"The sharpest betrayals don’t come from enemies—they come from those you thought you could trust."
Notty pushed herself forward, each step heavier than the last. The place had become a labyrinth of tangled threads and shifting shadows, the once-vivid colors now faded and dull. Her chest ached with exhaustion, but she couldn’t stop. Ludikrousz’s voice—faint and distant—was the only thing driving her onward.
“Hold on,” she whispered, more to herself than to him. “I’m coming.”
The path ahead twisted into a spiral of golden threads, their light dim and flickering. As Notty reached out to steady herself, the threads shifted, weaving into a shimmering image of her studio. She froze, her breath catching as the illusion solidified around her.
It wasn’t just her studio—it was somehow perfect. The chaotic sketches and scraps of fabric were gone, replaced by neatly organized designs and flawless garments on display. Even the air smelled different, like fresh lavender and polished wood.
For a moment, she wanted to believe it was real. She wanted to sink into the comfort of this perfect version of her world and forget about the nightmare she was trapped in. But then she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her face looked worn, her eyes hollow and tired. Her once-bright magic flickered weakly around her hands, like a candle on the verge of being snuffed out. The sight sent a cold wave of clarity through her.
“This isn’t real,” she said aloud, her voice trembling. “It’s an illusion.”
“Are you sure about that?” a voice replied, smooth and familiar.
Notty turned sharply to see a figure emerge from the shadows. Her heart dropped as recognition hit her like a blow. It was her aunt, Lirien.
Lirien had always been a steady presence in her life—a quiet, calming force who’d supported her when no one else would. She’d been the one to encourage Notty to pursue her designs, the one who had soothed her during her darkest moments. Seeing her now, here in this place, felt like stepping onto unsteady ground.
“What are you doing here?” Notty demanded, her voice sharp with confusion.
Lirien’s smile was faint, almost wistful. “I could ask you the same thing, my dear. This place is not for you.”
“You’re avoiding the question,” Notty snapped, her fear bubbling into anger. “How are you here? And what do you know about the shadow?”
Lirien tilted her head, her expression unreadable. “I know more than you realize, Notty. More than you’re ready to understand.”
Notty’s chest tightened. “What does that mean?”
“It means,” Lirien said, stepping closer, “that you’re not the only one with a connection to the astral plane. Our family has always been tied to this place... to its power.”
Notty stumbled back, the weight of Lirien’s words pressing down on her. “You’re working with it, aren’t you? With the entity.”
Lirien’s expression didn’t change, but her silence was answer enough.
“How could you?” Notty’s voice cracked, a mixture of disbelief and betrayal. “You were supposed to protect me! You were supposed to be on my side!”
“I am on your side,” Lirien said calmly, though her tone carried a sharp edge. “Everything I’ve done has been for you. For your power. You don’t understand what you’re capable of, Notty. But the entity does. It can help you reach your full potential.”
“I don’t want its help!” Notty shouted, her magic sparking weakly around her fingers. “It’s destroying everything I care about. It took Ludikrousz—”
“And it will give him back,” Lirien interrupted, her voice turning cold. “But only if you cooperate.”
Notty stared at her, her heart racing. “You’re lying.”
Lirien’s gaze softened, but there was no warmth in it. “I’m giving you a choice, Notty. Work with the entity, embrace your destiny, and save Ludikrousz... or fight it—and lose everything.”
The words hung in the air, suffocating in their weight. Notty wanted to scream, to lash out, but the exhaustion in her bones and the flickering of her magic made her feel powerless.
“I’ll never work with it,” she said finally, her voice shaking but resolute. “And if you’re helping it, then you’re my enemy.”
Lirien sighed, her expression almost pitying. “You’re making a mistake, my dear.”
Before Notty could react, Lirien raised her hand, and a dark thread shot toward her, wrapping tightly around her wrist. Pain lanced through her arm, spreading like fire as the thread pulsed with dark magic.
“What are you doing?” Notty gasped, struggling against the binding.
“I’m giving you a lesson,” Lirien said, her voice eerily calm. “Power comes with sacrifice. And if you won’t see reason, then you’ll face the consequences.”
The thread tightened, and Notty cried out as her magic was siphoned away, leaving her feeling hollow and fragile. The room around her began to warp, the illusion of her studio dissolving into a dark void.
“Stop!” she shouted, tears streaming down her face. “You don’t have to do this!”
Lirien’s face hardened. “I’m sorry, Notty... but this is for your own good.”
With a final, agonizing pull, the thread snapped, and Notty collapsed to the ground, her body trembling. She felt drained, as though the very essence of her magic had been ripped away.
Lirien stood over her, her expression unreadable. “You’ll understand one day,” she said softly. “When you’re ready.”
And then she was gone, leaving Notty alone in the suffocating darkness.
Notty didn’t know how long she lay there, her body too weak to move. The place around her was eerily silent, the threads of light dim and lifeless. But she wasn’t finished... not yet.
She forced herself to her feet, her legs shaking as she reached for the faint glow of a thread nearby. It pulsed weakly in her hand, but it was enough. Enough to remind her that she wasn’t alone. That Ludikrousz was still out there, waiting for her.
“Hold on,” she whispered, her voice hoarse but determined. “I’m not giving up.”
As Notty stumbled forward, the void around her began to shift, dark tendrils creeping closer. In the distance, a faint figure appeared, its form flickering like a dying flame. Notty’s heart raced as she realized it was Ludikrousz—but he wasn’t moving, and the shadows were closing in.