We are taught that strength is what keeps us alive.
So he became strong.
Strong enough to endure the battlefield. Strong enough to command men into hell and lead them back out. Strong enough to win a war that should have destroyed him.
They called h...
The moment we stepped inside, her human disguise unraveled like smoke. Now she's back to her true form. Tall, impossible angles, ribbons of yellow cloth drifting in air that isn't moving. Her presence hums against the walls like the house itself is trying to remember what reality used to be.
Meanwhile I'm in the kitchen, opening the fridge.
Priorities.
I grab a can of Rockstar Energy and crack it open.
Y/N: I needed that.
Estir watches the can like it might hatch.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Estir: What is that substance?
Y/N: Rocket fuel.
Estir: You are consuming rocket fuel?
Y/N: Technically citrus flavored anxiety.
I take a long drink.
She leans closer, fascinated.
Estir: Mortals truly survive by ingesting strange liquids.
Y/N: You literally eat worship.
Estir: That is entirely different.
Y/N: Sure it is.
She circles me slowly.
Estir: Your world is endlessly bizarre.
Y/N: Wait till you see reality television.
I toss the empty can into the trash and walk into the living room where the book sits on the table.
The pages shift when I touch them.
That thing always feels like it's breathing.
I flip ahead until the next title appears.
MASQUERADE
Yeah. That sounds suspicious already.
Estir immediately slides closer, excitement practically vibrating through her voice.
Estir: Ah! The masquerade act!
Y/N: You sound real happy about that.
Estir: It is a celebration scene. Symbolic. The Host joins the masked revelers of Yhtil.
