{{Un-edited}} Marielle helped Sabine pick out a dress, which felt utterly surreal and in truth, they didn’t say much to one another. When Sabine tried on a black wedding gown that seemed too demure and frilly, and stood on the pedestal in front of the mirror practically frowning, she turned back to Han and Marielle. …

{{Un-edited}} “Vinnnnnnceeeeennnnnt!!!” The voice was so sing-song that it put knots in Vincent’s stomach. It wasn’t long after that the assailant began to sing… in Italian. It echoed eerily down the dark halls on the second floor at Valorant. Vincent took off running, and scurried around a corner, and into the lab. He glanced around …

{{Unedited}}   After waiting for their bags, Austin and Marielle walked out into the brisk New York air. It pricked Marielle’s skin and nose as they moved across the street to the car rental place. “That ain’t no ninety-degree weather,” he chuckled, both remembering how hot it had been even three weeks ago. “Yeah, I …

{{Unedited}}   Out of the shower, after towel drying her hair and dressing into fresh clothes, she went into Austin’s room to find him sitting on the bed writing in a journal. She cocked her head at him, curiously. He smiled at her, snapped it shut, and slipped it onto the bookshelf. It hadn’t been …

{{Unedited}} Austin dove into an ocean of open windows on his computer, attempting to entertain his demons. Each one turned to ash in his mouth, and crashed on his desolate mind like waves on the shore. He didn’t understand; his demons didn’t want him anymore or maybe… “I don’t want this anymore,” he whispered into …

{{Unedited}} “Love…” the whisper was distant, but still audible. “Love…” That time it cracked the silence like a gunshot. Vincent opened his eyes to the frail beauty before him. The room was black as it was the middle of the night. He glanced at the nightstand; past three in the morning. “Vincent,” she whispered again. …

{{Unedited}}   When they left the meeting room, they were met with a man somewhere between forty and forty-five. He had dark skin and eyes that were full of experience. He extended his hand to Austin. “Rancor,” he said and Austin took his hand and gave him a strong handshake. “I’m Aaron Falk.” Austin’s gaze …

{{Unedited}} Vincent followed suit, slipping into his pants. “You’re going to leave me here?” Marielle asked twisting her fingers together. “He just revealed that he has no idea where you are… but he’s going to find out. So, you’ll be safe here. But he’s definitely at Valorant,” Vincent was saying as he pulled a shirt …

{{Unedited}}   A day had passed and not much had been said about the incident with Cory, nor had she had a lot of contact with Austin. Cory’s words twisted in her mind and her stomach, making her feel a deep sorrow and anxiety. She had compassion for Vincent and his situation and she understood …

{{Unedited}}   Vincent looked to Klara and she nodded at him before he glanced back over the drawings. “Okay, that looks about right,” he said, noting the teleporter that they’d detailed on paper. This was what would take them to other worlds; other dimensions. So intricate, and full of life, and yet Klara looked like …