought one on a whim for his grandson."
Wow. Such a small thing ended up widespread because she wanted something familiar for her son to play with. Abby couldn't help but wonder exactly how much influence her sister had managed to have on this world by accident.
She was very curious about Katie's life here and wanted to know more. Seeming to sense this, Katie excused them (Al and Blaise were still deep in discussion) and showed her around the house.
In addition to a modern bathroom, there was also a fairly modern kitchen. There wasn't a microwave or a proper fridge but Katie explained that there was an ice box of sorts in the cellar outside for keeping things cold.
Adam had a few more familiar toys as well. His wooden car wasn't the only vehicle he had. There was also a wagon pulled by a wooden horse and a rudimentary truck. He had a teddy bear too; stuffed animals did exist here though bears weren't the most popular. Most children had stuffed rabbits for some reason.
There were also wooden blocks to build towers and bridges with. Everything else appeared to be carvings of various animals found in the mountains, such as deer.
"You guys use a lot of wood, don't you?" Abby asked dryly.
Katie shrugged. "We're surrounded by trees; lumber is one of our best resources. Wait until you see the wooden playground I convinced someone to build! All the kids in town love it."
She was fairly certain she knew what kind of playground her sister was talking about. When they were younger, they visited a historical park where the playground was almost entirely made of wood and shaped a bit like a castle. They used rubber and plastic a little bit for slides and rope courses but that was it.
Her sister wasn't the most creative person in the world by any means but she was full of a lot of random knowledge. Getting other more talented people to act on that knowledge had yielded quite the results and she had hardly seen anything yet.
"What other things have you convinced people to make for you?" Abby asked in awe.
It was a lot more than expected. Katie told her how this started when she was still back in the palace because she wanted sweaters and fuzzy pajama pants to get through the winter. While she was still there, she also commissioned a hat loom to be made so she could crochet.
Abby already knew that because of the novel, as well as the attempts at pizza and hamburgers. What she didn't know was everything that happened after coming to the Kanta region.
Since coming here Katie had worked together with a variety of people to create street lamps, light bulbs, a hydroelectric generator, children's toys, swing sets, different types of handy kitchen utensils such as oven mitts, and more. She even managed to improve on the makeshift snow clothes she had made back in the palace.
She also created the concept of a public library and recruited a few talented minds to help her create fun little picture books for children. The children's books that existed here were almost entirely of the educational variety, aside from a few traditional stories that were meant for older children to read on their own.
When she realized she was pregnant not long after moving here, Katie refused to let her child live in a world without age-appropriate fiction. She found a few people who were good at drawing to turn traditional oral children's stories into book form.
Under her guidance—apparently she had read a ton of Wikipedia articles about the history of crayons, colored pencils, and markers out of boredom while laid up in bed several years ago—a few innovators had managed to recreate those as well.
The first books made solely for the Kanta were painted or colored in with markers or crayons. but once they began mass producing them and had to use a printing press they were all too bulky. Once the traders found out about these books and wanted some for their own children, the business grew. 
There was now a full printing press/publishing office set up in town. They used engraving plates to mass produce illustrations and had to use colored pencils to color everything in by hand because they were the thinnest tool available. 
Katie confided that the Kanta became much more involved with the outside world largely because they needed to trade for materials to help recreate things from home but that it had ended up benefiting everyone involved. Unbelievable. An entire economy set up because of the desire for some kids' books.
Abby was astounded by how much she had accomplished in such a short time. A mind like hers had been wasted back in their world.
She majored in political science because it was one of the shorter programs and her health made taking on more than twelve credits per semester difficult. She had no idea what she wanted to actually do with her life and ended up taking the first part-time job she could find post-graduation.
A benefit of working in a school is that you have a lot of time off. Three day weekends, spring break, Christmas break, summers… Katie admitted that she went with that job in no small part because of all the time off for doctors' appointments, physical therapy, and plain old recovering from exhaustion.
Her time was entirely consumed by going to work, going to the doctor, and consuming as much media as possible. Because she was a curious soul, instead of wasting all of her time on Netflix like some people she primarily focused on nonfiction.
Her memory for details was incredible. There was no way Abby would have been able to remember enough about random things like crayons and markers enough to actually make one later.

Katie Pullman, a chronically ill girl who spends her life immersed in fiction, suddenly finds herself inside a novel she has read. Thrown right into the thick of things, she desperately tries to keep the plot intact but happy endings aren't always as they seem...

* Although I am a lawyer, I am not your lawyer. Reading this book does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. . . . This Handbook should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a competent attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction.
   ** This is a work of fiction. Although its form is that of an autobiography, it is not one. Space and time have been rearranged to suit the convenience of the book, and with the exception of public figures, any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental. The opinions expressed are those of the characters and should not be confused with the author's.
   *** Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. This story is based on actual events. In certain cases incidents, characters and timelines have been changed for dramatic purposes. Certain characters may be composites, or entirely fictitious. 
   **** The information contained within this book is strictly for educational purposes. If you wish to apply ideas contained in this book, you are taking full responsibility for your actions. 
   ***** This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
   ****** This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
   ******* The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper training. Like any sport involving speed, equipment, balance and environmental factors, poses some inherent risk. The authors and publisher advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the skills described in this book, be sure that your equipment is well maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training, and comfort level.
   ******** Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.
********* I Make no claim of originating there works and reject the ownership of related source material. Intended for educational purposes only. 
**********

🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️

     Not here to sell Dans but I know a guy who knows a guy who can talk to a guy about Selling Dans. Just break this Jade Strip and I'll come through with the supplies. At a reasonable offer that is.

     Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.




🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️🛡️🛡️🖲️🖲️🖲️

(ノ｀Д´)ノ彡┻━┻
 


 (ﾉ´･ω･)ﾉ ﾐ ┻━┻



┻┻︵ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ︵┻┻

Almost an hour had passed since the looking-glass played Sylvia's execution. Lucia's lone figure hadn't moved from her spot on the couch. She gazed endlessly at the mirrored glass that now reflected her image.
  Sabina had seen how broken the young girl was and decided to leave the child to her own devices. After all, Sabina was sympathetic to the girl who lost her mother-figure, she wouldn't force her to work right away. 
  In Lucia's mind, thoughts raced with repetion of death—Sylvia's death. Imagery of her nanny's twisted features as she fell to her knees and into her own blood carved itself into her mind; the King's bored look as he watched one of his servants die at the hands of one of his own personal knights.
  "If anyone had to die, it should have been the King," Lucia thought while seething with rage.
  The former princess had seen death before. She'd seen gore and gruesome deaths, even wicked plans of torture while growing up as a Valtori. It was to be expected when your household emblem was that of a snake and daggers; to be expected when your household was the proud royal family of the kingdom Varis. Yet, Sylvia's death seemed the most horrifying of them all. 
  "I hate him. I hate him. I hate him." Lucia's head continued to buzz with hatred and anger as her own words startd to mix with her beloved nanny's death in her thoughts.
  But what could she even do? Lucia, only a child, had long since come to terms with the fact that she was weak, but then Sabina revealed she had power. Unbelievable power according to Sabina; she was a vampire. Unexplored, but when practiced, there's a possibility she could have the power to take down her wretched father.
  Lucia darted up from her seat and onto her own two feet. Sabina who had been occasionally looking up from her spot at the kitchen counter was quite stunned when the hour-long-statue started moving again, but pretended she didn't notice.
  Lucia had a goal. A reason to keep fighting. King Killian along with the rest of her monsterous family had a storm coming their way in the future. For now, Lucia would have to work her way out of her debt and find out more about her powers. 
  Turning around to find Sabina, Lucia asked with a hoarse voice, "Is there any work I can do today?"
  Sabina, pretending she hadn't even noticed Lucia's sudden motivation, or the fact that her eyes were puffy, nodded. "I had Spells write down your chores beneath your sum on the chalkboard over there." She pointed to a black board that hung up on the wall just underneath one of the kitchen cupboards and above Sabina's counters.
  The newly contracted slave moved towards the board of chores where Spells suddenly jumped onto the countertop, puffing out his chest. "Isn't my writing pretty?" Spells asked, pride filling his child-like voice.
  "Y-yeah, absolutely," Lucia responded. Lucia was just impressed Spells could even write. Did he do it with his paws or maybe his mouth. . .? Looking at the board, three chores were displayed beneath a large number of two-thousand gold. Sweeping the kitchen, tidying the library, and watering the plants.
  'Not so bad!' Lucia thought. It was the big number that made her nervous, but the chores seemed fine.
  "Where are your plants?" Lucia asked Sabina.
  "Spells show her to the green house," Sabina didn't even bother looking towards either Lucia or Spells and merely pushed the work for Spells to do. 
  "Aw fine ~ Right away master! Let's get going little fangs," Spells reluctantly answered but chuckled as he gave the former princess a new nickname. He leaped off the counter and onto the wooden floor bounding down the hallway. 
  Lucia wasn't too happy about the new nickname she'd been given by a cat. Between 'child', 'little monster', and now "little fangs', she wondered if they'd ever use her name. Though with Spells' new nickname she came to check if her fangs were out, and they indeed were when she flicked her tongue across her teeth. How embarrassing! 
  As she sauntered after the cat down the hallway and now up some narrow stairs, Lucia was able to retract her fangs having to imagine just her normal teeth. 
  Spells stopped at a small wooden door at the top of the stairs and snickered at the child, "Looks like you learned to put the pointys away! Too bad I already like the nickname I gave you ~" 
  Lucia pouted at the cat, "You're too cruel."
  "I never imagined I'd get to be called cruel by a vampire! This is just too fun! I'm going to enjoy playing with you Little Fangs ~," Spells snickered again from his position on the wooden floor. "Anyway, the green house is just through here, come find me when you're finished."
  Lucia nodded and Spells ran back down the stairs pleased with himself leaving Lucia infront of a door. If she was quite honest with herself, Lucia was looking forward to taking on her new tasks to distract herself from thinking about Sylvia. Even just trying to ask Sabina about her chores earlier, while she made up her mind on a goal, Sylvia's death kept popping up in her thoughts.
  Lucia shook her head as if to shake the thoughts away and opened the door prepared to water some nice plants. The newly contracted slave's eyes widened in amazement as well as horror. 
  So many plants! The room was twice the size of the kitchen which while cozy, was still big, so this room seemed too big for such a house! The roof was all glass letting in the natural light from the sun onto the plants which seemed to cover every surface; the wooden floors, the three tables, shelves. . . And Lucia thought it would be easy. 
  Spotting the watering-hose that was on a small work bench, Lucia got to work. There was quite an abundance of plants, most of which were herbs. Unfortunately there was no labels like most professional gardens had and Lucia was definitely no expert in plants so she was unable to spot anything familiar. 
  While at first Lucia thought watering plants would be such a quick task, the size of the room and the amount of plants made her take back such thoughts, but fortunately for her, the amount of time wasn't too bad. Managing to finish within fourty-five minutes Lucia was quite proud of herself, though not the part where she almost tripped over the hose. . . Yet when such a clumsy action happened, it was as if her body acted on itself; stabilizing her frame instantly though she was sure she'd take a tumble. 
  Lucia headed back down the creaky floorboards and intended to find Spells.
  'Where is he?' Lucia thought as she checked around the kitchen. She was going to ask Sabina, but she seemed so engrossed in her own work she decided against that idea. Next the living room, then the room she stayed in last night. . . 'Don't tell me he's in Sabina's room," Lucia prayed to herself when she looked at the slightly open door opposite from the spare room. 
  Taking a glance at Sabina who was still focused on her own work, Lucia decided to take the risk to find that stupid cat. As if she was on air, her steps were silent as she went to further push the door open and peeked inside. An overwhelming presence snapped at her senses telling her to jump backwards. So she did. Just in time too! A shadowy hand had lunged forward to grab at her collar, claws and all. An unwordly hiss escaped Lucia's lips to which she quickly covered her mouth in shock.  
  The shadowy figure seemed to chuckle as such a response. The creatures voice was deep and scratchy, as if it had swallowed gravel. 
  "S-Sabi-!" Lucia finally had the nerve to call out to the adult. 
  "Oh hush! Don't involve master ~ She'll get mad at us both for interrupting her work time!" the voice spoke with such a deep tone, yet the way it spoke sounded almost familiar. 
  'W-wait! Did it just say "master"? Did Sabina have another familiar?' Lucia panicked, she must be truly powerful. 
  "Are you another one of Sabina's familiars?" Lucia asked, her distance still far away from the door and her eyes adjusting to see the dark figure. 
  "You don't recognize me! Too bad ~" the creature mused on. "Little Fangs, you even found yourself a warning hiss, I thought you were growing!"
  Spells. He's the only one to use such a ridiculous nickname. "I thought you were a cat?"
  As if her words sparked a change, the dark, intimidating, shadow figure morphed info a small, fluffy, black cat. "It is really you!"
  "You didn't think I came to be her familiar just because I was cat did you? You're so stupid ~ You don't even seem scared. What gives! I planned to surprise you, even give you a good scratch so you'd know what I can do!" Spells child-like voice returned and his mocking continued. He even seemed genuinely upset he couldn't toy with the young girl.
  "You wanted to scare me?" Lucia thought this cat was so cruel. Spells had won in the end though, she was scared of his shadowy form, not that she'd let him know that if he truly thought she wasn't shaken up; yet, part of her also felt . . . capable?
  "Yeah ~ I thought it would be fun! Oh well, with the money you owe our master you'll be here long enough for me to have some entertainment," Spells words made Lucia sigh. 
  "You told me to come find you when I finished," Lucia reverted back to her original goal.
  "Ah yes! The library is next then," Spells nodded in agreement with himself before moving out of Sabina's room and just further down the hallway. He paused infront of a door, "Understand that everything in this house belongs to Master, even you and I. If you want to read something, check with her first. Do not act according to your own will."
  While she only met Spells today, he didn't seem the type to be so serious, yet when he spoke just now he sounded quite mature. 
  "I understand," Lucia responded, nodding her head. 
  Spells stepped out of the way of the door, "The library is just in there. There's some organization to the disaster that is our master's work space, so try and work with it."
  "Understood." Lucia then opened the door and paled at such a sight. 
  The library room was about the same size as the indoor garden on the second level, yet with the amount of floor-to-ceiling shelves, the room felt confining. Books and papers of all kinds appeared everywhere; the shelves themselves messy with books shoved ontop of eachother without thought, the desk that appeared to be by a window blocking the daylight with towers of books. 
  Where could she even start! It's all a mess! Lucia began by looking at the tall and wide shelves and eventually began to find some sort of a hint at what the library once was organized like. On the right side of the room seemed to hold more magical and educational books, whereas the left side included books of fiction and entertainment, though there was quite a majority more of the former than the latter of books. 
  Getting to work, Lucia started with the right side of the room and sorted though the selection of books. While doing so, she found quite a few books that caught her eyes; mathematics, literature teaching, foreign language studies—it was all so amazing! The young girl who once took pride in her own education was excited for her new findings and hoped Sabina would let her borrow a few.
  Gradually, Lucia was able to split the books from the right side of rhe room and moved over to the left side, bringing a long with her stacks of fictional works. While going through almost every title and checking to see which side of the room the books best belonged in, her eyes managed to catch some compelling titles she found herself intruged by. 'Creatures of the Night', 'Legends of the Four Countries', and even one such text, 'Villainous Heroes'. 
  The young vampire felt most drawn to the book, 'Creatures of the Night', after all Vampires were known to go by such a title in tales, it must contain something on them!
  Lucia, forgetting her agreement to Spells, flipped open the pages of the musty and wrinkled book, scanning for the word 'Vampire'. A few chapters in and the word finally appeared as a title for its own three sections. 
  Illustrated pictures of what a vampire was supposed to look like scattered various pages, among with drawings of fangs and even what a victim of a vampire would look like. Lucia stared blankly at the pages that described Vampires as wicked and manipulative monsters that had died and now lived an immortal life. Wait, had she died? Sabina had used the term "pure blooded" when describing the kind of vampire she was, and the former princess only knew such a term when talking about the Queen's dogs. . .
  Lucia let out a sigh and closed the book. It seemed that any information held within the pages were stories and tales that weren't familiar to her own case. 
  "What was I expecting from children's stories?" Lucia muttered allowed in the empty room.
  The newly contacted slave returned to work and finished sorting the books in their correct locations and by author's last name within five hours of work. By the time she was able to see out the window from clearing the books, she noticed the Sun's position in the west now, soon it would be setting since it was the winter. She really had spent all day working! 
  Lucia exited the library and went to find Spells for her last task. Spells was fast asleep on the bottom step as she silently made her way down the stairs. 
  "Spells," Lucia whispered and the cat sprung awake in horror. 
  "Why are you creeping up on me!" Spells shouted. 
  "I didn't want to wake you rudely," Lucia replied. Her steps were rather quiet though, almost as if she was walking on air, an experience she felt earlier when she didn't want Sabina to catch her going into her room
  "Tch. Vampires," Spells scoffed and rolled his big green eyes. 
  "I finished in the library," Lucia ignored Spells' comment. 
  "The broom is by the fridge, you only need to sweep up the kitchen today," Spells spoke and lead her back to the kitchen. 
  Looking around the empty kitchen, Lucia glanced at Spells in confusion. "Master went out," was all he said before settling down on her empty stool and going to sleep.
  'Very helpful', the young girl thought to herself, but started her task as sweeping the snipped plants and crumbs that were on the kitchen tile. She finished within ten minutes and decided to take her own tour around the house now that she had the chance. 
  The layout of the house was fairly chaotic, and when Spells had lead her to different rooms of the house that seemed small, each door opened up to a large space. How mysterious! The kitchen and living room were within the same room while a hallway connecting from the kitchen to the narrow set of stairs that lead up to the garden room held Sabina's room, the bathroom, the library, and the spare room. Except, there seemed to be another door that was inbetween the bathroom and the library. Just as Lucia was about to open the door, Sabina's voice boomed from the kitchen. Lucia paled in fear.

Lucia Emilia Valtori. Misfortune always fell upon this poor princess. Forgotten and tossed aside by her own family, she was sold to the famous Red Witch. Little did the Valtori royals realize, they had tossed aside the true heir of the throne who has more power than an army of humans and she wants revenge.

Valek Morozov. Always given everything until one day his father wanted him to learn what it meant to have nothing before taking his place as the head of the Bratva. Only now did he start developing his family nature while alone on the streets. 

  The two encounter one another trying to keep their secrets and identity to themselves, but the pair learn they're more similar than they could imagine. 

  Love. Revenge. Powers. 

  This is their journey.

"Why are you here again?" she asked while munching the chips. It's been exactly two hours since Jungkook stayed in the house with her and she felt like she's been missing a lot.

Jungkook grinned and munched down the chips top while watching Ironman. He was cheering for Ironman while she was about to cry.

"I miss Jimin already," she suddenly blurted out. Jungkook, on the other hand felt bullets pierced his heart when his brain processed the information.

Suddenly, he felt his mood go down. He didn't have any guts to cheer or watch the movie anymore. His appetite for the chips vanished.

"I'm going to cook some foods," she excused herself. When she got to the kitchen, she immediately slapped her face. She felt the energy of the room drained and she knew why.

It was because of the thing she suddenly said that changed everything. How could she face him now? She blinked three times before jumping up and down three times. She was cursing herself for saying such a stupid remark.

"Do you have any cold drinks?" he suddenly asked. She shrieked before she got a grip on herself.

"shit, why do you have to scare me like that? Oh yeah, there's soft drinks on the second shelf. If you want ice pops or sweets, it's in the bottom shelf," she said while pouring the flour on the bowl. She cracked three eggs and did her thing while he was watching her back.

He was feeling awful about himself. Even after hearing 'I miss Jimin' from her, he couldn't help but to admire her. He was examining her back and his thoughts went overhead. He groaned and walked towards the refrigerator. His eyes glistened when he realized that this refrigerator is full of fluids and foods.

"I must say, you're fricking organized. Did you make those popsicles and juices? You're using washable plastic glasses,"

She laughed and uttered, "what can I do? I have to save the earth,"

It was almost 3 in the afternoon when she went to the living room and brought the pancakes. She took the empty bowls and trays and dropped them on the sink and started washing.

She was eager to go to upstairs and sneaked to their library, Mark's library. Although most of the books there were about laws, business ethics and educational resources, she made sure she stocked novels and other outstanding books.

"you make the most delicious pancakes in the world" he moaned out of delight while eating the incredible pancakes. She laughed and took some and went upstairs.

"where are you going? I'm all alone here,"

She raised her eyebrow. She wanted to say, "is that my problem?" but she knew better, "I'm going to Mark's mini library,"

He thought for a while before he carried the plate and walked ahead of her. She gasped and moved him aside, "excuse me mister, I know the way,"

_____

He scanned the shelves and tried to find a book that's interesting. He was not a fan of reading but he has couple of books in his room.

"can you suggest a book to read?" he asked while looking at the educational books in front of him. He was, for sure, not going to read medical books.

She chuckled and gave it a thought. "I've read Me Before You and After You by Jojo Moyes. I literally put their genre on each shelves. Find anything that you like. There's romance, adventure, comedy, horror, crime and anything else," she said while grabbing her latest collection, Tracy Madison's books.

Her gaze was intense while she was debating on what to read first. Finally, she decided to read A Taste of Magic first. She sat down on the arm chair that looked like a bookshelf chair. Of course, this was the chair from her father and she truly treasured it.

Time passed by and it was already 6 in the evening. The sky had gone darker and the air was getting colder. She stood up and closed the windows and the curtains. She looked at Jungkook who was peacefully sleeping on the chair. After he finished reading one book, he had no energy to read another one.

He secretly took a book and covered his face and then off to sleep. It was pretty much obvious but she did nothing about it. She wouldn't force people to read books with her. As a matter of fact, she loved reading alone.

She decided to wake him up since it was late already. "Jungkook? It's already late," she softly said. Surprisingly, he woke up and looked at her in the eyes before blinking.

"what time is it?" he breathed out as he placed the books back to the shelves. She rubbed his eyes and yawned.

She chuckled and opened the door, waiting for him to go out. She switched off the light and closed the door behind her before she could answer him." It's already 6 in the evening. I can make a quick dinner. Mark will be back after an hour or so,"

She walked down the aisle and to the stairs, straight to the kitchen. Jungkook sat down on the chair beside the kitchen table and waited for her.

"is vegetable chicken salad fine for you?"

He nodded and said, "I'll eat whatever meal you cook," he wasn't the type of person to reject foods. He wasn't a picky eater. He was taught by his mom to accept the food served in front of him and finish the food on his plate, just like a good child.

After her father's tragic death, she distance herself from everyone, including her mom. She wasn't fully prepared for moving on from the event and now, her mother found another man who'll fulfill her after him.

Jungkook, a player, stone-hearted faced the same event. His mom died when he was little, leaving him and his six other brothers with their dad. He then knew that his father found another woman and would like to marry her which he was so furious about.

What they didn't know was their world was just connected. 
___
"I told you to marry that man!" her mom shouted at her, stomping her left foot.

"why would I? This wasn't part of the deal! I let you marry that old man and even let him take the role of my dad yet now, you would force me to marry someone who I don't have feelings with? I can't believe you" she yelled back. She ran away from her mom and went back to her house. 
___
"Jungkook, get ready, you're meeting your future wife" his dad said, holding his wife's hand. 

"I don't even like Lisa, let alone be paired with her forever" he hissed and walked out. 
___
5 years later. 

"c'mon you're meeting your sister. She had arrived thirty minutes ago and is probably waiting for us, together with her husband." his mom told them while taking her bag and fixed her clothes. 
___
She held her tears and looked at the night sky and said, "Jungkook, we can't. As much as I wanted to be with you, we're both married to someone who we don't give a shit."

He took her hands and let her face him and said, "that's my point. If we love each other, then we'll fight for each other, for our love", to her. He kissed her hands and they shared a passionate kiss. 
___
"if only I knew that this will happen, then I wouldn't have to do that. Shit, Lei, you make me crazy"he kneeled down, holding her bruised hand. 

"shit happens, kook" she laughed. 
___
"we're divorced". They both said at the same time. She jumped on him and he twirled her, tightly holding her waist. 

"does that mean, we have a chance?" he asked her, lost in her galaxy eyes. 

"we do have a chance, we just didn't know how to find that chance" she smiled while pecking his lips. 

"if only I met you before your mom met my dad, then we would have kids by now" 
___
"I now pronounce you, husband and wife"

It wasn't as if only the Puppeteers were at fault. In fact, nobody could even begin to point fingers. After all, causing World War III was an inevitability, especially with tensions as high as they were now. 

Puppeteers... Special human beings that had the talent and skill to control the very transcendent energy lingering within themselves in order to affect the external forces lurking outside.
By controlling this energy inside of oneself, the individual would be able to rewrite the current events in the outside world.

At first, this practice was known as "sorcery", or "magic". On the contrary, magic utilized the human subconscious to access 95 percent of the stored information in the brain in order to rewrite the information of the outside world, thus creating phenomena. 
Puppeteering, however, was the manipulation of an internal energy in order to affect the external energy. Depending on the type of energy one was compatible with, a supernatural ability or set of abilities was granted to the individual. 
The name of the practice was also quite unique. "Puppeteering" indicated manipulation of something else in order to produce an event, while "magic" indicated manipulation of events in order to convert the affect of the said event.

See the difference? Good. 

The practice of controlling external events with the human structure was thought of as nothing but fiction before the year of 2668. Due to the instability between global powers growing worse, it wasn't surprising when a group of terrorists decided to attempt a potentially disastrous assignment. 

This assignment was the replication of planet Earth. Normally, this would have seemed to be a preposterous proposal, however given the proper components needed to do so, the temptation of the human design was proven dominant. 
Utilizing Puppeteers, individuals across the globe insisted on utilizing dimension-distortion-related Puppeteers to create another Earth. 
Energy was running low, after all. Wars were breaking out left and right over resources; fossil fuels were nigh-practically nonexistent, tar sands were destroying the environmental structure of Earth, and the only renewable energy source was given only to military-affiliated bodies of individuals until another effective source was found.

In all seriousness, replicating Earth was not that big of an erroneous assignment.

But problems stretching beyond Earth's hospitality would occur. The entire circadian cycle system of Earth would have potentially been disrupted or even foiled, orbits would shift in unprecedented and unknown ways, and if the mission were to be a failure, total cataclysm would occur from the dimensional changes in space.

It was safe to say that Earth's inhabitants were mostly madmen, proven when these groups insisted on proceeding with the plan anyway.
At this time, Puppeteering wasn't known as an art, or skill, but a paranormal phenomenon that was never before seen.

After several failed attempts of apprehending these individuals, and the expected deadline coming up shortly, the military of the United States of America finally decided to accept Puppeteers into their like of work and take down these people.

After no more than a week, the entire collective body responsible for multiple criminal appearances of paranormals was apprehended.

Ever since then, the art of Puppeteering was widely regarded as a life saver, as well as a destructive component if used in a negative fashion. 
But it was unconditional to mark it as a practice.

Even under these conditions, it wasn't easy to do so.
For example, the only way to obtain Puppeteering skills varied, with some through very low-chance experiments, others through heredity, and most through mutations in DNA from various means.

Therefore, an educational system prioritizing Puppeteers was created.
From there, the world spiraled out of control. Technological advancements exceeded humankind's expectations and renewable military-owned energy was gradually being forced into the general public's domain, yet human nature proceeded to be as corrupt and hypocritical as ever.

The era where the human mindset and supernatural arts of fiction decided to either coexist or exterminate the other had started.

———————————————————————

Hello! This is another fantasy story I plan to produce. I'm not sure if I have a particular schedule for which of my projects I'll be working on according to the date/day, but I am sure that I will be publishing chapters of both in intervals.
Don't forget to check out "Between Two Tides" from my good friend "TMS_Trash". His writing skills are naturally coming together as he writes but his imagination is quite interesting to read through as a web novel.
I'm expecting "The Ghost who Rises" to be a fairly long novel, needing plenty of volumes, however I'm not so sure how long this one will be. If the setting and future interest you then let me know and I'll immediately start putting together all of the plans I have.
Happy reading!

— The Clockmaker

In the futuristic setting of 2709, the young man with the unique name of ‘Vyrin’ has just began to attend one of the two most prestigious institutions in the United States: the Partnered Puppeteering Academy of the Eastern Gate.

Times have changed: the United States was compacted into two Gates: the Western and the Eastern, with urbanization taking over even the previously barren lands of the mountains in the far west. The discovery of fiction material becoming a realization has been made and the increasing production of supernatural events rose. 

In this day and age, it was almost impossible to live an ordinary life. Unfortunately, Vyrin would soon learn this first-hand.

"THERE'S SO MANY people out and about town!" Alice gasped, turning her head to follow a little boy that was holding onto a candied apple that had rushed past her.

"Yes," Wyatt beamed, his eyes pressed closed due to his smile, crinkling at the corners. "It's always rather busy in the capital of Gladiolum." 

A day after the ball, Wyatt had suggested bringing Alice around the town square to soak in the sights. He personally had to do a little shopping and thought that it would be a wonderful chance for Alice to grow more familiar with the capital. She had been living with the Ragans for nearly two weeks and yet she had barely even stepped out of the mansion's walls. It was best for young ladies to enjoy their time around town with friends. Being constantly cooped up in the study room with Charlie wasn't exactly an ideal situation in Wyatt's opinion. Of course, not that Alice had ever complained.

Strolling through the cobbled streets, Wyatt pointed out some of his personal favorite shops along the way. They passed by boutiques selling beautiful ball gowns, stores selling sparkling jewels, and even quaint little cafes that wafted out the sugary sweet scent of freshly baked pastries. However, while Alice acted as though she was very interested in those, he could tell that was all it was. An act. She simply smiled and nodded to Wyatt's words, not once asking to step into any of those stores like he had expected. Yet again she had him colored surprised.

Just the thought brought a curving smile onto his lips. The girl that his family had chanced upon was most certainly different from the rest of the girls in the capital. She stood out in such a way that there wasn't any spare place for the others to shine. She was the lone star now, a happy and proud resident of the Ragan household. While still suspicious of her origins, Wyatt couldn't help but admit to himself that he was growing fond of Alice Clemente.

"Are you not interested in any of the shops I pointed out?" He prodded. "Those are all famous names here in the capital."

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed. Wyatt watched with his practiced smile as the girl's eyes widened delightfully, eyelashes fluttering like a pair of butterfly wings under the golden sunlight. Her lips parted just a little in surprise before she quickly gathered back her wits, shaking her head politely. "They are all wonderful shops. I just… I don't have any money to buy all those things. Looking through the store window is more than enough."

For years Wyatt had worn the same smile on his face. It was his perfectly crafted mask made to shield his true emotions from the rest of the nobles. No matter what he felt inside, a smile was always the answer to dealing with those that had to be schemed against. However, every time Alice spoke or made one of her silly little expressions, he found his smiles to turn true as day.

"Let us go into that one, then." Wyatt pointed to a little bookshop down the street, a corner store with a gleaming bronze sign. "There are some things I wish to purchase."

Alice nodded. "Alright," she said.

Although her expression remained as still as possible, Wyatt still caught the slight twitch of her lips. The sparkles in her eyes practically screamed of her excitement. She couldn't fool anyone. Even the blind could tell that she was particularly eager to enter the bookshop. 

The little bell that hung above the door rang when Wyatt entered the shop. Inside, there were no other customers, simply a store clerk that had a book in hand. A pair of round spectacles rested on his crooked nose bridge, his eyes scanning the words at an immense speed before he licked his finger and flipped to the next page. At the call of the bell, the clerk looked up from his book, squinting at the door before rising to his feet. The book was placed pages-down onto the counter, a smile upon his lips.

"Master Wyatt!" The old clerk greeted enthusiastically. "I was wondering when you'll be visiting next. The books you ordered two weeks back are finally here." 

"Greetings," Wyatt replied fairly. "And thank you so much for your help with those. It's nearly impossible to find them anywhere else."

The old man waved, his cheeks reddening just a little. "It's no problem. Let me go get them for you." Shuffling towards the back of the shop, the clerk disappeared behind a dividing curtain.

"Do you come here often?" Alice asked, looking around the small bookstore with great interest. At random, she pulled out one of the books from the shelves, her fingers tracing the title of the book on the cover, feeling the indented words on the hard leather.

'History of Gladiolum. Volume III,' it read. Alice had seen a similar history book in Charlie's study room before. Making a mental note to briefly read through the contents of the book, she slotted the book back to its original position.

"Hmm, I wonder." Tapping a finger to his chin, Wyatt looked deep in thought. "I guess I do visit this store a little more than the average folk. They sell writing supplies as well as books and I run out of the former a little too often. Besides, this store is the only one in the capital that can procure rare and often out-of-print."

Walking a little further into the shop, Alice glanced through the assortment of reading materials offered. They had both fiction and non-fiction books in the store, leaning closer to non-fiction books. Most books were new copies, their covers still brightly colored while others were much older and encased in glass covers. Those books seemed old and tattered but the words were still in dark black ink, most likely having been re-written over so that it wouldn't be lost to time. 

The one that had caught Alice's attention was a purple leather-bound book that was almost as thick as a dictionary. The title of this book was written in bright, glittery gold in thick block letters. A small sign that indicated the price of the old tome was placed beside the book. Alice's eyes widened at the number of zeros, her head reeling back a little in surprise. She still wasn't sure about how the currency worked in Gladiolum but with so many zeros, the book was bound to be expensive no matter the exchange rate.

'The Theory of Magic. Volume I,' the title wrote.

"Are you interested in that one? Ooh, that's a pricey one." Wyatt's voice was right by Alice's ear, causing her to jump a little, her ears tingling from his breath. Stepping away, she held both hands to her chest, staring wide-eyed at Wyatt who looked as amused as ever.

"Just looking," she answered before firing back a question of her own. "How much is that book? I don't really know how the currency works here."

"See that symbol over there?" Wyatt gestured to the symbol behind the number as he spoke. "That's the symbol for our currency, 'fleuron'. That's the larger of the two units that we have in our country's currency. The smaller unit is known as a 'flois'. Ten flois equates to one fleuron. To give you an example of its value, five flois can buy you a piece of stale bread at the end of the day in the capital's cheapest bakery, maybe? Books, on the other hand, are usually five to ten fleurons, if it's a common title that can be easily found."

Alice gulped. Judging by the examples Wyatt provided, the currency here in Gladiolum seemed similar to the system she was used to. A single fleuron held as much value as a dollar back home and a flois would be around ten cents. Her hands were starting to feel clammy as she stared hard at the price tag of The Theory of Magic. 

"And yet this book is…" she trailed off.

"Fifteen thousand fleurons," Wyatt finished the sentence for her chirpily.

Fifteen thousand dollars.

Taking another step back, Alice no longer dared to hover near the expensive article. If anything had happened to it, she wouldn't be able to pay the store back for the damages incurred. She had never seen a book as expensive or even half as pricey. 

"Why is this book so… so…"

"Ridiculously priced?" Wyatt supplied. When Alice nodded numbly, Wyatt chuckled. "This is an ancient tome about magic. There are only five copies of this book that was ever produced. But if you're really interested in this book, there's no need for you to fork out such a hefty amount just to read it. We have a copy of it back in the mansion's library."

Flabbergasted and speechless, Alice blinked dumbly at what Wyatt had so casually revealed. Although she long knew that the Ragan mansion was a sprawling estate with many different needlessly fanciful rooms, she hadn't even thought to think that it might house precious artifacts within its walls. 

In Gladiolum, it seemed as though the gap between its people was wider than the ocean. The rich lived in heaven while the poor couldn't even afford hell.

"Why don't you take a look around the bookshop and see if there's anything that catches your eye?" Wyatt offered. "If we don't already have the book back home, I don't mind making a few extra purchases. It's the least I can do for dragging you out here with me on such a warm afternoon."

Alice's heart skipped a beat. She braved a step closer, momentarily forgetting about the book in the glass display case. Cupping her hands together as if they were in prayer, Alice beamed.

"Really? Any book?"

Wyatt's smile didn't falter. "There's no budget, if that's what you're asking."

Alice wasted no time. Her feet went scurrying across the dark wooden boards of the store, quickly scouring the bookshelves in search of any title that might help her or catch her fancy. Her fingers ran down the spines, quickly pulling out a few covers that had caught her attention, some fiction and some not. She had a feeling that most, if not all, of the non-fiction books were already available in the Ragans' library but there was no harm in bringing the books over for Wyatt to look through. These books will become her survival guide in this foreign world.

As the store clerk returned to the front counter, Wyatt slowly made his way over. However, he was still gazing in Alice's way, watching silently and bemused as the girl darted from shelf to shelf, climbing ladders and bending low in search of more. There were already over seven books in her hands and she only ever added more to the collection.

"My," the old clerk exclaimed. "I've not seen anyone so frantic for a good title since you first came to my humble store years ago. The old ladies at the bakery next block over will go mad once they hear that the young Master Wyatt is no longer single."

The white-haired man chuckled. "She's just a curious little bird my brother picked up a while back."

The old man shrugged, unconvinced, but he didn't say a word more on that topic. With a heavy thump, he placed three thick books onto the counter, the covers in the three primary colors. The titles were all written in gold, large block letters.

"This set was a little trickier to find as compared to your other requests but there you go. Though, Master Wyatt, don't mind this old man prying but are you sure you want to dabble in this subject? There's always a price to pay when you go against the laws of science."

"I can pay whatever price the world throws at me," Wyatt casually remarked. Picking up one of the books carefully with a gloved hand, he examined the old cover, grinning with satisfaction. "Besides, I'm just completing my collection. With these, the set will now be complete. There's no need to worry, sir."

"Oh well," the old clerk sighed, pursing his lips. "If you're sure, youngin. Let me wrap these up for you."

Tottering away, the elderly went to retrieve a few sheets of brown wrapping paper and some strings to bundle up Wyatt's purchases while waiting for Alice. 

Partially leaning on the counter, Wyatt continued to observe Alice. She no longer had the strength to carry the books she had picked out. Instead, she placed most of them on an empty table by one side. The stack of books was almost taller than she was and yet she continued to hunt for more, her eyes practically dripping with avarice.

'How peculiar,' Wyatt thought to himself. 'She is unaffected by fanciful dresses or glittering jewels and yet dusty old books can bring her into a craze. What an odd woman. She is most certainly a woman before her time.'

❝I want you to visit me even if it's only in your dreams.❞ 

Gifted a candle that was said to be able to make wishes come true, Alice Clemente burned it that very night only to find herself in an unknown world the next morning. 

She had wished for a life of adventure away from the city and its routine. With her wish granted, she was whisked away to a world very different from the one she grew up in. 

Thrust into a new life, would Alice learn how to adapt? Or would she fall down the rabbit hole only to never surface again?

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