Mystic Resonance

Escape from the BEAUTY-ful Ice Garden

I'm cold; so cold. Why was I cold? Where was I? I slowly opened my eyes to see a glass ceiling with vines and leaves. I noticed how stiff and immobile my limbs were. I looked at my wrists to see vines tied in front of my chest. I tugged my legs only to feel more vines wrapped over my ankles. Also, I was lying on a bed full of flowers and some of them were over my wrists. I struggled against the vines, but they wouldn't break. I was getting colder by the minute. How did I get here? All I remembered was getting sucked in by Gregory's book.

Gregory.

Why didn't I see the signs? The story revolves around the protagonist marrying the town's hero for protection. The villagers threw hints and gestures for me to be with him. Also, that bastard almost KISSED ME! And I almost let him! Damn it! When I get out of here, he'll be the first one whose butt I'm kicking.

"Good evening." Great. I had the pleasure of seeing the author/mastermind gracing his presence. "Did you have a pleasant sleep?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Did you think I would fall for you after you kidnap me?"

"I wouldn't think of it as kidnapping more along the line of protecting."

I rolled my eyes. "Spare me of your fake shining knight in armor spiel. What are you going to do with me?"

"I never intended to hurt you." I huffed. "I need to get you out of harm's way. Happiness is drawing near."

"You not hearing me say I'm not interested in you!"

His face was drawing closer to mine. "Why couldn't you accept my offer? With you by my side, you will be a god. Everything will be at your disposal. You can be the pearl to this giant oyster. Your life will be perfect. Everyone will be at your beck and call. You can have a happy ending! Join me, Beauty. Stay with me." This guy was coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs.

"You know you're not the first guy who kidnaps and "kindly asks" for my hand", I said, "Let me say this as kindly as I can: you are one fucked up Fruit Loop. I will never join you."

Gregory sat up straight glaring at his once warm eyes. "You are making a mistake, Beauty. You do not want to disapprove of me,", he threatened.

"It's Leo, dipshit. It's not hard to forget. I said your name many times and it wasn't hard."

The man sat on my bed(?) as he took out his book. "Did you know you were not supposed to be Beauty?" What? "Confused? Ah, yes. The role was to be given to Merrill; unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, the book chose you instead."

I blinked, grasping the information I was given. Merrill was supposed to be Beauty? The book chose the roles of? "I don't get it. I thought you were the author. You created this world and everyone's purpose."

"Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there lived a strong huntsman. He was adored by everyone for his strength and handsomeness." Oh, give me a break. It's obvious he's talking about himself. "Women throw themselves at his feet. Men wish to befriend him. His home was paradise. There was one person throughout the entire village who never glanced his way: Beauty.

"However, that was never her name. Her beauty had no parallel so the village calls her Beauty since no one could compare. The hunter falls for her, but Beauty never looked his way. The man cherished and admired her from afar gifting her with flowers, gifts, and games. The woman made no advances to his efforts. Her objections made him accept the challenge. The hunter brought in bigger and grander valuables, yet it didn't change Beauty's decision. Rejection after rejection and he didn't let it bother him. That was until one awful day.

"Her father disappeared after a trip out of town. Determine to find him, Beauty set out to look; her father returned yet his daughter wasn't with him. The old man was yammering on about a beast, a hideous creature living in an abandoned castle that kidnapped his daughter. The villagers laughed at his tale. The hunter did not see it as a joke. So, the man was on a mission to set out to save Beauty. He wouldn't let anything stand in his way. He was so foolish.