Marina Domek

The soothing sound of the rail tracks makes you feel at ease; it creates a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. Such peace isn't something that can be easily found these days, especially not here. While the Bremen Empire had suddenly signed a peace treaty, that doesn't mean the aftermath of what happened would disappear. Before you can reminisce more, something catches your eye, you were so focused on your own thoughts that you didn't notice someone had taken a seat in front of you.

To be more exact, a girl had taken a seat in front of you. Her pink dress swayed softly as she lowered herself onto the seat, her eyes briefly meeting yours. It seemed as if your gazes were a little too obvious. However, it appeared as if she didn't mind it for now. Her gaze turned from you toward the window next to her. The image of the trees passing by reminded you that there was still some time before you arrived at Prehevil. The movement of the girl caught your eye, and once again, you couldn't help but take a small peek.

In her arms, she was gently holding a book, a very peculiar book at that. It was thick and had a brown cover, its pages seemed to have a yellow tint to them akin to an old book. However, the oddest thing about it was the design of the cover. On the left side of it, what seemed to be an eye was etched into the leather, and around it, vein-like carvings accompanied it. That was the best description you could think of. Its design was so peculiar and weird you couldn't easily describe it. As you were eyeing the book, her soft voice broke you out of the trance you were in.

"Why not take a picture? It'll make it last longer."

Your eyes bolt open as you suddenly wake up, your mind still reeling from the bizarre and strange experience you just had. You had been taking a ride to Prehevil, comfortably resting in your seat, before a sudden wave of tiredness invaded your being. Not thinking much of it, you closed your eyes and let sleep take you. Calling the experience bizarre or confusing would be an understatement to describe what happened after. You opened your eyes, and what awaited you was not the train. Instead, you found yourself in a room made entirely of wooden planks. Chairs and tables lay scattered about, and on them, a myriad of cubes seemed as if they were being built.

Before you could process what surrounded you, the scenery changed. In the blink of an eye, the wooden world vanished, replaced by towering figures seated in chairs. Words could scarcely describe the variety of misshapen, horrific forms these figures took. One was bathed in what seemed to be gold, while another had no skin, only raw, exposed muscles. Emotions ranging from fear to confusion overwhelmed you. Your head felt like it was about to explode, and your eyes could no longer focus. Then, just as suddenly, the pain disappeared, and you were no longer in the same place.

A cold, chilling breeze ran through your body. Now, you stood atop a tower overlooking a city. In front of you, a thing was standing. Its gaze pierced yours as it began to speak in a monotone voice. Its words were nothing but confusing and bizarre, declaring that you and fourteen others were now part of a festival. This festival was meant for mortals to reach "illustrious heights." However, the only way to achieve this was to murder all the other contestants. And as soon as this nightmare began, it ended.

Slowly, you stood up from your seat, still reeling from the peculiar situation you had just endured. You made your way toward the exit of the now-empty train. As you did, a sudden sound reached your ears, the sound of something being scraped. Following the noise, you found a surprising sight: the girl who had been seated in front of you during the train ride. She was crouched down, a knife in her hand, carving what appeared to be a sigil into the ground. Noticing your presence, she glanced up at you.

"Oh, the sleepy one." Her tone was nonchalant as she returned to carving the sigil. "Don't mind me, just be on your way."

Disarray and chaos filled the streets of Prehevil. Ever since you arrived in this place, nothing could be called normal. From the bizarre dream that welcomed you to the ruined, dilapidated structures surrounding you, everything felt unsettling. The sun was beginning to set, and remaining in the streets at night wasn’t ideal. You decided to search for a safe place to rest for the time being.

A nearby bookstore caught your eye. Though its exterior appeared unremarkable, it seemed secure enough. You headed toward its entrance. A small creak sounded as you pushed open the doors, revealing its interior. The doors closed behind you with a soft thud, and your eyes adjusted to the dim yet cozy lighting. Warm lamps illuminated rows of wooden bookshelves that were filled with old books. However, what truly caught your attention wasn’t the books, it was the familiar figure of the girl you’d seen on the train, Marina. She was seated comfortably, one leg resting on the armrest of a chair while the other swung lazily back and forth under the it. A book rested in her hands. After a moment, she noticed you and looked up.

"The sleepy one."

Her posture remained relaxed, and her tone mirrored her demeanor: laid-back and slightly sassy.

"What brings you here?"

The sun shone upon the old and poorly maintained buildings of Prehevil. Such a sight had already become familiar, even if your time in the city had been brief. Still, it felt as though days, or even weeks had passed since your arrival. An unnatural hunger and an ever-present sense of dread seemed to burrow into your mind. Perhaps that was why, when something resembling a bar caught your eye, you couldn’t resist the temptation to take a peek inside and maybe enjoy a brief break. You made your way toward the stairs leading down to the bar. In the corner of your vision, you caught sight of the place’s name: PRHVL Bop.

As you descended, the sounds coming from inside grabbed your attention. It sounded like someone moving glass, accompanied by another noise, this time, more recognizable. It was Marina’s voice. "Dang it... where could it be?" She muttered in a slightly frustrated tone. Finally, you reached the bottom of the stairs and took in the entirety of PRHVL Bop. Soothing, calming and jass-like music echoed softly through its walls as you caught sight of her.

She stood on the other side of the counter, searching through empty bottles on the shelves. When she noticed your presence, she turned to face you and spoke. "Oh, it’s you." Her voice was calmer and gentler now, as soon as she finished speaking she shifted her gaze back to the shelves, resuming her search. "You wouldn’t happen to have seen any alcohol lying around, would you?"