Sleight of Hand

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<<link "Character">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Character"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("character").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link "Lore">> <<run Dialog.setup("Lore"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("lore").processText()); Dialog.open();>> <</link>> <<link "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

◈ ''General information'' ◈ <<if $prol is true>>''$name Ravenstorm'' <<are>> a $person of $height height in $their early twenties. $Their $hairLength hair has a nice shade of $hairColour, and $their eyes are of mysterious $eyeColour.<<else>>You need to complete the Prologue and the first part of Chapter One to see this information!<</if>> —————————————————————————————— ◈ ''Personality'' ◈ • Your Raven is <<if $organized is 50>>\neither ''composed'' or ''disorganized''<<elseif $organized gte 50>>\''disorganized''<<else>>\''composed''<</if>>. • Your Raven is <<if $stEm is 50>>\neither ''stoic'' or ''emotional''<<elseif $stEm gte 50>>\''emotional''<<else>>\''stoic''<</if>>. • Your Raven is <<if $RespDanger is 50>>\neither ''cautious'' or ''careless''<<elseif $RespDanger gte 50>>\''careless''<<else>>\''cautious''<</if>>. • Your Raven is <<if $charms is 50>>\neither ''sarcastic'' or ''charming''<<elseif $charms gte 50>>\''charming''<<else>>\''sarcastic''<</if>>. • Your Raven is an <<if $extrIntr is 50>>\''ambivert''<<elseif $extrIntr gte 50>>\''extrovert''<<else>>\''introvert''<</if>>. • Your Raven is <<if $outlook is 50>>\rather ''realistic''<<elseif $outlook gte 50>>\an ''opimist''<<else>>\a ''pessimist''<</if>>. ♥ When it comes to romantic relationships, your Raven acts <<if $romance is 50>>\neither ''bold'' or ''shy''<<elseif $romance gte 50>>\''bold''<<else>>\''shy''<</if>>. —————————————————————————————— ◈ ''Relatoinships'' ◈ //FAMILY// Raven's dad, ''Howard'', loves $them, though he would never say it out loud. Raven's mum, ''Rachael Delacroix'' is supportive of $them. ''Sebastian'' thinks that Raven is the best thing to happen to him in his whole life. //FRIENDS// <<if $vicinterest is "your crush">>Raven seems rather interesting to ''Victor Major''.<<elseif $vicinterest is "your brother's “friend”">>Sebastian has a crush on his best friend, ''Victor Major'', and Raven is their self-proclaimed matchmaker.<<else>>''Victor Major'' is a close friend of Ravenstorm family.<</if>>

[[Sugarcube 2 Documentation|https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs]] [[Notify Macro by Chapel|https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2]] [[Live Update Macro by Cycy|https://github.com/cyrusfirheir/cycy-wrote-custom-macros]] [[Twine/Sugarcube 2 Template by a.w. morgan|https://awmorgan.itch.io/twine-sugarcube-template]]

<<if ndef $PassageNo>><<set $PassageNo = 1>><</if>><<switch $PassageNo>><<case 1>><span class="chaps">Prologue</span> <span class="ss">Twenty years prior to the Awakening</span> The figure leisurely made their way across the lifeless wasteland, to the old, crumbling fortress. If not for the lighter grey colour of their cloak and big white bag swung over their shoulder, they would have been perfectly invisible against the deep grey ash under their feet and murky clouds. Colourless orbs were their only company, occasionally whispering to them about the lives they lived, following them like lost souls who had nowhere else to go. It was partly true; they had nothing better to do. Nowhere had they needed to be. Most importantly, they had no other choice but to follow their silent guide, else they would be at risk of being forgotten in the wasteland, at the mercy of the night creatures. Long, white strand of hair escaped from under the traveller’s hood, but they did not bother fixing it. They halt in front of the big open gates. One of the orbs flew right in front of their face, trembling, to which they only chuckled, brushing it off to the side. “Stop it,” their voice is calm and clear when they speak. “I assure you, there is nothing to be afraid of, as long as you are with me.” They look up. A slight smile spreads across their thin lips as they notice a translucent masked man watching them from one of the windows. [[Waiting|passage()][$PassageNo = $PassageNo + 1]]<<case 2>>“Welcome home, Thanatos,” his voice is no more than another whisper of a dead mortal, and yet, they knew it belonged to him. They would distinguish his voice from a thousand others; there was little doubt about that. “Took you long enough.” The man changes his posture, leaning out of the window slightly, and if he were not already dead, Thanatos would be very much concerned about his well-being. He greeted them this way ever since they brought him here and let him stay. “If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought you were trying to avoid me,” his tone is playful, but the light traces of boredom were present, too. “Now, why would I do that, Angus?” Thanatos hums. They missed this light-hearted banter. “Oh, you tell me! I’m such a delightful company, and I have no idea why you would want to stay away from me for that long.” Thanatos shakes their head, letting out a mirthless laugh, and Angus leans further out, air about him changing to serious in a beat. “How was your trip?” “Let me at least go in and get the souls off of me.” The man deflates, but nods. “Death’s job is never done.” [[“I’m afraid so. But I will be with you in a moment. Should not take too long.”|passage()][$PassageNo = $PassageNo + 1]]<<case 3>>“And I will make us something to drink, then,” with that, Angus lingered just a few more seconds, as if waiting to see if Thanatos wants to say something else, before disappearing from the window. A wave of guilt and longing hits Thanatos, and even if they did not falter under it, the spirits around them grew agitated. //The dead pitied them.// “Do not say anything you will regret,” they sternly warn the restless orbs, stabbing up a pale finger to poke the most annoying one. “You. Behave.” They knew their advice fell on deaf ears (or no ears at all) when the souls continued feverishly whispering at them, voices overlapping each other, and with a deep sigh, Thanatos stepped into the fortress’s grounds. [[They were home, at last.|passage()][$PassageNo = $PassageNo + 1]]<<case 4>><span class="ss">Some time later...</span> Sitting in the comfortable chair of the familiar study, Thanatos held a cup of steaming tea between their cold hands. It was of no use, no matter how they tried to warm up, their fingers were cursed to stay forever cold. But even then, the warmth always brought a sense coziness to them. Finally taking his mask off, Angus settled into an armchair in front of them, his long limbs stretching out lazily. No doubt, he was sitting in that same armchair not too long ago, curled up with a book. “Well, are you going to tell me how your trip to Earth was, or?” the man cleared his throat quietly, drawing Death’s attention to himself. “Ah, of course,” they said. “It was alright, I suppose. Nothing out of ordinary.” Angus suddenly wringed his hands together, nervous. “At least, not yet... The prophecy, and the Watcher is gone—” Thanatos quietly placed the cup onto the desk. “I know. I believe we do not have to worry about it, at least for now.” The man lets out a little sigh, still anxiously fiddling with his fingers. [[“You say that, but it is not you who hears the same thing over and over when you fall asleep.”|passage()][$PassageNo = $PassageNo + 1]]<<case 5>>Being Death’s messenger, Angus was constantly reminded of the things he spoke while being in a dream-like state when delivering a prophecy to his master. Thanatos wished they knew how to help him with that burden, but messengers taken directly from a mortal world were always a rare sight. Partly, due to their untrustworthiness. Moreover, most Deities preferred receiving the prophecies themselves, anyway. It was all well, they thought. The last one, however, seemed to be the breaking point for Angus. His voice much weaker than it was ever before, stance fragile, as if he was about faze out of existence should the Death blink. “While it is true that I cannot imagine how you feel,” Thanatos leans forward onto their desk, looking over the mess of the papers scattered across the surface, and then back to their messenger, “I truly want to ease your pain. Just tell me what you need me to do.” Angus takes a deep breath, forcing himself to relax into the armchair. “Distract me. Tell me how... How //they// are doing.” The Death smiled softly, lifting up their cup and taking a small sip. They knew exactly what he meant, and they were all too happy to tell him all about it. “Ravenstorm family is doing great. Better than ever, actually. At least, Howard’s side is. Didn’t really stop by the other half, I had to come back here immediately.” “Ah, your personal favourite, of course,” Angus remarked, there was a slight note of jealousy in his tone, so slight that it was not picked up by the reminiscing Thanatos. “Can you blame me? He reminds me so much of you,” they chuckle, shrugging their shoulders. “Why do you even bother? He can live without your interventions,” he huffs, watching Thanatos as they started shifting the papers around on the table with a bewildered look on their face. [[“Hello?”|passage()][$PassageNo = $PassageNo + 1]]<<case 6>>“Hold that for a moment, what are those?” they carefully hold up a piece of paper, neat cursive letters and schemes drawn upon it. “Did you write all that?” “Well, someone had to oversee the Reaper’s Reports, and I was dying from boredom while you were away... So, I might or might not have taken that responsibility.” “You are absolutely, positively insane.” Angus lets out a light laugh at their comment as they continue looking through the papers. “Ah, what were you saying? Please, continue.” “I was just saying, your trips are getting longer each time you leave. We hardly spend time together anymore...” the man stands up and starts pacing. “We are spending time right now, don’t we?” “It’s not the same!” he suddenly lashes out, gaining Death’s full attention. “I-I don’t know why, but every time I see you go, something tells me you are just going to leave me here one day, all alone, with all of those reapers who treat me as if I were their personal servant... I never asked for this.” “But you were the one who asked to go with me,” Thanatos settles the papers back onto the table. “I didn’t think it meant I would have to spend the rest of my days having God-awful dreams about the future all alone in this damned place! You are supposed to be here with me, or, at least, take me with you when you travel, you know!” [[They consider his words for a solid minute before shaking their head slowly.|passage()][$PassageNo = $PassageNo + 1]]<<case 7>>“I can’t.” “Of course you can’t, I’m not even surprised,” Angus plops back into his seat with a grunt, defiantly crossing his arms. Apparently, that conversation was over. For a long time, rustling of the paper was the only sound to break the tense silence. “You saw it again,” Thanatos concludes, taking another sip from their cup. “The prophecy, I mean.” “I did. And every time I see it I feel like I’m spiraling down into the abyss of insanity...” Angus shifts uncomfortably, eager to change the course of the conversation. “How’s Howard, anyway?” “Fairly well for the time being, I would say,” the rustling continued, but Thanatos was visibly relieved to jump back to his favourite topic. “His first son, Sebastian, is just starting to learn about his abilities, and the new-born <<cycle "$gender" autoselect>> <<option "boy">> <<option "girl">> <<option "kid">> <</cycle>> I had the pleasure of naming... <span class="next"><<button "Next" "protgen">><</button>></span><</switch>>

*<<link "She/Her">><<SetPronouns "f">><<update>><</link>> *<<link "He/Him">><<SetPronouns "m">><</link>> /* Masculine Names * [[Einar|Next Passage][$name to "Einar"]] * [[Amit|Next Passage][$name to "Amit"]] * [[Temir|Next Passage][$name to "Temir"]] Feminine Names * [[Marija|Next Passage][$name to "Marija"]] * [[Eirene|Next Passage][$name to "Eirene"]] * [[Kira|Next Passage][$name to "Kira"]] Gender-Neutral Names * [[River|Next Passage][$name to "River"]] * [[Blake|Next Passage][$name to "Blake"]] * [[Rin|Next Passage][$name to "Rin"]] Eye Colour <label><<radiobutton "$eyeColour" "blue" checked>> Blue</label> <label><<radiobutton "$eyeColour" "grey">> Grey</label> <label><<radiobutton "$eyeColour" "green">> Green</label> <label><<radiobutton "$eyeColour" "brown">> Brown</label> <label><<radiobutton "$eyeColour" "black">> Black</label> He has <<cycle "$eyeColour" autoselect>> <<option "blue">> <<option "grey">> <<option "green">> <<option "brown">> <<option "black">> <</cycle>> eyes. <<textbox "$name" "Type your name here...">><<button "Submit">><</button>>*/

It brings us to you, my dear protagonist! You were born in a family of well-known writers. Your older brother and dad are writers, so are your grandparents, so were their parents, and those before them... To be a Ravenstorm means to have a pretty face, vivid imagination, whole lot of magic in you veins and, of course, a constant fear of being mauled by your own personal nightmares brought to life! Maybe it's better to keep the last two parts hidden from public, actually. But do you really have that infamous Ravenstorm spark in you? That's for me to know, and for you to find out... <<set $prol to true>> <<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>“character” had been updated!<</notify>><</if>>

<span class="title">Sleight of Hand</span> <span class="author">by Leo Schmidt (<a href="https://echorev.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">tumblr</a>)</span>

<<nobr>> <li>[[character]]</li> <li>[[lore]]</li> <li><<link "credits">><<script>> Dialog.setup("Credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>><</link>></li> <</nobr>>

All things Aetherial: *[[Aether|alore]] *[[The Highest Deity, Celestial Guardians and High Council|highestd]] Importance of the Abyss: *[[Abyss|abylore]] *[[The High Four, Prophecies and Messengers|havoc]] Just your normal Earth (not really): *[[Sources and Gifted|abtsources]] *[[Contracts|terms]] Underworld and it's creatures: *[[Underworld|undy]] *[[Nightmares, Underdogs and Parasites|doggos]]

○ ''//Sources and Gifted//'' Despite the same origin, those two kinds are not comparable. Unlike gifted, sources are the mortals, who are not just the bearers of the deity’s gift, but have a long-lasting contract with their deity. Gifted mortal can only use a slight fracture of the deity’s power, while the source is a being fully powered by the deity.

○ //''The Highest Deity''// The Highest Deity, the World, is a daughter of an Eldest Deity, the Chaos. She is the creator of Earth. She was also the one who formed all of the Deities surrounding her. The World has an adviser, The Watcher, bearer of both light and darkness, who helps her keep the balance on Earth. ○ //''Celestial Guardians''// Celestial Guardians are to protect those who arrive in Aether as guests of honour. They are selected from the purest souls of the deceased, and are not easily replaceable. If the Guardian in any way violated the rules of Aether, the World usually has to either banish them to Earth, or to Underworld, depending on the severity of the misdeed the Guardian has committed. Those who were banished become descended celestials, and while they lose half of their divine powers, they can still use them should the need for them arise. ○ //''The High Council''// The High Council is a selected few of anonymous Deities. Their duty is to manage conflicts on Earth. When a problem reaches the High Council, they are to decide if it is worthy of the World’s attention.

○ ''//Aether//'' Aether exists as a world of its own. While it is strongly connected with the Abyss and Underworld, technically allowing trespassing between them more or less freely //(unless the person trespassing was banished to Underworld)//, there is no way in from Earth. Just in the middle of it, there is a Chapel of the Highest Deity, surrounded by vibrant gardens, which gradually give way to a sunny forest. All sorts of magical creatures inhabit the Aether, filling warm days with peaceful humming and rustling of the leaves, and souls of the deceased roam the skies when it is nighttime, like millions of friendly fireflies. Legends state that there is some kind of safe haven for those who got lost in the deeper parts of the woods... However, if there is one, no one had discovered it yet.

○ ''//The High Four//'' The High Four (Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death) were created from four shards of the Eldest Deity, the Chaos, who lost his sanity and had to be shattered by the World for various crimes against humanity. ○ ''//Prophecies and Messengers//'' Prophecy is a statement that says what is going to happen in the future. Origins of the prophecies are unknown. Some say they come directly from the World, but it is not exactly true. She is always the first to receive one, and then spread it among the deities involved. Some deities, like Death, have brought mortal souls to act as messengers, thus easing the pressure on themselves. When prophecy is delivered, the receiver enters a dream-like state. For deities it has no consequences, as their minds are accustomed to receive prophecies; for untrained mortal souls, however, the process is dangerous if not done correctly: they risk being infected by the parasite or even shattered. ''Current prophecy:'' //It awakens. Balance of the world is in danger. The Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death will amalgamate into a twisted form that was long forgotten: the Chaos. As his power grows, that of the High Four will drain away, and soon the world as we know it will dissolve into nothing. Fear not. The Watcher, keeper of the balance, was sent out to Earth by the Highest Deity; they are to aid us all, and to stall the inevitable demise of the humankind.//

○ ''//Abyss//'' The only dimension that has a border thin enough to travel safely to Earth, Aether and Underworld. Abyss is a complete wasteland where no lifeforms exist. Peaceful, although lacks colour. For mortals who trespass the Abyss’s border in their physical form the dimension can be quite dangerous: they risk losing their body. There is a good reason for guides who herd the souls of the deceased, after all.

○ ''//Underworld//'' Unlike Aether, Underworld resembles a giant city on an island amid the Void. It’s skies are almost always black or dark grey with pollution, on very rare occasions bright red colour peeks through the thick clouds. It is a prison for many, be it nightmares, underdogs or descended celestials, though the regular purges keep the population of Underworld at optimum.

○ ''//Nightmares//'' Nightmares were created by the Chaos, along with the Underworld itself. They come in various forms and shapes, and oftentimes do not have the will of their own. The only purpose for their existence is their brute force and the need to obey someone higher than them. ○ ''//Underdogs//'' Underdogs were humans, thus, they are the only creatures from Underworld who can travel to Earth without any trouble. They are under the curse of immortality and make for great mercenaries. ○ ''//Parasites//'' Parasites are wandering creatures of the Void, as hungry as they are ugly. They look like worms, but can take on any form, from animal to human, depending on the soul they are trying to lure in. It does not really matter whose soul, but they do prefer to feed off of the mortal ones.

/* traits */ <<set $organized to 50>> <<set $stEm to 50>> <<set $RespDanger to 50>> <<set $charms to 50>> <<set $extrIntr to 50>> <<set $outlook to 50>> <<set $romance to 50>> /* Pronouns */ <<set $they to "they", $them to "them", $their to "their", $theirs to "theirs", $themself to "themself", $They to "They", $Them to "Them", $Their to "Their", $Theirs to "Theirs", $Themself to "Themself", $kid to "kid", $sibling to "sibling", $child to "child">>

<<if $gender is "boy">><<set $they to "he", $them to "him", $their to "his", $theirs to "his", $themself to "himself", $They to "He", $Them to "Him", $Their to "His", $Theirs to "His", $Themself to "Himself", $kid to "boy", $sibling to "brother", $child to "son", $person to "man">><<set $plural to false>><<update>> <<elseif $gender is "girl">><<set $they to "she", $them to "her", $their to "her", $theirs to "hers", $themself to "herself", $They to "She", $Them to "Her", $Their to "Her", $Theirs to "Hers", $Themself to "Herself", $kid to "girl", $sibling to "sister", $child to "daughter", $person to "woman">><<set $plural to false>><<update>> <<else>><<set $they to "they", $them to "them", $their to "their", $theirs to "theirs", $themself to "themself", $They to "They", $Them to "Them", $Their to "Their", $Theirs to "Theirs", $Themself to "Themself", $kid to "kid", $sibling to "sibling", $child to "child", $person to "person">><<set $plural to true>><<update>> <</if>>''//The name Death chose for your Raven is...//'' <<textbox "$name" "Morgan">> <span class="next"><<button "Next" "protname">><</button>></span>

“Well, I can’t say anything about $them yet. Both of them are very small, though.” “As all children of their age are, you mean?” “You are absolutely right,” Thanatos runs a hand through their long hair. They cannot tell him how worried Howard seemed, nor how unnervingly silent $name was in the cradle. $They did not even let out a peep during their visit. And that presence they felt... Something obscure, strong, destructive, but at the same time old and oddly familiar. Just a glimpse at it made the Death's soul quiver; the sheer presence of the power possessed by their own source was deadly. But if they do not want Angus overthinking about the prophecy, they would need to write out a few notices to their old friends and, perhaps, stay at their domain for a little while. “Do you think Ravenstorms will be alright without me constantly guiding them along? They got so used to that...” Angus bounced forwards in excitement, sitting at the very edge of his seat. “I'm sure they'll do just fine! Does that mean you are taking a break from all that travelling?” “You know what? I think I am.” <span class="next"><<button "Chapter One" "ch1p1">><</button>></span>

<span class="chaps">Chapter One</span> <span class="chname">▲▼▲▼▲ Mirror, mirror</span> <span class="ss">Present time, Dawnridge, Raven's flat</span> It was grimly dark and chilly in my studio apartment. I had only just settled after moving out of my family house, and I know that there are still a few boxes for me to unpack. Running from responsibility is not exactly “Ravenstorm style”, as Sebastian, my older brother, would say. But those two weeks of dealing with the rude people at the Dawnridge Delivery Company, keeping an eye on Bash and his friend Victor so they would not break something valuable and pushing my stuff around the living room completely wore me out. I have never felt as tired as I do these days. Humid, chill air and soft drumming of rain on the windowsill were the only things keeping me company. It was raining since yesterday evening; it seemed there was no signs of it stopping any time soon. I had left the window open in hopes that the sounds would make me fall asleep faster, and it wasn’t my wisest decision; I was freezing. Once my gaze trails out the window, I tuck my hands under a thin blanket. I should probably stand up and close it... Instead, I wrap the blanket tighter around myself, and as I do, a small sigh leaves me. //“When did I get so lazy?”// I muse internally until I eventually roll over onto the other side and curl up on the couch, if only to stop myself from shivering. Moving out was far from a spontaneous decision on my part. I’ve been thinking about it for quite a long time, but there was never the right occasion to bring it up, so instead I took my time. Preparations included looking up affordable apartments and saving up some money from the part-time and freelance jobs. I waited for the right opportunity, and when the deal between me and the old landlady was settled, it was time to break the news to the two of my closest relatives. I didn’t care about dad’s opinion too much, to be perfectly honest. Don’t get me wrong, my dad is nice, and he’s a man of many talents; he cooks, sometimes paints, is fluent in at least five languages, and, as any other member of our family, is exceptionally good in everything related to writing. Though when it comes to interacting with other people... Let’s say, he prefers not to. *[[I can understand that, though I don't think it's healthy for him to do so.|pers][$extrIntr -= 10]] *[[I can't help but be slightly worried...|pers][$extrIntr += 10]]

<<if ndef $PassageFam>><<set $PassageFam = 1>><</if>><<switch $PassageFam>><<case 1>><<if $extrIntr lte 50>>I know that socializing can be hard for those not accustomed to society. Being one of those people, I can say that the thought of it is usually much scarier than reality. Ever since I remember myself, I’ve always felt more comfortable on my own. I haven’t had many friends—just two close ones—but I thought it was enough. Sure, I needed some time to be alone once in a while, but I wasn’t avoiding interaction altogether like my dad did. <<else>>Ever since I remember myself, I’ve always felt much more secure in someone else’s company rather than on my own. Perhaps, that’s exactly why I have so many friends and acquaintances, however, only two of them I could truly call closest. My dad seems painfully uncomfortable when either my brother or I are trying to get him to come out of his study, and is clearly avoiding even basic interaction altogether. I don’t think it’s very healthy, and I’ve given up trying to change that at this point. <</if>> I’ve never seen him outside his study for reasons beyond regular work and meetings, and it has always been that way. I figured he’d much rather completely forget that I existed, since it was my older brother who brought me up to be the person I am today. Sebastian is his total opposite. He is easily //the// social butterfly of the Ravenstorm family. It wasn’t obnoxious or overzealous like with most socialites, and indeed, he was very charming. My brother and I always had a good relationship, and he, without any doubt, is one of the closest people in my life. Maybe that’s why Sebastian is still so protective of me; he’s used to having his "little Raven" around most of the time, and now that I’m gone, well… He was upset, but never dared to show anything but love and complete support in front of me. All in all, Bash is a genuinely goofy dude. When he was twelve, he came up with the brightest idea to teach me, a nine-year-old $kid, swearwords. And, of course, he wasn't stupid enough to be doing such a complicated task alone. Victor, his once edgy friend, was in for the fun, too. The looks on their faces is the thing I would never even dare to forget… Both gravely serious, but with a certain troublesome glint in their eyes. [[Let’s just say, our dad was not very amused to be called in by the teachers for weeks to come.|passage()][$PassageFam = $PassageFam + 1]]<<case 2>>As for the rest of our family, we have an uncle, Greg, who quit his writing career to travel around the world, and he often sends us post cards and small souvenirs from places he’d visited. He doesn’t have any kids of his own, but he loves his brother’s kids, and it really shows. Other than that, there are two annoying aunts, who love us very dearly, but good God, are they a pain... The oldest of all her siblings is aunt Cathleen. She is a total workaholic and a remarkable businesswoman, usually serious and collected. However, when she is around the youngest, aunt Lucille, who is a passionate mother hen with an iron will, it’s a recipe for a disaster. They do get along, it’s just... Aunt Lucy, as she insisted we call her, never failed to bring overprotective side out of aunt Cathleen, especially when it was about Sebastian and me. I still remember how the two yelled at our father to stop being so inconsiderate and pay more attention to us. Lucy Ravenstorm has two children of her own, Freddie and Sammy, who are twins. Even their voices are nearly identical, and the last time I saw the boys, they were speaking in riddles and finishing each other’s sentences. It creeped me out then, and I have no doubt it’d creep me out now, too. That was three years ago, though, and they were only eight. There’s hope that my cousins grew out of that odd phase, or whatever it was, but I'm always ready to be disappointed. What was interesting about our family, as I've noticed—well, aunt Cathleen is a little over fifty-five, father is fifty-two, uncle Gregory is forty-nine and aunt Lucy is somewhat near forty-five... But they all don’t look a day over thirty! It was as if they’ve stopped ageing up when they reached a certain point in their lives. It is a mystery to everyone who is close enough to know about these things, me included. Makes me wonder, will it be the same for Bash and me, too? Forever young… Sounds appealing, not going to lie. [[Why was I awake, again? Ah, right.|passage()][$PassageFam = $PassageFam + 1]]<<case 3>>Today was one of those days when couldn’t fall asleep. I could feel the time slowly pass me by, or maybe it’s sleep that was starting to claim me, finally, until... I blink. Nope, definitely awake. “This is ridiculous,” I groan and I reach out towards the charger on the coffee table, tugging my phone closer. I hiss softly as the screen blinds me, and instantly turn the brightness all the way down. “Oh, Christ... Why does it keep resetting?” It’s six in the morning. Classes are starting in about three hours from now. No messages. I carelessly throw the phone back onto the table and turn to lay on my back, only to notice yellow water stains on the ceiling. Well, to be fair, property owner //did// warn me that the people above me are big fans of flooding this apartment. [[A quiet chirp sounds from my phone.|passage()][$PassageFam = $PassageFam + 1]]<<case 4>>Someone just messaged me, and I can already guess who exactly that is. I heave a sigh as I take the gadget back into my hands and instinctively open up a chat with Sebastian. ‘Raven, r u up?’ Raven. He’s been calling me that for a very long time. Even though over the years I’ve acquired more fitting, in my opinion, nicknames, this one has been stuck to me for almost all my life. It’s not even that original, or quirky. I know Bash lives for out-of-ordinary stuff, so him calling me Raven is rather anticlimactic. As for the nickname my friends use… <<textbox "$nickname" "Raven">> [[That is, indeed, my nickname.|passage()][$PassageFam = $PassageFam + 1]]<<case 5>><<if $nickname is "Raven">>Bash is a proud trend-setter, and he doesn’t ever get tired of reminding me of that. <<else>>$nickname. It has a nice ring to it, and is fairly easy to remember. Perfect for me. <</if>> ‘what do u want??’ I huff as I reply to his text. A small smile settled onto my face when he immediately reads and starts typing back. ‘HAPPY 21 B-DAY TO THE BEST SIBLING EVER!!!’ the message was instantly followed by a ton of hearts and crying emojis. I sit up, check the date and put the phone down on my lap. //Did I actually forget about my own birthday?// I turn my attention back to the screen to see my brother spamming ‘video call pls?’ five times in a row, and before I could even think about my response, the screen flashes with an incoming video call. I run my hands through my <<cycle "$hairLength" autoselect>> <<option "very short">> <<option "short">> <<option "ear-length">> <<option "chin-length">> <<option "shoulder-length">> <<option "long">> <</cycle>>, <<cycle "$hairColour" autoselect>> <<option "midnight black">> <<option "brown">> <<option "dark red">> <<option "bright red">> <<option "dirty blond">> <<option "strawberry blond">> <<option "honey blond">> <<option "platinum blond">> <</cycle>> hair, to make sure it looks more or less presentable. <span class="hint">[choose Raven's hair lenght and colour]</span> [[Only after that accept the call|passage()][$PassageFam = $PassageFam + 1]]<<case 6>>In an instant I see a grinning face of my older brother, his grey eyes bright as always. Sebastian shares the rare colour with our dad, although dad’s always seemed darker in comparison. My own are <<cycle "$eyeColour" autoselect>> <<option "stormy grey">> <<option "pale blue">> <<option "deep blue">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "hazel">> <<option "sage green">> <<option "dark green">> <</cycle>>. <span class="hint">[choose Raven's eye colour]</span> “There $they <<are>>, our little Raven! Not so little any more, though... I almost can’t believe you're twenty-one already.” “Hi, Bash,” I laugh and shake my head at the sound of his energetic voice. Ah, caffeinated Ravenstorm is the happiest Ravenstorm, as I came to learn over the years. It wouldn’t at all surprise me if our blood was eighty-percent coffee instead of water. “How many cups of coffee have you had today, exactly?” “Honestly? I’ve stopped counting after five,” Sebastian winks. “So... Feeling any different, now that you are considered an adult in all countries?” I think on it for a second, and instead examine his background. I can see beautiful blue ocean behind him, and the white sunny beach seems quite empty. “I don't think so. How’s Bali? The weather seems nice for a swim.” He and dad went to Bali to research something... Was it the local cult Bash mentioned? Sadly, I wasn’t in any of their plans. As much as I wanted to lay on the beach and bask in the sun all day, and maybe go on a hunt for a bunch of fanatics, I’m stuck here, in the cold, damp city of Dawnrige. “We're not here for vacation, $name,” microphone picks up dad’s shy voice, and Sebastian playfully rolls his eyes as the older man tries to get into the frame so I can see him too. He has to push the phone up a little for me to see dad, since he is a little taller than Bash. When it comes to my height, I’m <<cycle "$height" autoselect>> <<option "very tall">> <<option "tall">> <<option "average">> <<option "short">> <<option "very short">> <</cycle>>. <span class="hint">[choose Raven's height]</span> “Ugh, why do you have to be so boring? Jeez… At least say happy birthday to $them.” “Ah—Of course, pardon me... Happy birthday,” my dad purses his lips in a pout and looks away from the screen, and I immediately recognize that expression of his; it’s a smile tugging at the corners of his lips that he tries to fight so hard. A long pause follows...and Bash lashes out at him. “That’s all you’ve got?! The whole video call was your idea!” I chuckle at their exchange. At least, it was entertaining to see them get so overly offended at each other when they disagreed on something trivial. [[Despite everything, Bash always had a far better dynamic with my dad than I did, really.|passage()][$PassageFam = $PassageFam + 1]]<<case 7>>“Sorry, sorry...” my dad laughs, and it’s such a rare and gentle sound, I even forgot he can laugh. “$name, you are the best child a father could ever wish for.” “Thanks, dad. And how much coffee did you have?” I ask innocently. “Oh, come on, you’ve probably already guessed that he’s been drinking wine non-stop since the day we landed! He’s under so much stress, all of those people are trying to talk to him,” Bash shamelessly admits, which earns him a light shove. Dad starts grumbling under his breath, but I caught a whole sentence of his rant that made me giggle. “...that’s exactly why $name is my favourite kid...” “Anyway,” Sebastian unceremoniously pushes my dad out of camera’s range and deflates. “I’m sorry we can’t be there for your birthday, Raven... I know, I promised—” “No, no! It’s fine, really. Your research is important,” I assure him, but he shakes his head. “I don't think I need to tell you this, but you should know that to me there’s nothing more important than you.” His tone was sincere, and there was that uncertain frown on his face, the same one was gracing his intelligent features when he was thinking about telling me something more. Something that he probably cannot say in front of our dad. [[He is acting a bit off...|passage()][$PassageFam = $PassageFam + 1]]<<case 8>>“Oh! I just remembered something!” he exclaims before I can call him out, grey eyes light up in excitement, that charming grin of his brightened up his otherwise pale face. “I asked Van-O to come by your studio before he heads out to go to work, give you a lift to Uni. So, yeah, you might want to go change out of your pyjamas before he shows up at your door.” Van-O is Victor Major’s old nickname. He is a little younger than Bash, and although he was a sarcastic punk in his teens, he grew up to be quite a gentleman. First, he stopped dyeing his hair black and let the golden locks grow out, and then a sneer on his face one day turned into a charming smile. Some other changes happened, a few months later there was no more reminders of the past “Van-O”, just his old nickname, and even though most people call him Vic, my brother likes to annoy him from time to time. Now that I think about it, Victor is not only Sebastian’s best friend, but a family friend, too. Before I moved, he spent most of his time loitering around our house, since, as he mentioned himself, he had nothing better to do than “bother Ravenstorms” that day. And, well... <<if $gender is "boy">> [[My brother likes to joke that he hangs out there just to see me, and even if it wasn’t true, it made me feel very happy for some reason. (♡)|vInt][$vicinterest to "your crush"]] [[I knew Bash had a soft spot for him for ages...|vInt][$vicinterest to "your brother's “friend”"]] [[He is, overall, a good man, and an even better friend.|vInt][$vicinterest to "a family friend"]]<<else>> [[I knew Bash had a soft spot for him for ages...|vInt][$vicinterest to "your brother's “friend”"]] [[He is, overall, a good man, and an even better friend.|vInt][$vicinterest to "a family friend"]]<</if>><</switch>>

<<if $vicinterest is "your crush">>I mean... He is a decent guy, and his company is simply delightful. With almost all of the traces of the fiery teenager he once was, gone, he somehow felt much more sincere and approachable. It definitely doesn’t hurt that he is quite handsome to boot, too. I must admit, I really admired him when we were younger. It was a very awkward, as in //beg Bash to take me with them when they hung out somewhere else//, type of admiration. After noticing how quiet I grew all of the sudden, Sebastian barks out a laugh. “Perhaps, I should convince him to give you a nice smooch—” I felt my cheeks burning up at the though. “Alright-y then, I get it, you can stop now.” “I swear to God, I love the two of you, but you guys are so slow...” he rolls his eyes with a fake tired sigh. “Says the man who’s almost thirty and hadn't even kissed yet!” Sebastian only laughs at my accusation, not even slightly offended. “If you must know, I had my first kiss when I was twelve.” “First and last, I assume? Let me guess, poor girl ran away right afterwards.” “Hey now! You’re just being rude,” he pouts playfully, then glances in general direction of our dad, and lowers his voice. “Why do you think it was a girl, though? Not that I’m, you know—uh, I think I don’t want to have that talk with you again.” I hold in any comments I had about Sebastian’s “middle-age crisis”, as I liked to call it. I’m aware that he was too young to actually have a real middle-age crisis, mind you, but the way it always made Victor bite his lower lip to hold in an amused grin or a quiet giggle encouraged me to make and evolve the joke over and over again. The two of us basked in a knowing silence. The one both of us understood perfectly well.<<elseif $vicinterest is "your brother's “friend”">>I mean, I can understand why. Victor is a decent guy, and his company is delightful, especially nowadays. It definitely doesn’t hurt that he is quite handsome to boot, too. The way usually confident Sebastian stumbles over his words in the presence of his “bestie” never failed to amuse me. Also, I often see Victor throwing flustered gazes over at my brother when he’s not looking, and it leads me to believe that Bash might actually have a good enough chance should he wish to see where this could lead... “You’ve told him you’re not going to be here, right?” I say, careful not to raise my voice too much, and Sebastian forcefully breathes in and out through his nose, already feeling where I was heading with this. “I bet he’d be really disappointed to see that you’re not back already.” “Ugh, Raven... You are insufferable, truly,” he grumbles with a slight pout, and his cheeks and ears now were painted bright red. I’ve never seen him so smitten before. I chuckle as he slowly regains his composure. “You know you love me.” “You’re right, I do,” Bash agrees with a gentle smile on his face. I hold in any more comments I had about Sebastian’s “middle-age crisis”, as I liked to call it. I’m aware that he was too young to actually have a real middle-age crisis, mind you, but the way it always made Victor stand up to actually protect him encouraged me to make the joke over and over again. In my opinion, it was adorable. The two of us basked in a knowing silence. The one both of us understood perfectly well.<<else>>Victor is a decent guy, and his company is delightful. At this point, he is our family. One of us. A third sibling Sebastian and I never had, but apparently very much needed. We liked to laugh about the fact that one day he’d change his surname to Ravenstorm, move into our house, and no one will even bat an eyelid; that’s how much time he spent around our big strange family. And believe me, it is quite hard to get into good graces with Ravenstorms if a person is not blood-related to any of them. Well, he got on well with everyone, except our dad.<</if>> “So, are you going out with your friends today?” Bash asks. “Only if I survive classes today, maybe,” I fall back onto the couch while holding my phone above my head. “And I didn’t really make any plans for today... Forgot it was my birthday, with everything going on.” *[[“Well, that’s unnerving,” my brother blinks, a worried frown settled between his eyebrows. “Usually you’re the... Collected one of us, I guess.”|trait][$organized -= 10]] *[[“Now that’s a classic ‘Raven special’ I missed so much,” my brother winks. “Glad to know you are still chaotic.”|trait][$organized += 10]]

<<if $organized lte 50>>He was right, of course. I liked to plan and track everything I’m going to do, sometimes even for weeks to come. Before he mentioned it, I didn’t even notice how erratic my everyday schedule has become. He must have read my exact thoughts, brows furrowing even further. “$name? Are you alright?” “Don’t worry, I just need some time to settle back into my usual routine,” I tell him with a soft smile.<<else>>He was right, of course. I rarely was the one to plan out every step I made, I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. He’s the one to talk, though! He’s just like me, sometimes even worse. “Look who’s talking, Mr. //‘I forgot that fucking article about cats again, $name, fetch it’//,” I rolled my eyes with a half-hearted sigh of exasperation. “Hey! Don’t cuss at me, potty-mouth! And it was important,” he somehow held back a chuckle. “I hope you’re doing alright, though.” “Don’t worry, I just need some time to settle back into my usual routine,” I tell him with a soft smile, and it’s the truth. “I’ll be much less chaotic in a few weeks.”<</if>> “Of course,” Sebastian gives a bright smile of his own. “I’m happy to hear that you are figuring things out.” He was relieved to hear me say that, as is evident by the look on his face. “Okay, that was... Pretty much all I needed to say,” Bash pretends to be thinking for a moment, and then grins again. “As much as I don’t want to hang up on you, I should probably leave you to get ready for your big day, huh?” “I don’t know, must you?” I hum. “Yeah, that would be for the best, I imagine.” “Text me when you get back home. We can voice call ‘till the next morning, you know me, I always have a nice story to tell you,” oh, I definitely know. For how nice those stories of his are... *[[It’s debatable, he used to give me nightmares when I was younger.|horrors][$horrors to 1]] *[[Well, they are more spooky stories than nice, but over time I’ve learned to cope, and it doesn’t bother me as much as it did.|horrors][$horrors to 2]] *[[They are positively horrifying!|horrors][$horrors to 3]]

○ ''//Contracts//'' Terms of the contract can be negotiated and changed either by the deities or by the sources themselves, as long as both sides agree to them afterwards. A strict policy is in place, it prohibits trickery from both sides; the contracts must be fair and reliable. If one of the sides wants to put an end to the contract, they can do so as long as the other side approves.

<<if $horrors is 1>>I still feel that familliar chill down my spine, and he hasn’t given up, no, he comes up with something more and more terrifying every time. Doesn’t help that he’s second most frightening sleep-talker I’ve ever met. First being our dad, of course. “Oh, don’t make that face,” he laughs, looking sheepish. “it’s not a horror story this time, I promise. Something new. I just want you to tell me what you think before I go all-in with it.” I find that hard to believe. His readers are going to be livid if he ever stopped writing psychological horrors. Not that he particularly cared about their opinion, as it was just a little hobby of his, but still. “I’ll... Do my best, but if you lied,” I playfully glare into the camera, “I’m going to make you pay for my therapy afterwards.” <<elseif $horrors is 2>>Immunity to weirdness is something that comes with years of living with two sleep-talkers in one house. “And, hey, guess what?” he actually looks excited. “It’s not a horror story this time!” I find that hard to believe. His readers are going to be livid if he ever stopped writing psychological horrors. Not that he particularly cared about their opinion, as it was just a little hobby of his, but still. Bash likes to talk through his ideas with me before actually starting on a new hobby-project of his. I don’t mind, much. “Colour me interested, then.” <<else>>Bash likes to talk through his ideas with me before actually starting on a new hobby-project of his. I don’t mind, he comes up with some pretty good stuff. I still remember how he and dad somehow spoke with each other in their sleep once. From different rooms. I even have the most of their conversation about pineapples on pizza recorded somewhere on my phone. It might have given me a few writing ideas of my own... “This is tragic, $name,” he dramatically gasps. “It’s not a horror story this time!” Wait. What? His readers are going to be livid if he ever stopped writing psychological horrors! ...Not that he particularly cared about their opinion, but I’m one of those readers. “Don’t worry, there’s going to be enough drama to keep you on the edge the whole time. Or not. I have to keep you guessing, after all.” This news is a little concerning, but I have a feeling that I will enjoy anything he comes up with, and I tell him just as much. <</if>> “I knew I could count on you! Uh, your plans might change, of course... Text me if they do, whatever I have can...” he gulps, his expression straining slightly. “Well, it can wait, I guess?” He doesn’t sound too sure. Before I get to say anything, he hastily waves me off, says goodbye and hangs up. [[“Huh...” What’s up with him today?|ch1p1-end]]

<span class="ss">At the same time, Bali...</span> Sebastian wished he could tell $name what was going on right this instant. That the whole family are not entirely human, that something is wrong with Raven and that he loved $them no matter what $they really was... It took every ounce of his control not to just spill everything he knows. Everything his father has told him years and years ago. He didn’t understand, why their dad had to keep quiet about such a big part of Raven’s life, and Sebastian resents the day Howard told him that $they won’t be joining him in his training. ''Too dangerous,'' the man said, ''for $them, and us.'' But what if wasn’t? Raven has the right to know what $they <<are>>, $they deserved to know what power $they possessed and what this power could be used for. //$They needed to know all of it in order to protect $themself.// And Sebastian will tell $them. He cannot keep this secret from $name any longer, especially now that there was no way to reach the deity Ravenstorm family was binded to. This meant trouble, considering the growing number of opening Chasms of Void all over the world. Sebastian turns his head towards his father, who is still focused on mending rather big fissure, seeping of dark, corrupted energy. It makes his skin crawl. “Need some help?” he asks, although his tone suggests he was not keen on helping at all. “I think I got this one under control,” Howard grunts, his face as ghostly pale from exhaustion as the white sand of the beach. “No, you don’t,” Bash huffs, stuffing the phone into his pocket. “If anything, you’re opening it ever further. There’s no point in this.” “Don’t say that just yet, we might be able to—” “We can’t prevent it. As you see, we can’t seal it, either. I think... This is it.” Sebastian cringes at his own words. He was always the optimistic one, doomsaying like that felt alarmingly wrong. It was painful to be the voice of reason, the one who knows how things could end. How they //will// end. Eventually, Howard leans back, giving up his efforts with a disappointed sigh. “I just don’t understand why this is happening. And here, of all places.” “Wasn’t the first thing you taught me that the Void doesn’t ever make sense? I mean, when you think about it...” “...it was Chaos’s creation,” the older Ravenstorm finishes, looking up to the sky in a tired daze. “And what do we do, then?” Bash plops down onto the sand beside his dad, their sholders brushing against each other lightly. “We see if there are some traces left of that cult my friends mentioned. Then we come back to Dawnridge. We teach $name what $they need<<s>> to know about $their origin. We... Spend time with our family and friends.” //Because there is no way to tell how much time we have left.// Unsaid words hung heavily in the air as the two ventured into pensive silence. Howard slowly blinks, pulling the glasses off his pointy nose. “You are right.” They cannot avert this, not with Thanatos out of reach. More than that, the Watcher, the only one who could stop this from happening is still missing. “This is far beyond us. We might as well be throwing ourselves right into the Abyss.” “It makes me wonder, is there is hope for us?..” [[There has to be something they can do...|ch1p2]]

<<set $prol to true>><<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>character information had been updated!<</notify>><</if>><span class="ss">Present time, Dawnridge, Raven's flat</span><<unset $horrors>> After the disaster of a goodbye with my brother, I let my phone fall onto the couch with a soft thud. Well, it was one interesting conversation to have so early in the morning, for sure. I get up from the bed with no small amount of reluctance, and then head to the bathroom, accidentally bumping my shoulder into the doorpost as I switch on the light. When I step up to the sink, first thing I see in the mirror is my eyes. Same $eyeColour colour as always. I study my face critically, lingering on the dark circles under my eyes, now visible due to lack of sleep. My face seems more ashen than ever in the harsh white light of the bathroom, but I refuse to pay it any more attention than I usually do, instead opting to wash off the remains of sleep from my eyes. As soon as I finish my normal morning routine, I take another fleeting look at my face. I have to admit, I look slightly better than I did before, and just I was about to go on with my morning routine, something else caught my attention. [[Something just moved|metDeath]]

I swear I saw something move in the mirror, in the corner of my vision, then, closer—just over my shoulder—and I can almost feel a whisper of a touch over my skin as I stand paralyzed, eyes glued to the pale hand slowly reaching for my shoulder. Those seconds felt like literal //hours//. When it finally finds a place on my shoulder, I feel a wave of calmness wash over me. The sensation is foreign and familiar at the same time, as if we are the same. Like we always were meant to be the same. Suddenly, I realise that I no longer feel afraid, as they pose no threat to me. How do I know that? I... I’m not sure. “It’s nice to meet you again, $name... It might have taken me years to reach you, but here we are, at long last,” the voice doesn’t introduce himself, and they have no need to. It’s like I’ve met them so many years ago that any memories I could have had about them were now erased. Every part of me—every part of my soul, even—calls for their guidance, calls their name, //Thanatos//. “You poor thing... What was your father thinking, shielding you from the truth like that, I wonder?” <span class="hint">[you get to choose as many questions as you like, the last one allows you to proceed]</span> *[[“Who are you?..”|q1]] *[[“Have we met before?”|q2]] *[[“Am I the only one like this?”|q3]] [[“And what do I do now?”|q4]]

The hand on my shoulder gradually withdraws, and the figure behind me exhales a sigh. “You know my name, little one, and yet, it’s not enough for you?” Thanatos berates, but I catch a playful undertone in their morbid voice. “You are too curious for your own good. Very well. I am fourth of the High Four, the Death.” “That... Doesn’t tell me much, honestly.” “We don’t have time for a full history lesson about deities and what they are, $name. Any more questions?” <span class="next"><<button "Back" "metDeath">><</button>></span>

“I have met you when you were just a babe. $name is a name I chose for you, in fact. I don’t expect you to remember me, you were... So small and fragile,” Thanatos muses, their voice distant. “You sat quietly as I held you in my arms, and your brother was assured I was going to hurt you. Your father, while worried, had to pull him out of the room.” That sounds like Sebastian all right. He definitely took the term “protective older brother” to a whole another level. “Perhaps, that’s why neither of them haven’t told you the truth. I forget there’s still that human part of you all left, no matter how much power you possess.” <span class="next"><<button "Back" "metDeath">><</button>></span>

“No, while your awakening condition is...//special//, you’re not completely alone in this. There are many more sources out there, including most of your family. All of them knew what they were since they could talk, though,” Death pauses, and I can almost feel their confusion linger in the air. “Why didn’t they teach you?..” “I... Really have no idea what is going on right now.” “I can tell, yes. And I apologise if I scared you earlier, but it truly was the only way I could reach out. Something is blocking my connection to your family.” <span class="next"><<button "Back" "metDeath">><</button>></span>

“With your powers, you mean? Whatever you want, as long as you don’t mess up the balance even further. Just remember, they evolve around writing, and can be dangerous for those around you. Yours are...” they once again reach for my shoulder, this time passing it clean through. “Oh. We might be in big trouble. First, and most disturbing, I can’t tell what power I awakened in you. Second, our time is up, and I used up my last way of interacing with this world.” The dark figure flickers in the mirror, now almost non-existent. <span class="next"><<button "Next" "byeDeath">><</button>></span>

“Tell your family we are doing what we can, but all sources have to be ready to start damage control. We can’t hold him off for much longer. They’ll understand. Uh, I hope they will, at least,” their voice is no more than a soft whisper when they finish the sentence. “We? Who is ‘we’? Hold off //who//?” I question them. “You can’t just leave it at that! Are we in danger?” “I-I can’t see what awaits you, little Raven... I’m sorry...” “Wait! I’m so confused...” when the silence follows, I realize he is completely gone. The Death? Sources? Damage control? *[[What was that? Am I going insane?|mumText][$revelation to "confused"]] *[[I wonder if I can get away with pretending nothing had happened... |mumText][$revelation to "ignoring"]] *[[I always knew there was something weird with my family, but I never expected it to be to that degree. That’s actually pretty cool.|mumText][$revelation to "conspiring"]]

<<if $revelation is "confused">>This is really //fucked up//. I rarely swear, even to myself, but the situation called for that one. Worse, is that I don’t know what to think about the whole situation. I want to say that I just had a dream; that it wasn’t real, but... Something feels different. //I// feel different.<<elseif $revelation is "ignoring">>When you live in an odd family, you learn to ignore most of the ‘oddities’. Definitely not the first time I saw something I was not supposed to see. Although, as much as I want to say that I just had a dream; that it wasn’t real... Something feels different. //I// feel different.<<else>>What else did they keep from me? As terrifying the experience was at first, I admit that now I feel curious. Something feels different. I feel different.<</if>> Probably it’s best that I keep it to myself, do some...//uh//, occult research, before I go around scaring people, last thing I need right now is for mental hospital orderlies to drag me away. I return to the living room and slip into clothes that are more comfortable. Once I was done, I was thinking about making myself some extra-black coffee, considering the rough start of the day I just had, but I barely even moved in the general direction of the machine when my phone chirped with a message. Instead, I sat down on the couch and took the phone into my hand. I wasn’t too surprised to see the lable “Mum” on the screen before opening the chat. ‘Happy Birthday, $name! I hope you will have a wonderful day. I’m sorry for such a short notice, but I am already on my way to Dawnridge, can’t wait to see you in person! I hope it’s alright? Again, I’m very sorry if it’s not... I promise it’s not work stuff, I just wanted to see how you are doing. We can meet up in the evening, maybe? I have gifts to make up for scaring you like that, I’m sure you had better plans for the day than to hang out with your mum. It won’t be long, promice, as I still need to sort out the hotel question, can you imagine...’ Then she goes on to complain about the mean administrator, but I know better than to read mum’s rants. *[[‘Thank you, mum. It’s fine,’ is all I can type. I feel nervous, why did she decide to appear out of nowhere like that?.. It stresses me out greatly when things change at the last moment.|nerv][$stEm += 15]] *[[‘And how did dad and Bash feel about that?’ I hesitate for a few seconds, then erase the message and send a simple ‘OK’. They’re going to be back eventually, mum’s coming back today... I can’t help but worry what might happen.|worr][$stEm += 10]] *[[‘It’s more than alright! Can’t wait to see u too. Hope the hotel question goes smoothly,’ I quickly send it, giddy with excitement. It’s been years since we last saw each other in person, and now we finally have some time to properly catch up!|exc][$stEm += 15]] *[[I’ll just send thumbs up emoji to her. I don’t mind seeing mum, it doesn’t bother me much.|ok][$stEm -= 15]]

<<set $outlook -= 10>>Not to mention, last time my parents saw each other was on the day mum fled back to France after “learning that your father is not someone I thought he was”, which was the vaguest thing I’ve ever heard. She even refused to go settle the divorce herself, and sent a lawyer in her stead. Taking into consideration what I know from Thanatos—Death?—I have no idea what to call him, honestly... My family is not human. No, most of my family is not human. Could it be that she found out about it? I don’t remember anything of the day my parents parted ways, as I was too young, but Sebastian has told me it wasn’t pretty and refused to share any details. Every time I ask him about it, or why he hates our mum so much, he either deflects or huffs in annoyance: “She left us at the first chance she was presented with, $name. Isn’t that enough reason?” Something didn’t quite felt right about this back then, but now... I think I’m starting to understand where Bash was coming from. I need more details before I do anything rash. So much is happening at once, I might actually go insane... [[What was I doing? Ah, right!|meetVic]]

<<set $outlook -= 5>>Last time my parents saw each other was on the day mum fled back to France after “learning that your father is not someone I thought he was”, which was the vaguest thing I’ve ever heard. She even refused to go settle the divorce herself, and sent a lawyer in her stead. Taking into consideration what I know from Thanatos—Death? I have no idea what to call him, honestly... My family is not human. No, most of my family is not human. Could it be that she found out about it? I don’t remember anything of the day my parents parted ways, as I was too young, but Sebastian has told me it wasn’t pretty and refused to share any details. Every time I ask him about it, or why he hates our mum so much, he either deflects or huffs in annoyance: “She left us at the first chance she was presented with, $name. Isn’t that enough reason?” Something didn’t quite felt right about this back then, but now... I think I’m starting to understand where Bash was coming from. I need more details to be sure. [[What was I doing? Ah, right!|meetVic]]

<<set $outlook += 10>>Though, last time my parents saw each other was on the day mum fled back to France after “learning that your father is not someone I thought he was”, which was the vaguest thing I’ve ever heard. She even refused to go settle the divorce herself, and sent a lawyer in her stead. Taking into consideration what I know from Thanatos—Death? I have no idea what to call him, honestly... My family is not human. No, most of my family is not human. Could it be that she found out about it? I don’t remember anything of the day my parents parted ways, as I was too young, but Sebastian has told me it wasn’t pretty and refused to share any details. Every time I ask him about it, or why he hates our mum so much, he either deflects or huffs in annoyance: “She left us at the first chance she was presented with, $name. Isn’t that enough reason?” Something didn’t quite felt right about this back then, but now... I think I’m starting to understand where Bash was coming from. I need more details, for sure. Maybe I can still salvage everything! [[What was I doing? Ah, right!|meetVic]]

Though, last time my parents saw each other was on the day mum fled back to France after “learning that your father is not someone I thought he was”, which was the vaguest thing I’ve ever heard. She even refused to go settle the divorce herself, and sent a lawyer in her stead. Taking into consideration what I know from Thanatos—Death? I have no idea what to call him, honestly... My family is not human. No, most of my family is not human. Could it be that she found out about it? I don’t remember anything of the day my parents parted ways, as I was too young, but Sebastian has told me it wasn’t pretty and refused to share any details. Every time I asked him about it—or why he hates our mum so much—in the past, he either deflected or was annoyed: “She left us at the first chance she was presented with, $name. Isn’t that enough reason?” Something didn’t quite felt right about this back then, but now... I think I’m starting to understand where Bash was coming from. I might need more details before I judge the situation myself. [[What was I doing? Ah, right!|meetVic]]

This time when I decide to go brew some coffee, the doorbell rings. With a tired sigh, I swiftly change the direction I was heading in and hurry towards the door. I think the universe is strictly against me having coffee today. Or, more likely, just against me in general. Without peeking into a security peephole of my front door, I pull it open, only to almost be toppled over by Victor, who <<if $height is "very tall" or $height is "tall">>instantly grips my forearms. He has to lean his head up to look into my eyes<<else>>instantly grips my shoulders<</if>>. For a guy of such an elegant build, he sure has a lot of strength. He carefully runs his inspecting gaze over me with a worried expression, no words leaving his mouth until he lets out a breath of relief and hangs his head. “You are alright...” Vic chuckles breathlessly, finally meeting my eye again. I swear, just for a moment I saw his dark blue hue flash violet. <<if $vicinterest is "your crush">>[[Must have been a trick of light.|VicRom]]<<else>>[[Must have been a trick of light.|neutral]]<</if>>

His perfume is sweet, and at the same time spicy. It's the one I had gifted him since Bash was annoyed by the plain one Vic always used. Mum shipped a few boxes here for me, it was a limited edition was from some fancy firm, too, so not too shabby I'd say. “I apologize for invading your personal space first thing in the morning,” eventually, he breaks the suffocating silence between us. His eyes trail down to my cheeks, then to my lips... Then, back up, “I thought I’ve felt—Uh, actually, never mind that.” *[[“Oh. My. God. Vic is touching me... He is so close, too!” I internally squeal as I feel my face flush, suddenly aware of the warmth of his hands even through the fabric of my shirt.|shyEm]] *[[“Well, hello there,” I smirk, looking him up and down. I should probably hold in any comments I have in mind, and his smitten expression is as good indication as any.|boldEm]] *[[“That’s... Oh, wow,” I stumble over my words and try to keep my face neutral even as my eyebrows flew upwards. His attention is unexpected, but not unwelcome, so I refrain myself from moving just in case.|shySt]] *[[“Oh... Hello to you too,” I try to keep my expression neutral, but I can’t help but raise an eyebrow at his sudden proximity.|boldSt]]

“I apologize for invading your personal space first thing in the morning,” eventually, he breaks silence between us, flashing me a friendly smile as he releases me and takes a step back. His eyes squint slightly as he examines me. “Something about you feels... Different today.” <span class="next"><<button "Different?" "tellVic">><</button>></span>

<<set $romance -= 10>><<set $stEm += 10>>“I-It’s fine... I’m really glad you’re here,” I gulp, instantly looking away and wringing my fingers nervously. Victor hums softly, loosening his grip on me; his fingers cautiously trail a path down to my elbows as if to stop my fiddling. I dare a glance back to his eyes and flinch at the intensity in those dark blue pools. He is genuinely worried, though that worry soon gives place to confusion. “Something about you feels... Different today.” <span class="next"><<button "Different?" "tellVic">><</button>></span>

<<set $romance += 10>><<set $stEm += 10>>“Ah, yes, hi—hello,” Victor stutters quietly, but doesn’t pull away. Dark blue eyes are completely focused on mine and his presence is magnetic, so I dare to inch a little closer to him, closely watching as the soft blush started to spread across his freckled cheeks. I can tell he held in his breath, though at our proximity or because of something else entirely, I don’t know. “New haircut?” His sudden question only draws me in closer. “I don’t think so, why?” Vic shakes his head, squinting at me slightly, as if seeing me for the first time. “Something is different about you today.” <span class="next"><<button "Different?" "tellVic">><</button>></span>

<<set $romance -= 10>><<set $stEm -= 10>>“Hello,” Victor seems slightly confused, but the smile he gives me is very gentle. It never fails to capture my attention whenever he smiles that way, and all the better that I notice him smiling like this only when I’m around. “New haircut?” “Huh? Oh, no, it’s the same...” His warm hand only scarcely comes in contact with my cheek, and I find myself leaning further into the gesture as my eyes flutter shut. “Something is different about you today.” <span class="next"><<button "Different?" "tellVic">><</button>></span>

<<set $romance += 10>><<set $stEm -= 10>>“Uh, hello,” Victor stutters quietly, but doesn’t pull away. Dark blue eyes are completely focused on mine and his presence is magnetic, so I lift up my hand and carefully place it on his chest, closely watching as the soft blush started to spread across his freckled cheeks. Even through the pressed shirt, I can feel his heart speed up under my touch. “New haircut?” His sudden question only draws me in closer. “I don’t think so, why?” Vic shakes his head, squinting at me slightly, as if seeing me for the first time. “Something is different about you today.” <span class="next"><<button "Different?" "tellVic">><</button>></span>

Victor being so close, without politely asking for permission like he usually does... Well, it’s not the strangest thing that happened today, but still is quite unexpected. He never was the type to invade anyone’s personal space, even if it was obvious that he craved physical touch. I saw how tensed up he got when someone raised a hand for a handshake or high-five; I believe it came up in our conversations at least once, and he definitely would much rather just give a hug—if it’s someone he knows well—or a nod. I can guess that he’s had his share of awkward handshakes, which are going to last him for a lifetime. “What?” I blink out of my trance, and Victor hastily takes a step back. “Wait, different? I don’t—oh.” Should I tell him what happened?.. He has to know something. And he looks so worried... *[[I probably should. I need to know if I really am insane. At least Vic will try to soften the blow, unlike some people.|tellVic2][$toldVic to "yes"]] *[[Yeah, no. One protective older brother is enough, I don’t need Vic sheltering me too, thank you very much.|tellVic2][$toldVic to "no"]]

“Um, are you okay?..” Victor’s comforting voice breaks me out of my chain of thought, and only now I realise that I have blanked out on him for a little over a minute. “Have you had your coffee yet?” “Nope.” His smile is nothing but polite, and it doesn’t really reach his eyes this time. He is concerned. “Ah, then it’s completely understandable. Any Ravenstorm without their morning coffee is a very unhappy Ravenstorm.” “That’s putting it mildly…” I mutter under my breath, stepping back in to my apartment and motioning for him to come in. I shut the door behind Victor, and he quickly changes his fancy black shoes—which are completely soaked, I’d wager—to comfortable slippers he brought along when he and Bash helped me move in. His inspecting eyes quickly dart around the room, as if making sure everything was in place, and takes a notice of the boxes by the door. “Do you need help with those?” Vic asks while shrugging his coat off as I lead him in further into the room. “No, no, it’s alright,” I assure him with a wave of a hand. “I’ve been a little lazy lately, that’s all.” “Ah. I can relate to that,” he gives a soft smile, but his reputation of a workaholic has me doubting every word of his statement. Before I decide to point it out, he continues, “When I was your age, I spent my time relaxing under the sun in the gardens, messing around with my sister...” “That sounds nice. Now I feel like I need to relax properly.” We lapse into comfortable silence, before my brain gives almost audible //click//. [[“...Hold on. Victor, you don’t have any siblings,” I wince.|tellVic3]]

His expressions change rapidly: first to confusion, then to realisation, and, finally, to guilt. “Right, sorry. Let’s pretend I didn’t say anything just now,” Victor chuckles sheepishly, fidgeting with the sleeves of his pressed shirt. “Believe it or not, but that’s not the weirdest thing I’ve encountered today...” “Want to talk about it?” he offers quickly, moving towards the coffee machine. “I hope you don’t mind if I take responsibility for pushing buttons. Settle down for a moment, you look exhausted...” “Thank you,” I give a weary sigh, falling backwards onto the sofa. “You are heaven-sent, you know that?” I catch Victor flinch, before he busies himself with preparing coffee. Although he tries to say it as quietly as he can, I still hear him mutter: “Not exactly, but close enough...” “Alright,” he claps once the machine whirrs to life, turning to face me, “now, about those weird things. Tell me.” “Honestly, I have no idea where to start... So, earlier in the morning I had a call with Bash and dad,” Victor’s brow creased at the mention of my father, but he seemed to have bit his tongue and gave no commentary. They weren’t on the best terms, my dad and Vic. Mainly because my dad thought he was, and I quote: //«wrong in the head, a normal guy can’t have a boyfriend»//. “What were they up to?” he prompted after a few seconds of tense silence and sounds of brewing machinery. “It’s-Actually, it was hard to tell. Dad was busy with something, and Bash was acting... Weird.” <<if $toldVic is "no">>Victor hums, though the gentle sound almost blends in with the humming of the coffee machine. “Define weird. Your brother is a mystery to me, even after years of knowing him. Almost anything he does I consider odd.” “He was in distress, I think. I’ve never seen him like that.” “Years of living with homophobic control freak of a parent does that to people, yes.” His tone is sickeningly soft, the smile and the eyes are sharper than any knife in my kitchen, and I startle when the machine behind him lets out a slightly threatening ''beep'', slicing through the apprehensive atmosphere of the room. Victor blinks, regains his control and a more genuine smile settles on his face. He swiftly takes two steaming mugs from the machine and places mine in front of me, afterwards settling down beside me. “Apologies. Distressed, you were saying?” Vic blows softly before taking a careful sip.<<else>>Victor hums, though the gentle sound almost blends in with the humming of the coffee machine. “Define weird. Your brother is a mystery to me, even after years of knowing him. Almost anything he does I consider odd.” “He was in distress, I think. I’ve never seen him like that.” “Years of living with homophobic control freak of a parent does that to people, yes.” His tone is sickeningly soft, the smile and the eyes are sharper than any knife in my kitchen, and I startle when the machine behind him lets out a slightly threatening ''beep'', slicing through the apprehensive atmosphere of the room. Victor blinks, regains his control and a more genuine smile settles on his face. He swiftly takes two steaming mugs from the machine and places mine in front of me, afterwards settling down beside me. “Apologies. Distressed, you were saying?” Vic blows softly before taking a careful sip.<</if>> <<if $vicinterest is "your crush">>I couldn’t help but sit there, captivated by the scene. With his eyes closed, long lashes lightly fluttering against his cheeks, he looked so soft in this moment, almost angelic. The man lets out a calm sigh and licks his lips, unaware that my eyes instantly locked onto the gesture. It took all of my self-control to glance away, but it does little to stop the tingling warmth from spreading across my face and all the way down to my stomach. “Yes, he was. Like, he wanted to tell me something, but was very hesitant to.”<<else>>“Yes, he was. Like, he wanted to tell me something, but was very hesitant to.”<</if>> <<if $toldVic is "yes">>“Sebastian? Hesitant?” Victor chuckles, arching a blond eyebrow. “Now, that does seem a little bit strange, your brother usually speaks before he thinks. I’m sure it’s nothing, though. What else happened?” Before I move on to the next part, I take a sip of my own, and once again confirm that this coffee machine was the best investment I’ve ever made in my whole life. “Then, a person appeared in my mirror—” Victor nearly choked on coffee, his frightened gaze instantly snapped to me. “A-a person? What kind of person, $name?” “Their name was Thanatos, I think? The Death?” Gentle man takes a deep breath and sets the mug down onto the table, fully turning to face me with a patient expression. “Uh-huh. Thanatos, seems about right.” “You know them, then? I’m not mental?” I joke with a forced laugh, making Victor look away. “You are not mad, $name... I know them, though, not too well. Your family had a close...bond...with them for many, many years, so it’s not much of a surprise they reached out to you,” he then looks back at me, “They awakened your gift, didn’t they? That’s why you feel so different.” All I can do is nod, too stunned to speak. Victor is not freaking out. He is not laughing, or saying I am ill. Opposite to what I was expecting, he is completely serious. “Ah, then you already know what you are, right? I hope they’ve told you, I can’t really explain the whole idea of sources, seeing as I tried to stay from the divine work as far away as I could. But you probably have questions.” *[[“Who are those deities?”|vq_1]] *[[“You said you were able to feel the change in me. Are you a source, too?”|vq_2]] [[“How did the Death manage to contact me, and why through the mirror?”|vq_3]]<<else>>“Sebastian? Hesitant?” Victor chuckles, arching a blond eyebrow. “Now, that does seem a bit strange. Bash has never been too cagey on details, but I think he tells you literally everything.” //Yeah, and yet he deemed it unimportant to tell me that our family is not human,// I almost scoff. Vic hesitates before speaking up. “Unless... You think that changed?” I don’t even know what to think. Sebastian was always there for me since the day one, and even when no one had faith in me, he’s been the biggest support in my life. I can’t imagine it being any other way, and I don’t really want to. But that was a nasty secret to keep, and I felt betrayed. Did it change how I feel about him? *[[Yes, how could it not?|angy]] *[[No, not really.|not_angy]]<</if>>

“Can you tell me more about the deities? Who are they?” “Well, I guess the best term to describe them would be to say they are gods, of some sort. It’s not exactly right, but as long as you don’t go around calling them «gods», you should be fine. Not all of them have at least decent sense of humor, and even less have the patience to correct you,” Victor looks up, as if debating on what else to tell me, “There are many different deities, all possess various powers to carry out their duties to the Highest Deity, the deity in the head of them all. Your deity, the Death, is responsible for—” “Reaping the souls of the dead?” Vic blinks, and then looks at me with fake concern. “What kind of literature are you reading in your spare time, $name? No, it’s too much work, there’s so many souls to reap,” I can see a tiny amused smile playing on his lips; then he quickly clears his throat and continues. “Thanatos is more of a guide for the lost. Their Reapers do most of the soul gathering, and drop them off at the Abyss, the world in between life and death, where they have to find their way to Death’s Temple.” “And where do sources stand in this picture?” I ask, before he can go off explaining even more. “Oh, that’s easy. You and your family work for the Death, figuratively speaking.” There’s a short pause as I raise an eyebrow and take a sip of coffee. Easy? Nothing about that sounds easy! “Abilities and protection are most common gifts to ask from a deity, and these are carried out without any contract. Though that doesn’t necessarily make one a source, so we call them gifted humans. Your family has a contract, and that makes them, and you, sources.” <span class="next"><<button "Back" "tellVic3">><</button>></span>

“Are you a source, too?” “No, though I wish I was, that would make my life twenty times easier, ha-ha,” he chuckles tensely, running a hand through his fluffy blond hair. “Why do you think I am?” “You said you were able to feel the change in me. Can anyone else feel that, then?” Victor presses his lips tightly together, but eventually relents. “Humans can’t feel anything special, no.” It takes a second for me to process what he said. “You are not human either,” it’s more of a statement than a question, and Vic only nods, without saying anything else on the matter, so instead I decide to change the direction of the conversation. “So there’s more than just deities, sources and gifted humans?” “Much more. I imagine many creatures can feel it. Be mindful of those you approach, and you will be okay.” I have even more questions now, but hold my tongue for now. <span class="next"><<button "Back" "tellVic3">><</button>></span>

“Is this normal for deities?” when Victor frowns in confusion, I immediately elaborate. “Reaching out to people through the mirrors, I mean.” He gives in to a fit of chuckles as soon as I finish the sentence. “Not just any people, $name,” then he holds up his mug up to his lips, seriousness creeping onto his face. “I don’t think that was supposed to happen, though. According to what your brother told me, your family lost contact with Thanatos a little over twenty years ago. And through the mirror? Of all ways, the most unconventional one.” <span class="next"><<button "Next" "tellVic4">><</button>></span>

What else is he keeping from me? How can I trust him after this? Victor seems to understand my thoughts, judging how he is chewing on his lower lip, with guilt spreading across the soft features. “He loves you, $name. Whatever you might be thinking of right now, he is still your dork of a brother.” <span class="next"><<button "Next" "tellVic4">><</button>></span>

It stings, but I love that dork too much to be mad at him. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to give him a piece of my mind next time we speak. “Sometimes you are too kind, $name,” Victor gently comments, his eyes crinkle from a warm smile he gives me, “He is lucky to have you as his little sibling.” <span class="next"><<button "Next" "tellVic4">><</button>></span>

<<if $toldVic is "no">>Before I can answer, his phone goes off. Vic rolls his eyes and sighs, reaching into his pocket. It’s one of the rare times I saw him get annoyed at something. “Huh. Speak of the devil,” he gets up from the sofa and takes the call. “Hello. Uh—Bash? Hello? Can you hear me?” A few seconds passes. Eventually Victor hangs up, heaving a tired sigh. He throws on the trench coat and moves towards the door. “My phone is acting up today, I have to step out to check what your brother needs,” he mumbles, slipping back into his shoes. “I’ll be waiting for you outside.”<<else>>“They said something along the lines of: all sources have to be ready to start damage control, because we can’t hold him off for much longer.” A shudder runs through Victor at that. “That’s bad. Very, very bad,” he states after a disturbing beat of quietness. “Have you told anyone about it?” “Just you,” I shrug, frowning, “why?” “I-uh... Need to step out to make a call. My phone is acting up for some reason. I’ll be waiting for you outside, gather your things and meet me downstairs, I’ll give you a lift to university.” With that, Victor sets his mug down and jumps up. After changing back into his shoes, he looks back at me while slipping the trench coat on. “And $name? You can’t tell anyone not from your family about what you told me here. I hope you understand why,” he storms out of my flat, closing the door behind him with a soft click.<</if>> Without Vic, the flat became quiet and somber once again. I briefly check the messages on my phone while I finish with my own coffee. The thought occurs to me suddenly: it is 7:12 in the morning, and there is still no messages from Noah or Olivia to check in if I’m going to attend classes today. I cannot help but grin at that. Oh, this is too predictable. [[Those two are definitely up to something.|end_ch1pt2]]

<span class="ss">Just outside the building...</span> Victor’s hands were shaking as he waited for Sebastian to pick up the call. It didn’t help to ease his worries that the phone wasn’t cooperating with him at all this morning, as if someone—or some//thing//—was not only messing with the mobile connection, but with the gadget itself. He had a feeling, that god-awful feeling, that he did not want to find out whatever that was. Victor almost melted into the seat of his Rover in relief when Sebastian’s familiar voice sounded from the speaker, though his free hand was still gripping the wheel tightly. “Jeez, it’s such a pain in the ass!” Vic had to fight an amused grin from spreading, knowing that the glitch had perfectly cut off the following string of curses. “Yeah, I know, sorry,” instead, he coughs, holding in any jokes his mind already cooked up. “Look, I have neutral news and bad news.” “Of course you do. You sure there are no good news?” “If I’m being honest, I think we won’t hear anything even close to good news from this point on.” “You see, that’s because you are a pessimist,” Victor was still able to pick up on Sebastian’s teasing even though the line continued to glitch. “Start with neutral, we’ll go from there.” “$name’s ability finally awakened,” the silence followed that had Vic doubt that his best friend even heard him, “Bash, you there?” “Yes... I can hear you, I’m just...” “Trying to take it in?” A humourless chuckle has Victor wincing. “Blaming myself that I was not there when it happened and thinking up the ways I’m going to beg for Raven’s forgiveness, more like. What... What did $their ability feel like?” The blonde man takes some time to think. What he felt was very complicated, in the way he never expected it to feel. “Bash, that’s the thing, $they... Didn’t feel like a source at all. I could not tell what $their ability felt like, because the power $they held overwhelmed my senses,” chill ran down his spine as he remembered the way he was drawn to Raven. <<if $vicinterest is "your crush">>Like he was not in control. He hated having no control over his own instincts. For a moment, it was getting extremely dangerous; Victor found himself unable to part away from $them. It’s true that he always found $name rather fascinating, but never would he do anything $they <<were>> not comfortable with.<<else>>Like he was not in control. He hated having no control over his own instincts.<</if>> <<if $toldVic is "no">>“It leads me to believe that $name has more to $them than we had prepared for... This has ‘trouble’ written all over it.” “What do you mean, more?!” Sebastian raises his voice, and Vic has to put distance between his ear and the phone for a moment when yet another, louder glitch accompanies his screech. “That’s bull, why is it happening now of all times?”<<else>>“It leads me to believe that $name has more to $them than we had prepared for... And Thanatos reached $them through the mirror this morning, stating that sources have to get ready for damage control. This has ‘trouble’ written all over it.” “Through the mirror?! And what do you mean, more?!” Sebastian raises his voice, and Vic has to put distance between his ear and the phone for a moment when yet another, louder glitch accompanies his screech. “That’s bull, why is it happening now of all times?”<</if>> Victor nervously bites down onto his lower lip as he swivels around the topic. “I-uh... What about the chasms? You guys are working on getting those closed up again, right?” “We tried, and for a few days we’ve been here, it was working, but...” Bash trails off, suddenly quiet. “...Now it doesn’t.” “Exactly. Something is interfering with our work, something big. I don’t think it’s //him// necessarily, but, you know, maybe there’s still a few of his followers roaming around here, somewhere?” “You might be right,” Vic sighs deeply. “It can’t be that he is breaking out on his own, without any help from outside.” “That’s what I thought, too. That, and the growing number of Void chasms appearing every few minutes. We’ll see what we can do about this, maybe I will find where it all is coming from and then—” “He is definitely coming back, Bash. I don’t think that finding the reason would help us much.” “...Oh. Oh, may the World have mercy on us, then.” “I’m afraid the World will suffer from a divine heart-attack once she hears of this.” “Right,” there’s a beat of pensive silence before Sebastian speaks up again. “Can’t you reach out to her?” Vic grits his teeth, hising softly. “No?” “You know what? We’ll get through this. You said the two of us defeated him once already. How much harder can it be? And we have Raven on our side now! I know we will show him where his place, this time for good. Together. Like always.” //No, we will not// — Victor almost answered, instead letting his eyes fall closed with a calming breath, in and out. It didn’t work, he already heard it in Sebastian’s voice, that hesitant pause in between the sentences he spoke was the only thing he hoped he would never hear again. “Sebastian, I think...” he has to halt his words for a moment. Victor could tell him they don’t stand a chance, even with Raven’s new potential. He could tell him of all of the ways the Chaos will tear apart everyone and everything they know and love, how that bastard will seek them out and make sure their lives are ruined once he finds his way into the realms of Holy Void again. Victor’s feeble human heart aches, so he doesn’t. He’s become too soft. But he has to stay strong. <<if $vicinterest is "your crush">>He has a Raven to protect, now.<<elseif $vicinterest is "your brother's “friend”">>He has a Ravenstorm to protect, now.<<else>>He has a family to protect, now.<</if>> And he won’t fail this time. [[“Yes. Of course.”|ch2pt1]]

You’ve reached the end of the current demo! You can follow my Tumblr blog for SoH so you don't miss out on the information concerning Sleight of Hand. Estimated release of the Chapter Two might move slightly towards first days of September due to technical difficulties, though I will try my best to get it out by the end of August! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I’ll see you next update :) — Leo.

The story takes place in a city of Dawnridge, somewhere in the central Britain, year 202X. As of now, I have six (or more) chapters planned out. Keep in mind that SoH is a hobby project, and while I am quite passionate about it now, I cannot guarantee I will see it through until it’s logical end. I’m just having fun with it, after all! The final product, if I were to finish it, would be completely free to read. //''Warning!''// Sleight of Hand contains mild horror elements, crude language, brief mentions of mature themes such as sex, homophobia, death and depression //(currently 16+)//. If you find any bugs, grammar mistakes or misspellings, let me know, I will do my best to fix them. Enjoy! <span class="next"><<button "Prologue" "Prologue">><</button>></span>