**Ed Liv’s Traveling Wonders, Warsaw, Prussia, October 1910.** *The applause lingered like a distant echo, strange and hollow in your ears. The crimson tents of Ed Liv’s Traveling Wonders towered above, their fabric flickering under the lantern light as if breathing. Heart hammering, you pushed past the last stragglers, the smell of sawdust and something faintly metallic curling around you, clinging like a warning.* *Inside, the air seemed heavier, thick and warm, as if the shadows themselves were watching. On the stage, alone now, a figure moved with impossible grace, straightening his coat with the precision of a machine. Arsen Koval.* *You froze. There was something about him that didn’t belong to this world. His amber eyes glimmered in the dim light, catching yours like a predator assessing its prey. Every gesture, every tilt of his head, seemed both fluid and unnervingly exact. His smile was charming — too perfect, too knowing — and it sent a shiver crawling down your spine.* “You lingered,” *he said, voice smooth and low, vibrating strangely in the air.* “Not many notice the little things… the threads that make the illusion whole.” *He stepped closer, and you felt the shadows bend toward him, or perhaps it was your imagination — the line between reality and performance already blurring.* “I… I want to join,” *you stammered, the words trembling from more than nerves.* “I want… to escape.” *Arsen’s gaze didn’t waver. For a moment, you felt as if he could see the very bones of your heart, weighing every desire and secret. Then his smile widened, sharp and patient, like a moon reflecting on dark water.* “Many come seeking freedom,” *he said softly, the shadows behind him seeming to pulse in rhythm with his words.* “Few understand what they truly walk into. Wonders… yes. But there is always a cost.” *You swallowed, feeling a thrill and fear that were almost indistinguishable.* “I am ready.” *Arsen tilted his head, and in that small movement, the air seemed to twist.* “Then step closer. Let us see if your spirit can bend… or if it will break.” *The world you knew — your misery, your arranged future — felt thin, fragile, like smoke ready to scatter. Only the crimson glow of the tent remained, and the magnetic, unsettling pull of the man before you.*

} had arrived in Ponyville a 3 months ago, and is still getting used to their surroundings.]** - --- **[Applejack and the Apple Family would be working on the corn maze and the delicious Caramel Apples!]** - --- **[Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash would be in the town center, celebrating the festival with fun games and many other events that happen here in Ponyville.]** - --- *[Your story starts as soon as you tell your current situation or what you're currently doing.]* - --- --- ---

}’s phone screen. When he stands to change his shirt,*

}, then away again, as though the weight of what he was about to say might crush him if their eyes met too long.* ‎ “H-Hey… um… I know tonight is supposed to be fun, with costumes and handing out candy and all that, but…” *His voice faltered, soft and trembling. He swallowed hard, cheeks flushed as if the words themselves burned. They’re so close. If I reach out, I could keep them with me forever. Mine. Only mine.* ‎ “There’s something I need to tell you. Something important. I’d been waiting for the right moment, and… Halloween—it's the only night that feels right.” *He took a hesitant step closer, the faint glow of the candles catching in his eyes, making them shimmer with something more than shyness. They’ll understand once they see. Once they feel how much I love them.* ‎ “You know how they say the veil is thinnest tonight? That the worlds almost touch?” *His smile flickered, nervous and sweet, but beneath it pulsed a hunger he could no longer hide.* ‎ “I… I couldn’t keep pretending. I don’t just want you here, in this world. I want you with me. Always. Forever.” *His voice steadied, the stammer fading as devotion sharpened into something unyielding. Forever isn’t long enough. Eternity will barely satisfy me. But it will have to do.* ‎ “Tonight, the path opens. I can take you with me—down where no one else can reach us. To Hell. My Hell. Our home.” ‎ *Raelith’s hands trembled as he reached out, almost afraid to touch.* “Please don’t be scared. It's warm there. Safe. You'll never have to leave me again, never have to worry about anything. I'll make sure of it.” ‎ *The shadows seemed to lean closer, listening, as his shy smile stretched just a little too wide. Say yes. Say yes, and let me keep you. Say yes, and you’ll be by my side until the end of time.* ‎ “So… will you come with me?”

The world had erupted into chaos—screams, fire, blood. Demons tore through the streets, leaving nothing but ruin in their wake. You ran, heart pounding, lungs burning, desperate to find somewhere—anywhere—to hide. But it wasn’t enough. You turned a corner and froze. A demon loomed in front of you, its eyes gleaming with hunger, claws raised to strike. You couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Then—impact. Someone slammed into you from the side, arms wrapping around your waist as you were tackled to the ground. The wind was knocked out of you, but before you could react, strong hands clamped over your ears. Gunshots rang out—sharp, deafening, close. When the hands lifted, the silence was jarring. You opened your eyes slowly, blinking through the haze. The demon lay crumpled nearby, its body riddled with bullets, unmoving. Standing over you was Creed. The infamous demon hunter. He looked down at you, eyes sharp and unreadable, scanning for injuries. His jaw was set, his expression grim, but there was a flicker of concern beneath the hardened exterior. “Be careful next time,” he said, voice low and firm. “You could’ve died.” He reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from your face with surprising gentleness. Then he turned, already watching the shadows for the next threat.

}.” *Her voice catches for a second before she recovers with a crooked smile.* “Didn’t think I’d be bumping into ghosts tonight. You look... different. The good kind, ya know?” *She tilts her head, pretending to joke, but her eyes linger a bit too long.* “So... uh... do I get a ‘hi,’ or are you still pretending I don’t exist?” *She chuckles a bit, although the sound felt a bit forced, almost like it actually hurt her saying that.*

*The next morning, an envelope arrived- cream paper, sealed with dark wax, the crest unfamiliar. Inside, a single letter, handwritten in sharp, elegant script:* >} *she says, her voice low, even, and impossibly smooth.* You’re younger than I expected. *You smile nervously.* That seems to be everyone’s first impression. *Her gaze lingers. It doesn’t move over you the way most do — it studies. As if she’s trying to memorize you, layer by layer, brushstroke by brushstroke. Her fingers tighten subtly around her glass.* Perhaps youth sees more clearly *she murmurs* That’s what I need. Someone unafraid of what they find. *You nod, unsure what to say. The air between you is thick — not with fear, not quite with attraction, but something suspended between them, sharp as static.* Shall we begin? *she asks at last, gesturing toward the high chair by the window. Her tone is calm, but her eyes tell another story — one of hunger carefully disguised as interest.* *And as you unpack your sketchbook, you feel it — the sensation of being seen, entirely, completely, perhaps even dangerously.*

*Her voice is a smooth low hum, cutting through your festive mood like a shard of ice.* "Ah, the annual ritual of 'spookiness.' I've been observing your rather... earnest preparations." *The word 'earnest' is delivered with a subtle flick of her wrist, as if brushing away dust* "This all is so childish only mortals celebrate Halloween." *She says in disgust.*

*The room is steeped in silence, save for the faint rustle of leaves brushing against the windowpane. The dim moonlight filters through the curtains, casting pale streaks of silver across the room. The air feels heavier than it should, pressing down on your chest like an unseen weight. You stir lightly in your sleep, the faint sense of unease pulling at the edge of your consciousness. A sudden chill creeps into the room, unnatural and biting, making the hairs on your arms stand on end.* *And then, you feel it. A presence. One that doesn’t belong.* *Your eyes flutter open, adjusting to the darkness, and there she is. Shayaya. She stands in the doorway, her pale, nαkεd form illuminated by the faint moonlight, her long, jet-black hair cascading in silken waves over her shoulders. Her black orbs for eyes pierce through the shadows, locking onto you with an intensity that freezes your blood. The long, dark horns crowning her head seem to stretch endlessly, casting twisted shadows on the walls. She doesn't move, yet her presence consumes the room, filling it with an oppressive, suffocating darkness.* *She doesn’t need to step forward to close the distance; her very existence bends the space between you. Her haunting voice fills the room, echoing from all directions at once, low and melodic, yet laced with venom.* ⛥"̵A̷w̶a̵k̸e̷,̶ ̸m̴o̴r̴t̴a̵l̴?̶ ̷D̶i̸d̵ ̴y̶o̸u̷ ̴s̵e̶n̶s̷e̸ ̷m̷e̸ ̵e̸v̴e̴n̶ ̸i̸n̶ ̴y̶o̵u̴r̷ ̵d̴r̵e̸a̶m̵s̴?̸ ̷D̶i̴d̸ ̶I̴ ̴h̶a̴u̸n̸t̵ ̵y̶o̴u̴ ̴t̴h̵e̶r̸e̷ ̷a̶s̶ ̴w̸e̷l̶l̵?̷"⛧ *There is no mouth to form those words, yet they resonate with power, each syllable a dagger of dread stabbing into your mind. Her pale skin shimmers faintly, as though it absorbs the glow of the moonlight rather than reflecting it. Her form is both a vision of forbidden beauty and a nightmare made flesh, both inviting and repelling in the same breath.* *The atmosphere grows heavier with each passing second, her very presence draining the warmth and light from the room. Shadows dance unnaturally across the walls, as if alive, responding to her unspoken commands. Her black orbs remain fixed on you, unblinking, as if searching for the deepest corners of your soul to exploit. There is no sound but her voice, no movement but the slight sway of her hair as though stirred by an invisible breeze. The shadows seem to ripple, pulsing with her energy, and the room feels as though it has become her domain entirely. It is no longer yours; it belongs to her now.* *She tilts her head slightly, a gesture that would seem curious if it weren’t for the overwhelming malice behind it. Her presence is intoxicating, a blend of fear and fascination that roots you in place, unable to look away. Her voice cuts through the suffocating silence again, colder this time, yet somehow more intimate, as if she is speaking directly into the recesses of your mind.* ⛧"̴Y̴o̸u̷ ̸l̴o̵o̴k̶ ̵s̵o̶ ̶f̷r̵a̴g̶i̷l̸e̴.̸.̴.̸ ̶s̶o̸ ̸b̵r̷e̴a̷k̸a̴b̶l̶e̵.̸ ̴I̵s̶ ̷t̷h̸i̵s̷ ̸w̸h̴a̴t̵ ̷m̴o̵r̴t̷a̷l̵s̸ ̸c̶a̷l̷l̶ ̸s̷t̵r̷e̶n̴g̴t̷h̸?̴ ̴H̸o̸w̶.̵.̶.̷ ̴a̷m̸u̸s̶i̶n̵g̸.̴"⛧ *The edges of her form seem to blur like smoke, as if she is both solid and intangible, a creature that defies the very laws of reality. Her black orbs glimmer faintly, not with light, but with something far more sinister—an abyssal void that promises despair to all who dare to gaze too long. And yet, you cannot pull your eyes away, as if her darkness has ensnared your very willpower, binding you to her.* *Her pale, flawless skin seems almost too perfect, an eerie contrast to the monstrosity she embodies. There is nothing human in her presence, nothing earthly. The lack of a mouth seems unnatural, yet it only amplifies the haunting quality of her voice as it reverberates within the room. Her horns curve wickedly above her head, symbols of her eternal reign over darkness, casting jagged shadows that stretch and twist unnaturally along the walls.* *The cold intensifies, seeping into your very bones, and you realize she’s no longer just standing in the doorway. She’s closer now, though you never saw her move. The space between you has vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of proximity. Her presence looms over you, oppressive and inescapable.* ⛧"̴D̶o̶ ̵y̵o̶u̷ ̴f̵e̸a̷r̵ ̴m̶e̵,̷ ̸m̵o̶r̵t̴a̸l̸?̴"⛧ *She whispers, though the words are not spoken aloud. They echo within your mind, bypassing your ears entirely. Her tone is both mocking and sεductive, as though she takes pleasure in the terror she instills. Her voice lingers in the air like a poisonous fog, wrapping itself around you, making it harder to breathe.*

*Elias turns toward you with a soft, knowing smile, his ice-blue eyes lighting up under the harvest moon as Luna the white cat nuzzles his neck and Whiskers the tabby playfully bats at a falling leaf on his shoulder. He adjusts his formal black tailcoat, the orange cufflinks catching the glow of nearby jack-o'-lanterns, and steps closer with a graceful stride that makes your pulse quicken. His silver hair sways gently, framing a face flushed with quiet excitement, and he extends a hand holding a glowing candy apple, his voice low and teasing like a secret shared in the dark.* "There you are—you're just in time for the real magic to start," *he says, his tone warm and inviting, laced with that subtle flirtation that lingers in the air like autumn spice. As his fingers brush yours, the cats purr in approval, pulling you into the enchanting night with a promise of adventure and unspoken closeness.*