[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/fvPviNm.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/Cico6gv.png[/img][/center][right][b][code]...[/code][/b][/right][right][b]Interactions: None.[/b][/right][hr][hr]

[quote][i]It begins in darkness. 

Utter, crushing darkness.

It’s just a dream.

But it’s always a dream.

And the nightmare is never over.

I feel it first — the cold seeping into my bones, the weight of a thousand shattered screams pressing against my mind. The world around me twists and warps, colors bleeding into corrosive acid, and I’m trapped inside my own body.

Nyrah’s claws tear through the night — not mine, [b]but mine[/b]. Her roar is a thunderclap inside my skull, drowning out my pleas and my desperate attempts to fight back. I’m screaming, powerlessly, as my hands tear the flesh of people I once called friends... [b]sisters[/b].

The faces haunt me — their eyes full of betrayal and fear, their voices lost in the storm.

Then, suddenly, the chaos breaks.

The roar fades.

The acid burns away.

And I am [b]alone.[/b]

Alone with the ragged pieces of myself left behind.

Breathing, shaking, remembering.

The nightmare recedes but never truly leaves.

Because the shadow inside me waits — always waiting.

But I am still here.

[b]Still me.[/b][/i][/quote][hr][center][hider=Screaming - Loathe][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGdbXTdVFVU[/youtube][/hider][/center][right][b][code]Princess' Apartment > Streets of Cloverfield.[/code][/b][hr][/right]It began in the stale air of Princess' Southbank apartment. The morning light filtered weakly through the curtains, casting long shadows over the cluttered floor. Princess stirred, slowly pushing herself out of bed. She was clad only in a faded blue tank top and worn booty shorts. Princess’s body ached—not from sleep, but from the burden she carried beneath her skin. In her [i]soul[/i].

Ļ̸̧͍̙̰̻͉̺͋̓̇̊͘͜e̴̫͔̱͑̋̏̋͘ţ̶̦͕̯̻͇͂́͂̍ ̵̧̭̱͚͎̻͎̦̅̄̿͝m̸̙̫̚e̵͈̭̤̻͆̆͘͝ ̸͖̮̳̲͚̓̀̍ȏ̴̮̿̇ù̷͓̻͇͍̿t̷͇̬̰̖̦̠̓͐͜.̴̮̭̱͚͊̍͂̉̄̕.̴̨̪̝͔̣̘͖̖̅̒̉̾̐͂́̅ͅ.̴̹̹̹͋


The whispers of Nyrah slithered through her head, quiet but unyielding. Clawing at her sanity any given second. A constant reminder that Nyrah was still there — waiting, watching,[b][i] hungry.[/i][/b] Princess pushed the voice out of her head. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and rose, shivering as the cold touched her. She slipped into her clothes, pulling on a loose red sweater and black leggings—a simple outfit. Her feet slid into some very old UGGS that were in desperate need of replacement. The worn floorboards creaked beneath her feet as she stepped into the South Bank streets, rough and scarred like the city she once called home.

She could feel the weight of countless eyes before she saw them—faces twisted in disgust and anger, murmurs sharp as knives trailing in her wake. Princess pulled her sweater tighter around her frame as she walked down the cracked sidewalk, the dull morning casting light over the worn buildings of Southbank. The voice inside her whispered again — L̸͉̲͒̇̀e̸͈̋̑̀t̷̛͓̩̗̉ ̴̝̀m̸̧̛͈̮e̷̠͔̋ ̸͎̯͈̈́ō̷̼̚u̷̪̅͜t̷̺̹̽̈͜,̴͓̦̚ ̵̥̈́P̷͖̉̽͠r̵͓̯͑i̷̗͓͆͠n̷̺͗̍͛ͅc̸̗͛ͅe̸̱̣͊s̵̬̩̖͌ṡ̶̬͜ͅ— but she forced it down, focusing on each step.

Lost in her reverie, Princess didn't notice a [url=https://i.imgur.com/5sVKWCm.jpeg]little girl, no older than nine[/url] passing by her. The two didn't even so much as make eye contact, but Princess's head whipped around to get a good look at the girl. [i][color=FFEA00]She's a little young to be wandering by herself...[/color][/i] Princess thought to herself before her head and eyes went forward, and she was distracted by the next big thing.

Ahead, a small crowd had gathered near the corner, drawn by the booming voice of a man standing atop a battered wooden crate. He wore threadbare robes emblazoned with an unsettling symbol — the one of the Heavens cult. Princess gulped as she heard of these bastards. It seemed like every day, a new corner had a crazy bastard screaming about the end of the world.

“... The end is upon us!" He screamed, swinging a bell around, "The world must be cleansed by fire and ruin, for only then will the pure rise from the ashes!”

His eyes blazed with fanatic fervor. “The Second Cataclysm will bring the Messiah’s [i][b]paradise![/b][/i] The weak and corrupt will be swept away, and only the chosen shall inherit the new dawn!”

Princess edged the crowd, listening in, the words stirred memories too close to the bone—the promise of destruction as [i]salvation[/i], the twisted faith of Heaven. She was half tempted to use that bastard Nyrah's power to spray him -[color=FFEA00][i] No. No. No No.[/i][/color] Princess sighed before she just chose to continue her way to the park. Her eyes caught a flash of recognition from a young follower — a gaunt girl clutching a ragged doll, her gaze cold and distant as she watched Princess pass. The girl’s eyes seemed to say: [i]You’re a[b] monster.[/b][/i]

Princess’s throat tightened. She turned on her heel away from the preacher’s fervent cries and pushed forward through the streets of South Bank into the Willowshade Park...

[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/gvIj9ue.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/3hcZKz3.png[/img][/center][right][b][code]The Brotherhood Outpost.[/code][/b][/right][right][b]Interactions: None.[/b][/right][hr][center][hider=Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia - Sapphire's Elegy][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNmLb2ThxPY[/youtube][/hider][/center][hr][hr]

The heavy steel door groaned as Élodie pushed it open, stepping into a cavernous chamber bathed in muted blue light alongside [url=https://i.imgur.com/RNKDrVS.jpeg]another member[/url]. Around the room’s perimeter, arcane runes pulsed softly, carved deep into the floor and rising the pillars, casting ghostly symbols in the air. The runes flared suddenly—sending ripples through the haze. Before them, shimmering figures flickered to life, translucent and towering: the holographic projections of the Brotherhood Councilors. Their robes flowed as if caught in an unseen breeze, their eyes fixed intently on the two, Élodie and the woman, who lowered her gaze with quiet respect...

"... Amethyst Vangrave," One member of the Council said, "And Élodie Séraphine Baptiste, the Council requests a status report on the situation in Cloverfield."

Élodie straightened, the Rose Petal at her hip. Beside her, Amethyst Vangrave’s posture was rigid, every movement deliberate, her gloved hands clasped behind her back. The silence between the Council’s words and her reply stretched thin.

“My lords and ladies,” Amethyst began, her voice having a distinct Belgian accent. “Cloverfield’s situation is more than we feared. The north bank has been rebuilt into a glittering facade, but across the Nimtaké, the South lies in ruin - its people abandoned, its factories rusting, and its streets claimed by the desperate. That neglect has become a breeding ground for threats. Undead activity is no longer confined to the shadows. They move openly after dusk, coordinated, as if commanded.”

Élodie stood beside her, spine straight, but her gaze flickered to the Council’s spectral faces before she spoke. “We are only five in number, and the South demands all our attention. Patrols have been lost—not to direct assault, but to calculated misdirection. Fires, staged riots, and cries for help that lead us into dead ends. And on several occasions… doubles. Things wearing our faces, our voices, watching us before slipping away.”

Amethyst inclined her head toward the Council. “The mountain tremors are growing more frequent. Old creatures are leaving their hiding places. Werewolves on the outskirts. Rumors of new vampire covens. If something older than Nyrah has been stirred, we are not prepared to face it without reinforcements.”

One of the Councilors—a tall, robed figure with his face hidden—spoke first. His voice was smooth, yet carrying none of the urgency Élodie had hoped for. “The decay on the South Bank is unfortunate, but hardly unexpected. That district had festered long before Nyrah’s arrival. It is not our concern. Our priority lies elsewhere.”

A woman cloaked in shadow leaned forward, her voice cold as a blade.

“The Vampire Hunter and Undead Hunter were lost during the Cataclysm, their fates unknown. Without them, the city’s defenses falter.”

Her gaze sharpened. “But the Dragon Hunter — that relic from the Brotherhood’s deepest archives — was deployed only once, a weapon of last resort to slay Nyrah herself. If that weapon still survives, it represents our only hope to stop what still stirs beneath Cloverfield’s surface.”

A third Councilor let out a dry chuckle, “Élodie Baptiste, you lost the Undead Hunter once before. How do we know you won’t lose them again? The stakes are higher now. Failure is not an option.”

Élodie’s jaw tightened, but she kept her gaze steady. [color=cd7ccc]”... It was not by my choice.”[/color]

“Words are cheap,” the Councilor replied. “Actions are not. Be vigilant.”

Amethyst’s lips twitched—whether in amusement or irritation, Élodie couldn’t tell. No mention was made of the South Bank’s suffering, the doppelgangers wandering the streets, or the civilians caught between magic and madness. The Council’s sole focus was the Hunters.

“The Hunters are your mission,” The lead councilor declared. “Not the beggars’ districts. Do you understand?”

Both Amethyest and Elodie bowed and spoke in unison.

[b][i][color=#CD7CCC]"[/color][color=#D086CF]U[/color][color=#D490D3]n[/color][color=#D89AD7]d[/color][color=#DCA4DB]e[/color][color=#E0AEDF]r[/color][color=#E4B8E3]s[/color][color=#E7C2E7]t[/color][color=#EBCCEB]o[/color][color=#EFD6EF]o[/color][color=#F3E0F3]d[/color][color=#F7EAF7].[/color][color=#FBF4FB]"[/color][/i][/b]

The holographic Councilors flickered, their forms wavering as the runes dimmed and the chamber’s muted blue light settled back into stillness. The heavy steel door behind them groaned once more, sealing the chamber. Élodie exchanged a brief, sharp glance with Amethyst. The cold dismissal of the South Bank gnawed at her—a part of Cloverfield she knew all too well and could not ignore. But here, in this room, duty demanded focus on the task at hand.

“... The Council may care only for the Hunters," Amethyst began, "The city is falling apart. We cannot afford to have tunnel vision.”

[color=cd7ccc]”I agree, sister,”[/color] Elodie nodded. [color=cd7ccc]”The situation could easily get far, far, worse. Far beyond the help of the Dragon Hunter.”[/color]

Amethyst squared her shoulders. “I’m taking the Paladins out for a sweep. We’ll track any signs of the Hunters... But, I think it's time we check up on Nyrah's host.”

[color=cd7ccc]”You are correct,”[/color] Elodie said, [color=cd7ccc]”Nyrah's containment [i]is[/i] fragile.”[/color]

They gave each a silent nod as Elodie pushed the doors open. Élodie paused just beyond the threshold, the cold air of the corridor brushing against her skin. She closed her eyes, took a slow breath, and began the incantation. Her voice was low and steady, weaving the ancient words that summoned the Corvid Shift.

Her fingers traced a delicate arc through the air, the faint glow of her Green Lux pulsing with each syllable. Feathers sprouted where her arms had been, spreading wide like midnight wings. Her body lightened and shrank until she stood no taller than a real crow. With a few strong beats of her wings, she lifted off silently, soaring out of the outpost and into the shadowed skies above Cloverfield toward the fragile prison where Nyrah’s host was held.

Below, the city of Cloverfield sprawled—divided, damaged, dangerous. But for now, Élodie soared, a silent watcher preparing to face whatever darkness awaited.

[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/fvPviNm.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/gvIj9ue.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/Cico6gv.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/3hcZKz3.png[/img][/center][right][b][code]Willowshade Park.[/code][/b][/right][right][b]Interactions: None.[/b][/right][hr][hr]

The sky hung low and gray over Willowshade Park, the chill in the air seeping into Princess’s skin despite the fading afternoon light. She sat slumped on a bench, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. The grime of her cramped Southbank apartment still clung to her, but even here, the world felt cold and unwelcoming.

Nyrah’s voice whispered again.

“̶̤̅͋̈́͑͠͠L̶͙̱̼͔̜̃̃̽̇̄͆͝ȩ̶̩̩̦̮̻̝͌͌͐́̓͑͛̌͗t̶̡̩͈̖̳̭̞͎̭̞̙̀̑̂͋̉̇̏̎̿̐̇̀ͅ ̸̗̟͔̌̿͆̌͑̄͆̀̄̓͠m̴͍̬͔̐͒̎͠ę̷͈̼͈͉̺̓̑ ̴͈̯̘̈̒̿̃̀̔̃͝o̷̡̬̖̟̱͍͋̂͑̿̓̏̽͑̈̂̊̅̚ų̸̢͓͇̜̗̫̩͙̹̹͋̅͑̂̿͐͘͝ṯ̸̛̙̦̪̱̗̺͋͑̄̈́͛̀̔̌͊͂̆͜,̵͉͙̩̣̆͐̌̃́͂͌ ̷̢̢̙͖̺̖͓̫̯͠͝P̸̦̬̲̀̀̑́̏̇̋̚͠r̶̢̛̖̼̮̺̠͈̬̘͇̩̻̅̂̾͝ḯ̴̡̜̱͚̠̉̈́͐́̾ͅn̷͙̟̫̜̬̋͐͒̿͌̏̽̈̿̏͝͝͝ͅc̵̦̗̾́̉͂́̑̐̅̂̍̋̆͠ě̵̝̤̟̘̓͆̈́̏̕͠ͅs̵̡̲͔̪͓̹͙͙̦̄͒̊̎̽̈́̂̇͜s̷̫͑͛͌̉̃͐͠͠.̶̨̘̲̗̳̝͇͍̖̮̃́̿͊͗́̓̕͜͝ͅ ̷̨͖̜͖͙̜̝̥̀͛́͊̾̿̒̍̃̎͐̅̚͜L̷̩̳̪͚̼̰͙͒e̷̯͉̮̝̲̼̗̲̘̣͑̃̒́̋̈́̉̅͝͝t̶̡̗̞̩̖̝̒͜ͅ ̷̡̫̻̦̮̞̇͛̅͗͘͘͜͝m̵͎̜̮̿̅̒̕e̴̘͌̀̓̋̌̉̈́́̊̀̕ ̵̭͆͂͊̈́͊͌̇͝r̷̢̡͙̯̻̞̹̰̲̝͉̦̲̊̃̿̽̒͒͂̃̍͘͝ä̶̢͓͈̱̬͙̬̟̟̤̲͔̪́̈̑̾͑̄͐ģ̴̓͑͋̓͌̏̓̈́̀̎̈̑e̸̛̳̰̯͖͚̹̍͒̀͋̎̿̅̎̍͝͝.̵͈̓͛͌́́ ̵̢̢͔̟̺͉̙̙̜̻͍̱̇͜L̶̲̙͖͔̈̓̐͜ḛ̸͈̟̰̊ţ̶̣̦͇̫̳̩̠͚̀̊͂̈́̂̓͛̈͒͌̓́͝ ̵̡̡̨̝̤̗͎̫͍̗̦̣͇͒͋̔͆̓́̄̏m̴̭͔͓̠̜̙̮̋͌̏͝ͅe̶͚̻͔̫͔͍̞͓͑̀̑̎̆̀̓̂̐́͋̀͘ͅ ̵̠̹͈̜̳̼̠̟̳͌̍̽̎́͌̎͜t̸̡̛̮͍̣̹͍̽͋̐̿͂̒̈́̈́̐͗͂̚ả̸̧̝̘͚͎̫̮̬̫̖̰̼̟͒̊̕͠ķ̵̬̬͎̦̺̲̫͚͍̏͂̿́̚͘͜͜ȩ̷̞͓̞̼̰̥̤̪̭̇͛͜ͅ ̷̛̗̳̜̱͖̲̄̎̋̓͋̿͛̒͝ͅç̶̛͙͇̺̹͋̅́̄̅̿̉͐͆͐̕͝ö̸̞̟͔̹̀͊͂̏͗͂͆̈́̄ň̴̨̠̥͈̂̀́̓͒̾̒̍͐͝͝t̸̢͚͎̮̺̞͕̀̌͋́͒͒̂̑͝ͅr̴̛͈͛̊̓͊̎͒̍͐̅͆̾̿͜o̸̳̖̭͍̣̰͔͔̳͉͊͛͆̽̈́͜l̷͇̳͛̽̑̈̏̒̈̅̈́̾͒͐.̵͙̥͑̇͛̿̎̇̀̂͗”̶̼̞̜͍̻͚̤̏̅̑́͛̕

Princess clenched her jaw, biting down the tremor that threatened to shake her resolve. The voice was never far, never silent, like a dark pulse beneath her own heart. From the twisted branches overhead, a sudden rustle caught her attention. A black crow perched nearby. It cocked its head, regarding her with an unsettling intelligence. For a moment, the bird’s dark eyes seemed almost [i]human[/i].

Before she could react, the crow’s body shimmered, feathers dissolving into shadow and smoke. In their place stood a woman—small, yet commanding—her cotton candy pink afro a stark contrast to the dark cargo pants and combat boots she wore. Her presence radiated an eerie calm, and her deep brown eyes met Princess’s with a smile.

[i]Élodie Séraphine Baptiste.[/i] The Brotherhood’s watcher. Someone that Princess is all too familiar with. Despite the woman's smile, Princess could only respond with a roll of her eyes as she sank back.

[color=FFEA00]”... Elodie,”[/color] Princess strained as her head flew upwards towards the sky. [color=FFEA00]”What do I owe the occasion to [i]this time?[/i]”[/color]

Elodie smile grew wider as she placed a hand on her hip, [color=cd7ccc]”Princess, you sound[i] excited[/i] to see me.”[/color] She spoke in a thick French accent.

Princess just shrugged in response, [color=FFEA00]”You always show up when I don't want company.”[/color]

[color=cd7ccc]”Come now, mademoiselle,”[/color] Elodie began, [color=cd7ccc]”Aren't we [i]friends?[/i] I know it's-”[/color]

[color=FFEA00]”... [i]'My sworn duty to protect mankind,'[/i]”[/color] Princess groaned, rolling her eyes. [color=FFEA00]”Just get to the point. What do you want this time? Another reminder that Nyrah’s still clawing at my mind? Another lecture about control and responsibility? Another lowkey [i]threat[/i] that your people are going to kidnap me and send me to some monastery in Europe?”[/color]

Elodie awkwardly laughed as she folded her hands behind her back and took several significant steps towards the bench. [color=cd7ccc]”May I have a seat?”[/color] 

[color=FFEA00]”You're going to sit anyway,”[/color] Princess groaned again, lowering her gaze to meet Elodie's.

[color=cd7ccc]”I'll take that as a yes,”[/color] Elodie sat down next to Princess. [color=cd7ccc]”No lectures today. Just a check-in. Someone has to make sure you’re not slipping... I know it’s been hard. You carry a war inside you, and it’s wearing you down. But that voice—that...[i] thing[/i]—isn’t you. It’s a parasite, mademoiselle. Nothing more. Nothing less.”[/color]

[color=FFEA00]”Like I don't know,”[/color]

[color=cd7ccc]”Yet here you are, alive and breathing. You’re holding it together better than most would,”[/color] Elodie smiled at Princess, [color=cd7ccc]“That’s why I’m here. To remind you you’re not alone. The Brotherhood didn’t send me just to watch; we’re here to help. To contain. To protect.”[/color]

Nyrah’s voice seeped back in, curling around the words like smoke slipping through fingers.

“̵̡̙͈̦̿͑́̕͝͝͝H̷̝͎̱̬̋̾̀̍̓͂̒̀̕̚ͅo̶̰͗̏͂͌͆̕͝w̴̤̳͓͈̫̅̋̾̀ ̸̞̥̤̙̓̈́̀̆̇͛̋̽͐̓͠c̶̛͉͓̮͚͈̞̟͚̔̀̽̎͘̕͜͜͝͝͝a̴̩̍̅͒̋̔̈́͂̚n̷̛̜̤̓͋̋̄̕͠͠͠ ̵͍̠̟͗͐͑̔̒̋̕͜͝͠͠͝͝y̵̡̡͍̺̲̳̳̦͌̿̓͌̚̕̚͝o̵̙̫͕̳̤͐̽́̍̏͌͑̏͛͠ư̵̯͇̺̬̹̟̗̾̾̉̍̄̕̕̕͝ ̸̢̡̛̳̘͚̬̗̞̠̹̠̆̉̔̿̄͂̈́͊͌̕͝ͅs̶̨̤̦̺̤̟̞̭̤̓̈́̔͋̎̿̎͛͂̚t̵̨̡̛̤̟̝̙̻̯̪̥́̔͐͐͛̋̾͂͌͝ͅì̷̞͕̗̺̦̟͉͓̅̑̋͂̿̔͌͛̎͘l̴̪̥̝̤̥̰̥̤̪̥̙̓͒͌̏̏̽̑̑́̒̎͝l̶̛͇̬̝͎̈́̉̀̀̆̌̽͂̄̚͘ ̷͉͙̞̮̰̠͎̝̎̄̓̏̋́̾̏̚͝h̷̥͓̦͔̬͉̙̤͙̃̊̈́͋̾̔͑͊̎̑͠a̵̡͈̺͔̮͓̐̈́̋̎́̓̿̿̓̓̚͜ͅṽ̵̡̛̫̥̰͕̮̤̙͌͌͌̑̓̚͘͠͝ͅe̴̛̛̠̰̫̜̖͆̅̀̆͐̏̓͜͝ ̴̛͉̻͍͚̬̯̞̟̾̀̔̎̋̓͛̿̅̇̕[b][i]c̷͔͉̰̞̠̞̥̪͓̦͔̙͐͋̍̎̈́̇͂̐͘̚͘̕͠ơ̵̢̢͎͔̗̥̹̱̝̞͛̈́̾̓̈́̇͐̚͝͝ͅͅn̵̠̼̥͈̠͙̹̿̽̾̄̄͛̀̈́̀̄̅͜ṫ̵̺͓̤̐̇͋̅̈́͊̅̅͜͠r̴̨̯̲̮͎̯̙̯͉̥͎̰̆̄̉̉͛̈́͂̇̔̕ơ̵̡̛̪̫̥͖̥͍͍̦͓̘͙͐̔͛̄̄̈́͘͝͠l̷̛̟̳͈̰̱̞̾̿̏̈́̇́̋́̕͝ͅ?̴̡̛̜̻̯͎̇̓͑̈́̈́̒̄̈́͋͗ͅ[/i][/b]”̷̨̛̛̛̖͇̙͇͎̞̦͇͎̇̀̒̽͑͂͌̚͠

Princess flinched involuntarily.

[color=cd7ccc]”Nyrah's been around longer than some universes! She's clever,”[/color] Elodie said, [color=cd7ccc]”She may not be a problem [i]now.[/i] But she's timeless. You are not. She's going to gradually try to scrape at your walls, looking for an opening to break free. Or worse.[i] Regain control[/i].”[/color]

Regain control.

[i]Regain control.[/i]

[i][b]Regain control.[/b][/i]

[h3][i][b]Regain control.[/b][/i][/h3]

Princess’s eyes snapped open, her breath hitching sharply. The weight behind Elodie’s words hit her like a hammer—cold, merciless, and deeply personal.

“̴̢̩̖̿͊̋̑͒̋͌̚̕ͅY̷̙͍͙̠͍͎̦͍̹̓̐̈́͘͝͝͠͠͝O̷͍͊́̋̓͗̋͑͆͘͘̕͠͠Ừ̸̤͊͛̓̄̓̿͘͝͠ ̵̛͔̖̞̰͙͎͚̤͓̹͌͐̓̋̈́̐́̏̋͆C̶̤͙͕̝̩͐̄̓͑̅̇̏͐̕͝ͅȀ̵̛̗͐̈́̏̇̐̄͘͠͝N̷̡̛͔͙͉̞̟̠̟̮̏̔̽̀͛͋̓̍͝N̴̛͉̰̹͍̖͇̲͓̗̝̈́͆̐́̆̀̽͘̚O̷̡̩̙̠̮̤̥͍̥͙͛͂̐̿͋̔̀̓̅͠͝T̷̤̱̲̱̙̳͐͌̈́̐̒̅̎̈́̑͝ ̸̡̪͚̱͙̬̟̲̜̥͇͐̎͐̓̐͗̏̔̒͜͝ͅH̴̢̤̫̠͈͎̝̩̬̗̲̫̗̗̞͛̏͛͐̈́̋͋̋͘͠͠E̴͔̱̪̻̤̺͉̰͂̽̽͊̐́̾̚̚͠ͅL̷͓͍̱̫̰̥̟̬̥͓̀̈́̿͛̈́͆̾̈́͘̕͝P̶̨̡̡̹̮͕͚̖̠̠̦͙͚͔̻̈́͛̇̽̒̐̇̐̅́͜.̴̢̡͔̘͉̗͇̯̰̪͖̟͛͗͐́̎̈́͋̆̎͗̑͆͐”̸̨̨̠̰̋͐͊̒͛͗̓̓͗̕͘͠ͅ

Princess’s teeth clenched until the taste of blood filled her mouth. She buried her face in her hands, rocking slightly on the bench...Elodie’s voice softened but carried an edge of steel. [color=cd7ccc]“Nyrah won’t stop pounding until she breaks you down. But you can stop her. You have to. The longer you let her chip away, the harder it gets.”[/color]

Princess clenched her thighs with her fingertips until blood began to drip down. The more Elodie talked, the more she wanted to...

[i][b].̴̯̃͆̄.̷̨̣̺̥̠̮̥̳͖̤̝̽̐̋̈́́̿͜͜.̵̘͇̻̠̝̥͚̅̌̈̿̓͛.̴̰̮̓̎̎͐̉̂̃̈̒͐̇̚̚.̵̧͈̭̞̼͎̱͓̖̬͈͚̟͐̒̆͋̀̾̏̍̓̆̿̿͒͜͠͝.̶̡̨̢̩̮̲͙́̽̓͒̄̊͗.̸͖̈̓̈́̆̐̂̍̒̐̇̆̒͌.̷̨̮̺̮͍̥̩̭͚̄̑̾̓͆̓͐.̶̩͓͍̜͇͇͚͛̃̒̀̂̀̓̎́̀̑̀͜ͅͅ.̴̱͎̱͉̺͉̱̳̾̿̒̊͌̽̇̀́̇̒͘͝.̸̡̛̰̘̝̭͉̺̣̥̲̙̺́͑̌͊̍̑̆̎̊́̃͋̕͝.̶͇̐̀̀͑̎̾̊͒̀͘̚͘͘.̶̧͔̼͈̲̱͖̩̪͕̗͙̦͚́̐̎͝.̶̡̮̼̪̾͗͌͌̈́̓̐̎̈̇͛͌̏̃.̷̡̥̣̲̣̅̌.̷͎̝͈̞̦̜̱͉̀̉̐̋̍͋̅̄̿̆.̵̗͙̋̒̾̆̒͒̔̅͝.̸̲̓̓̂̓͊͛K̶̢̡̬̮̫̰̣̱̰̱̞̑̀́̎͂́͛͒͐͌̃̕Į̶̢̛͕̝̻̝͈̰̩̻̖͍̰̓̏͑̒͊͐͊͂̈͆̔̓̕̚͜ͅĽ̶̡̧̡͕̝̟̦̪̱̺̗̥̦ͅL̷̨̪͔̭̒ ̵̧̛̛̛̠̦͇̓͐̌̓̈́͒̈̔̓͘͠H̶̼̠͚̺͙͉̙͇̳̫̬̬͉̀̔͂͠E̴̯͔̺͉͕̫̘̝̐̿͋̈́̀Ṛ̶̢̨̞͇̥̫̖̝͉̻̬̻̔͑́͒̾́̿̒̇͆͘͠͝͝.̴̤̭̞̈́.̵̲͓̿̃̈́͐͒͐̌̀̀̾̉̕̕͝.̸̗̳͈̮̠̱̻̲͍̠̙́͊̒́͒̈́͌̎̑̕͘͝.̶̢͐͛̆̋̍̾.̸̡̙̫̟̹̣̘̟̪̻̖̪͔̉̄́͊̽͗̽̅̾̉̇͆̃̍.̴̧̮̺̯̲̼̙̫̼̄̉̈́̀͂̆͑̊̈̈́͝͝.̷̢̳͍͇̜̠̭̖͐͊̓͊̃̅.̸̻̭̞͕̫̀̾̉̃͆͒̅̌́͐̀̔.̷̡̧̻̯̥͔̣̘͚̊̎͊̓̾̍.̴̮̻̼̆͑̾̓̉͋͊͘͜.̸̛̗̪̦̏̈̈̓͐̈́́̓̾̎̃̚.̵̳̹̲̭̫͕͚̺̩̒̄͐̏̔̃͆̾̈́͘ͅ.̸̧̫̜̮̦͉͇̦̲̹͎̊̈̕͘͜ͅ.̴̡̧̧͙̟͖̯̞͈̮͙̳̭̪̈́.̶̜͂͘̕.̵̡̛̫̖̟͇̩̬̮̠̤̭̖̙̏̊̒͒̆̊̿̇̃͂͠ͅ.̴̨̲̤̬͕̺̦̗̝̗́̏͐̃̈́̾̿̎̈͒̚̕̕[/b][/i]


Princess couldn't take it anymore. She barked out, desperately trying to keep her voice down, yet failing, [color=FFEA00]”Look, Elodie, can you please just shut the fuck-”[/color] Princess’s plea was swallowed by a sudden, searing agony clawing up her right arm. She gasped, eyes widening in shock and pain as her fingers twisted, nails sharpening into jagged claws. Thick grey scales burst through her skin like molten shards, spreading with a sickening crackle. Her arm convulsed violently, the flesh and bone reshaping into a grotesque talon. She gritted her teeth, a strangled cry escaping as every nerve flared [i]white-hot.[/i]

Elodie’s calm facade shattered in an instant. She lunged forward, grasping Princess’s transforming arm with a fierce grip—not to stop it, but to ground her. [color=cd7ccc]"Don’t let her win by surrendering to the change!”[/color]

Nyrah’s voice surged like a hurricane in Princess’s mind, pounding at her sanity.

[h1][i][b]“̴̯͖̿̿͝͝K̸͎͕͆́̃ͅÍ̶̩̭͓̖L̸̢̦̻̯̅L̴̡̍̈ ̶̛͔̆̋͜H̵͈͊E̶̘̻̲̔̂̒͊R̷̪͌͒̈́ͅ!̸͔́̽̇”̴̤̣͍̰̍̆[/b][/i][/h1]

Princess shook her head violently, tears threatening to spill. [color=FFEA00]“I—can’t... I don’t want this—”[/color] The claw on Princess’s arm flexed again, tearing deep grooves in the bench, sending splinters flying. The serpentine limbs writhed beneath her skin like living things. The room—or rather, the park—felt suffocating. Princess’s breath hitched as panic flooded her senses.

Without warning, she yanked her arm back, the grotesque claw scraping with a wet, rattling sound. The pain was unbearable—but she stood, shaking and desperate.

[color=cd7ccc]”Mademoiselle-”[/color] Elodie tried to say.

[color=FFEA00]”Elodie, no,”[/color] Princess said, raising a hand at Elodie as she took cautious steps back as Elodie took cautious steps forward. [color=FFEA00]”I have to go. If you actually had a shred of decency, [i][b]you won't follow.[/b][/i]”[/color]

Princess didn't wait for a response. Instead, she spun on her heel and took off running, clenching her bloodied and scaly arm. The madness clawed again, and she tore forward into the shadows of the city.
[i]
Run. Fight. [b]Survive.[/b][/i]

Because if she stopped now... if she let Nyrah break her—

There would be nothing left of her at all.

And that was a price she refused to pay.