FOREVER BOUND
sault, each drop a tiny, icy hammer
coat, its icy breath a chilling reminder
plation, now felt like a monstrous maw, its s
in the relentless drumming of
The prophecies swirled, a chaotic tempest of imag
e safety of my small apartment, a haven of quiet
claustrophobic, the walls closing in, the air thick
ts familiar fabric offering little
ared into my mind, pulsed with a relentless rhyt
silver locket, its cool surface a stark cont
surface, felt strangely alive, pulsi
a desperate anchor in the face of overwhelming f
ish blur of fragmented tho
evious night as a bizarre dream, a figment of an overac
illing certainty in Karen's eyes, they
ressed down on me, a crushing burd
ues of bruised purple and somber gre
d to understand, to act. I needed an
a drawer, a map of the old city, a labyrint
nous red ink, pulsed with a sini
exus of forgotten lore, a place where secrets were traded in hush
ere, but it was my only lead, my only
shadow seemed to writhe with menace, ever
, a strange mixture of antic
ing, tucked away in a narrow, grimy alley, it's d
e energy, a tangible sense of the unkno
ng with a mournful creak. A tarnished brass bell, its
dust, aged paper, and something else... something anci
ked with a morbid rhythm, their relentless pulse a hyp
usly like human skin, lined the shelves,
ingers, lay scattered on the counters, their purpose a my
s and silver hair as white as moonlight sat readin
assessing, judging. A faint smile played on her lips,
e a low, resonant hum that vibrated in m
he know?" But in her eyes, despite the chilling intensity of her g
g in the far corner of the shop, a fleeting glimpse of so
ld and violent, extinguished the flickering gas
ntic beating of my own heart and a low, guttural gro
sent a fresh wave of fear through me. "Welcome, Belle," t
seemed to grow louder, its words more distinct. "Welcome, Be
shadows on the walls. The shop owner, her eyes glinting wit
ious. "Let us discuss the Codex Obscura. Y
this enigmatic woman. But something ab
then another, until I stood
ion as she reached beneath the counter a
ge symbols and markings that see
" is like the Codex Obscura. A book of sec
book. But as my fingers made contact with the cover, I felt a su
ing wen
oor, my head throbbing with pain. The shop owner s
t to happen. But you must understand, the Cod
tions. What secrets did the book hold? And what