**The Next Day** The entire country was in shock as the news spread like wildfire. Every media outlet covered it, and social media buzzed with discussions. Older generations tended to believe the government's narrative, but the younger generation finally had answers to the mysteries and inexplicable events occurring around the world. It wasn't just editing; it was them. The world government had tried desperately to hide their existence, but in the end, all walls had ears, and the one built around this secret loved to gossip. Bell went to school as usual, although she occasionally trembled and looked sleep-deprived. All the students who were put to sleep by Hypnathos eventually woke up without injuries, but Max was nowhere to be seen after the inexplicable events of the previous day. Most people wouldn't return to school after experiencing what Bell had, but she knew she had to. The news hadn't mentioned it, probably because the large-scale terrorist bombing made the headlines, she
Bell froze in place. Sitting leisurely on the bed was her mother. Bell grimaced slightly before glancing back at the balcony. Running away wasn't much of an option anymore. "Mom, I... I was—" "Don't try to justify your actions," her mother interrupted sharply, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "I'm not as stupid as you think." Bell immediately swallowed back her words and hung her head low. "Sorry," she whispered lightly. Her mother gazed silently at her daughter before sighing deeply. "Apologizing won't change much; only your actions will. I heard Max vanished yesterday, barely a day after Liam... I know you're worried, but you'll have to let the authorities do their job. A helpless teenage girl can't hope to make much of a difference. Trust me, I learned that the hard way." Her mother's voice softened, her expression clouding as if she were reminiscing about a distant past. "No," Bell said softly. "What was that?" "I'm not just a helpless child. Yesterday, I witness
"Doesn't anyone else live here?" Bell asked as the massive black doors of Harper's Castle creaked open. "It's called a castle because of how massive and old-fashioned the building is. Harper comes from old money, so most of her family’s mansions are pretty ancient, some even over a hundred years old," Bell thought, glancing around. "No, I live alone. The caretakers come in the morning and leave in the evening. I'm not from Washington, so my parents aren’t here year-round," Harper replied, her voice echoing in the vast, empty hall. "Oh," Bell said as Harper led her deeper into the castle. They ascended a flight of stairs and walked through a dark corridor. The walls were mostly undecorated, except for a conspicuous painting of an old duchess in ancient European noble attire. "Is your family from Europe?" Bell inquired. "No," Harper answered plainly. "Here we are, your very own room." Harper smiled, though the gesture didn't reach her eyes. Bell fell silent, slowly walking
The old door to Bell's room slowly creaked open. Bell stared menacingly at the intruder, her body occasionally fidgeting with nervous energy.Harper glanced down at Bell, who was near petrified with fear, sulking in the corner of the room."Come on, it's time for breakfast," she said with a light smile that seemed almost genuine to Bell."I wanna go home.""It's a little too late for that."...A few moments later, both Bell and Harper were seated at a massive dining table that stretched from one end of the hall to the other. Bell finally somewhat relaxed after seeing several people working, doing basic house management chores, and cooking for the master of the castle and herself—at least she assumed they were people.Bell's hands trembled incessantly, to the point that she barely even touched her plate."Are you alright?" Harper asked, almost condescendingly.Bell glanced up at Harper with an inexplicable expression. She didn't know if it was the fact that a teenager could survive in
Liam yawned while stretching his hands broadly, his muscles pulling taut after a long night's rest. The early morning breeze chilled its way down his lungs and back out in a mesmerizing fashion, filling him with a sense of rejuvenation.He briskly gazed into the sky, observing the dark clouds that slowly began to form after yesterday's sudden downpour. Liam stood on a spacious balcony, savoring the scent of rain lingering in the air. He marveled at the beauty of the rose garden below, the petals glistening with dew. The wet weather was his favorite, a perfect backdrop for introspection."Breakfast is ready," Jacky called out to Liam in a loud yet subtle voice that carried through the morning stillness.A moment later, Liam was at the dining table, seated calmly. It was as if he wasn’t the same person who had been suddenly thrust into the world of demigods just a few days ago. He appeared serene, almost nonchalant, as he prepared to face the day.Liam glanced down at a peculiar little
Bell clamped the edge of the bed until her hands turned red. She struggled to lift herself up, the morning weighing down on her more than she had anticipated. With a thud, Bell fell to the ground, grunting in pain before turning to face the ceiling. "Mummy," she softly called out, but a moment later, a resolved expression appeared on her face. She clenched her fist and said adamantly, "No, Liam is still out there. I need to overcome this if I wish to face off against the gods that walk amongst us and any other monstrosity that stands in my way." Bell clenched her jaw and forcefully raised her petite body up. She limped to the door, bent the handle until it opened, and pushed forward with the resolve to face the mysteries of Castle Deasil. --- Moments later, Bell and Harper sat face to face at the familiar dining table. Harper gloated condescendingly, "I see you've finally calmed down." Bell didn't respond to that. Instead, she swallowed a massive bite before drinking a cup of f
Golden pillars that seemed forged from pure gold stood tall and gracefully, holding up the massive ceiling. The interior of the room Bell had found was unlike anything else in Castle Deasil. It was as if this room existed in a separate space of its own.Not that Bell would know, but it surely seemed that way to her."Woah," Bell exclaimed.The room was over a hundred feet tall, adorned with ancient carvings in a strange language unknown to Bell.Bell tried studying it, but all she could discern was that it was definitely not of this world. She opened an ancient tome, hoping to find something related to the language. After a moment of searching, she found a reference, but unfortunately, the book couldn't help her translate it.For starters, the language was called Soul Tongue."Where's the rest?" Bell flipped through the book, but the name of the language was all she could find.She eventually gave up on studying the ancient carvings and focused her undivided attention on the pedestal
Bell decided to return to her room for the time being. She once more passed by the familiar portrait of the duchess and, as usual, stopped to admire it for a brief moment before entering her room.She sat cross-legged on the bed with the ancient book in front of her, but her attention wasn't on the book at all. She was preoccupied with something else, The forgotten God and the new God in the house with her, Harper."Harper couldn't remember the God carved out from wood. Wait... was he carved from wood as well? Doesn't matter," Bell muttered to herself. She opened her palm and stared at the words she had written there."Is he different from Harper? If Harper, a self-proclaimed God, can't even remember him, does that mean gods have levels or ranks and he's just stronger or more of a God, if that made any sense?" Bell was starting to realize that she was thinking more and more like a crazy person, as if gods could have levels like in a video game."It's possible Harper isn't as strong as