The Mind's Limit

By Sebastian M. Wypart

What would you do if you had the power to change anything, to do anything, but the only limit was your mind? Would you succumb to your desires and fulfil your every wish and dream? Would you wage war and serve justice on your own accord? Perhaps spread peace and love to those who need it most? Would you become a saviour the world needed? Maybe even become the one who ended all the suffering? Or would you do nothing, and simply let everything take its destined course?

Everyone has different intentions and morals… What are yours?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Aug 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781398440937

Sebastian M. Wypart

Sebastian M. Wypart is an ambitious writer and author of the new novel The Mind’s Limit. With an eye on the horizon and a reach for the sky, Sebastian’s creative potential will have you enthralled as you venture along the tightly wound strings of his stories. Sebastian’s interest in a world beyond our own stems back to a young age, and has been cultivated ever since, sprouting into a world of his own. Having lived an average life, Sebastian aims to share his world with as many people as possible, in hopes to make their lives just that bit more interesting.

Book preview

About the Author

Sebastian M. Wypart is an ambitious writer and author of the new novel The Mind’s Limit. With an eye on the horizon and a reach for the sky, Sebastian’s creative potential will have you enthralled as you venture along the tightly wound strings of his stories. Sebastian’s interest in a world beyond our own stems back to a young age, and has been cultivated ever since, sprouting into a world of his own. Having lived an average life, Sebastian aims to share his world with as many people as possible, in hopes to make their lives just that bit more interesting.

Dedication

This impossible story is for those who wish to escape the clutching claws of our world and find out what lies beyond.

Copyright Information ©

Sebastian M. Wypart 2022

Art created by @0ozla

The right of Sebastian M. Wypart to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398440913 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398440920 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781398440937 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

20230222

Acknowledgement

Firstly, I would like to thank my friends and family who were both completely uninformed about the making of this book. I thank you for your support and encouragement. Secondly, I want to give my undying gratitude to my artist who helped bring life into my beloved characters. You breathed life into my creations and allowed me to think further, bigger. Last but not least, I want to thank those who were closely but shortly involved in the proofreading, brainstorming, and storyboarding. This journey has been a rollercoaster for me as well as for you and I am eternally thankful.

Chapter 1

The Tribulations

[What would you do if you had the power to change anything, to do anything, but the only limit was your mind? Would you succumb to your desires and fulfil your every wish and dream? Would you wage war and serve justice on your own accord? Perhaps spread peace and love to those who need it most? Would you become a saviour the world needed? Maybe even become the one who ended it all? Or would you do nothing, and simply let everything take its destined course? Everyone has different intentions and morals… What are yours? She leaned over her creations and focused on them, like a game of chess.]

In the blink of an eye, they found themselves atop an edge of a gargantuan, moss-riddled cliff, overlooking an impossibly endless garden, where the sky was green, with streaks of red and black across it. The air had a vibrant botanical smell about it, and it was impossible to tell whether it was night or day. This Garden was outside of their comprehension.

The grass they stood on was damp and when blown by the wind, every single blade moved in a rhythm so synchronised it felt like they were dancing to the silent and tranquil atmosphere of the Garden. This however didn’t bring them any sort of comfort, as the visible surrounding area was oozing with a feeling of dread and despair. Large chunks of rock and moss-covered cracked stone littered the land before them, poking out of the uneven ground as if they’ve been forced to surface by some unknown power.

The ground beneath them had an intricate set of valleys shaped out, made to resemble tunnels which threaded for miles on end, spreading outward from the cliff they stood on. They didn’t want to imagine what could be found down there, let alone have a look for themselves. Plants of various colour, size, and shape surrounded them, making the open area feel like a tight corridor.

[She paused time with her cosmic glory, hindering everything immovable, like a freeze frame. She beckoned you to come closer and allowed you to gander at her chosen ones. She softly flew to each one of them, presenting them to you like her own little pet projects.

The first person before you was a girl with silver hair, long and messy. She had blue and green eyes with freckles dotted around her nose. Wearing a striped black and green top and a pair of jean shorts. Wearing the name of Gri. She flew to the next.

Another girl, but she was considerably shorter. With blonde hair symmetrically tied at the sides with neon green ribbons. Her piercing blue eyes focused on the endless landscape before her. You scan her outfit to find dark-blue dungarees over a plain white shirt. Branded with the name of Zeally. She levitated to the next.

A boy beside Zeally, taller than her. With similar blonde hair, messy and short. You look behind his glasses, into his worried green eyes as he stared with terror into the distance. His attire was fine, black shirt and trousers, contrasted by a white tie. Bestowed upon him, the name of Arthur. She flew on.

The final girl, tall and tight pose. Blessed with long flowing black hair and gorgeous azure eyes behind thick frames. An unnerved expression upon her face as she took in the alien environment. Her aura seemed dark, reproduced by her black sweater and black tight trousers. Born with the name of Kuro. She flew to the last boy, standing by the edge of the cliff.

He stood on the edge, with concern in his hazel eyes, and a clench in his fist. You took in his appearance, from his short brown hair to the comfort of his white hoodie and black jeans. This one’s name was Victor.

With her palm, she pushed you out into the air, shattering you through countless realities until you reached hers, no longer allowing you to interact, but to watch and listen. She vanished in a shimmering nebula of smoke and allowed time to continue as if it had never stopped.]

They all turned to one another, confused and scared.

Where are we? What’s happening? Arthur questioned with a tremble in his monotone voice.

I’m not sure? We’re in some kind of jungle, I think. But how, I was just home, Zeally deduced calmly as she observed the foliage around her.

Victor turned towards the cliff edge with a low and slow tone, This doesn’t look like a jungle. He gazed upon the land, which was sprinkled green with a scattering of rock to compliment the flora.

Well, I can say, for sure, that a place like this doesn’t exist on Earth; my best guess is that this is a dream, some sort of vision, or a hallucination that we’re all experiencing. Or, option number four, this is all just a figment of my wacky imagination, Zeally asserted firmly, thoroughly inspecting everything, checking for any abnormalities which would point towards signs of them experiencing a dream.

A dream, you say. I know how to test that. Gri remarked, before connecting her fist with Arthur’s arm.

OW! Why would you do that! he cried out.

Not a dream then. Gri giggled with a snide and hyper expression.

Any ideas on what to do? Victor queried outwardly.

Absolutely none, Zeally responded with a soft and high pitch while a joyful smile bloomed on her face.

Fantastic.

Everyone failed to grasp how they had ended up in this Garden, they were all sure of being home less than three minutes ago.

Kuro passed on speaking, she was trying to understand their situation and how to deal with it. She simply nodded every so often and kept her wits about her.

Gri turned away from the cliff edge and spotted a small opening in the vine cobweb, leading deeper in. Hey! Anyone up for a little venture? she shouted out, gesturing behind her. She was awfully cheerful for someone who was just metaphysically transported to an unknown location.

With no real idea on what to do, they began walking, hoping they would find a way home or a way out. They traversed through the Garden, which was a scaffold of exotic plants and rich vegetation, let loose and allowed to consume the rough landscape. They wandered aimlessly, for hours, with no real sense of direction.

With a determination to escape, they kept close to one another so as not to get separated in the thick green entanglements, a smart move for sure. They eventually found themselves in a long valley, where the walls either side appeared to have no limit to how high they soared. In said valley, they passed dozens of bronze statues; huge, rusted, and engulfed with moss, resembling nothing they’ve seen before, violent shapes of figureless phantoms was how they described them.

The statues gave off a creepy atmosphere and appeared to be watching, waiting, following. It seemed as though the longer they walked down this valley, they made less and less progress.

How long have we been walking for now? Gri asked exhausted, with both arms slumping at her sides and her feet dragging along the crumbled stone.

A couple hours, at least, Kuro replied with a tough tone, her voice was low by her very nature.

Victor stopped in his tracks and placed his hand on his abdomen and gave it a few light taps. A couple of hours? That’s strange, I don’t feel hungry, he stated, confused.

Did you eat before… Well… This? Kuro asked.

I was going to make dinner but, well, here we are, he replied.

Hmmm… So, this isn’t a dream and yet we don’t feel the need for food or rest. Fascinating, Zeally declared with intrigue, she pretended she was writing all this down on her notepad.

Oh, I definitely feel the need for rest, Gri sighed, begrudgingly.

How can any of you stay calm right now? Arthur said, brewing with panic.

Calm down, we’ll figure it out later; right now, we have to find a way out of here, Kuro assured him sternly.

They kept walking, as in their current situation there weren’t a whole lot of other options. After what felt like a few more hours of venturing in the Garden, and an aggressive amount of complaining from Gri, they reached the end of the valley and found what was once an archway; made of polished stone and covered in finely chiselled patterns. They found the other half collapsed, blocking a stone staircase.

Hey look! This could lead somewhere that isn’t here, Gri fizzed in wonder, reverting from her tired self, pointing towards the structure.

Everyone approached the fallen archway.

As not to make any harsh movements that could collapse the other half, Victor and Kuro carefully climbed on top of the collapsed portion, making sure it was stable before helping the others over.

Careful around here, who knows if this won’t fall on us any second, Victor worried. One by one, they each climbed over and jumped down to the other side.

Zeally, being the shortest, had an ironic and chronic fear of heights and had some trouble. She caught her foot on a crack in the pillar, causing her to fall the rest of the way and resulting in her suffering a scrape to the knee from the impact.

Are you alright? Arthur beseeched, rushing over to help her up.

Yup, just a scratch, come on, let’s go see what’s up here, she dismissed, with a higher pitched voice than usual.

Exercise caution up ahead, Kuro affirmed to everyone.

Alright, let’s see this, maybe it’s a way home, but I’d hate to jinx it, Victor joked, sounding hopeful.

I hope it is, when we get back, I’m going straight to bed and sleeping for 12 hours, Gri mumbled, half asleep.

That sounds like a normal nap for you though, Victor commented, poking fun at her abnormal sleeping habits.

The bottom of the stairs was cracked and in ruins, littered with thick weeds and plentiful rubble. However, the top half of the stairs stood out more and more from the rest of the Garden the higher you climbed.

The rock which it was made of was polished, clean, and decorated with perfectly preserved petals, plucked from the most gorgeous flowers which bloomed in this Garden World. They climbed for a while before reaching the top, it was a small piece of land highly elevated to provide an unobstructed view.

Zeally ran ahead to see what awaited them, which ended up being like something out of a dream; nothing more or less, than a breath-taking view. Valleys spanning out as far as the eye could see, creating tunnels in the land before them, similar to how a child would draw lines in sand. As Zeally reached the top, there stood another archway before her, similar to the previous one. This one, however, wasn’t collapsed and was made of metal but it didn’t look solid, in fact the metal seemed to be moving, jiggling like jelly.

Gri stared at the structure dumfounded, Arthur, you know all kinds of science, right? What is this? It’s all…wobbly, she asked, closely observing the structure, making sure not to touch it.

Arthur approached the arch for proper examination. Well, the colour resembles that of silver, but… He paused to pick up a stick he found, running it through the metal as if it were thick soup. The viscosity points more towards mercury? How can something of this size be made of mercury and still maintain its structural integrity? He puzzled. This shouldn’t be possible.

This? This is what shouldn’t be possible about this whole situation? We’re in a rock-scattered, moss-covered jungle surrounded by weird-ass statues, but no, the wacky water arch is impossible, Gri returned with sarcasm and scoffed.

Perhaps it is purely ornamental, maybe you’re looking into it too much, Kuro mumbled in a low voice, unsure of her answer.

Hmm…Ku probably has the most reasonable answer, we can’t make any assumptions yet. Too many unknowns, Zeally pointed out.

Moments later, the stick Arthur was using to poke at the metal was quickly absorbed into the structure, and the archway chimed to life as the mercury-like metal solidified, becoming cold and hard. The tall structure became electrified seemingly out of nowhere, letting periodical lightning bolts fly out in random directions.

A translucent milky liquid filled the inside of the arch and frequent ripples emerged from the centre, spreading outward until an edge was met. A passage into the unknown was made.

There’s no way that can be good, Gri complained.

Get behind me now! Victor demanded, as the five of them quickly gathered just before the archway.

With no real grasp of the situation, and no words to utter, they stood there with equal parts awe and terror. They noticed something on the other side start to get closer and slowly emerge from the edge of the milky wall; five figureless, blank, shadowy, phantoms violently contorting their bodies.

As these twisted figures stepped out of the portal they began to morph, take on new dark shapes: the shapes of everyone before them. The group stood there in paralytic fear, unable to move, speak, or think. These creatures were incomprehensible to them, unlike anything they have ever seen or could ever imagine. They faced corrupt versions of themselves, and it was clear these creatures had murderous and nefarious intentions.

The slouched-over, with multiple ten-inch blades protruding from its forearms, the demon of Victor, stepped forward and announced. You made it… His voice echoing throughout the Garden, creating vibrations which rippled through their skins. It appears that She’s finally chosen new Curators, how…uneventful, he perfectly imitated Victor, with a sinister tone. You may call me Sloth, the personification of indolence.

What…are you? Zeally begged with a quivering tongue.

Her nightmare, which introduced itself as Pride, was a tall and proud demonic being with two sets of wings on her back, and skinny arms which reached down to her knees. She was held at a high regard among the other creatures. Pride stepped forward and gestured to the other grinning, violent shapes. Ahhh, the to-be zealot, insolent child, don’t you recognise us? she demanded rhetorically and menacingly.

Everyone took a few cautious steps back just as all the creatures started to slowly creep towards them. Their bodies aggressively warping and pulsing, as if trying to break through a shell. This was a nightmare come alive, and it took the shape of each one of them.

Opposing Kuro, stood her imposter. Her expression was warm, inviting and yet crazed. She was a creature which found pleasure in murder and had a twisted sadistic devotion for it. There was nothing inherently different about her compared to Kuro, at least appearance wise, other than her posture, which was relentlessly seductive. The creature held daggers in either hand which were made from a dark alloy, unknown to humans and presumably deadly to the touch. From their ebony sharpness, dripped a pink substance.

The creature suddenly pierced her heart with one of her daggers. Lust, she introduced with a bow. Pleasure to make your climactic acquaintance. As you can see, we are you, or perhaps, you’re us, but humans are just so weak and pathetic that it simply can’t be the case. HAHAHAHAHAHA! She laughed insanely as no blood flowed from her wound.

Facing Arthur was the incarnation of his Fear. Before him stood a confident, menacing and deadly being, resembling his appearance to a T, and he possessed the carefree name of Greed. Why would She choose five humans, their bodies are fragile and their bone marrow is much too easy to extract, no fun at all. Alarmingly lethal fangs protruded from his mouth as he unhinged his jaw and blood viciously flowed out like a waterfall. With the widest smile on his face, it was clear as to how the creature killed its victims.

The beast before Gri was Envy, a short-tempered, twitchy creature, with an untasteful appetite for death. The most unstable one of the nightmares, she had one of her arms repurposed to be a long scythe, forever stained with blood. Let me kill them, it won’t take a minute. Look at them, one swipe of my scythe and they’re DEAD! she exclaimed.

You couldn’t even if you wanted to, sweet Envy. They’re not here physically, you see, Pride explained.

Why are they here? They don’t have ‘the Darkness’ with them, Lust questioned.

Darkness? Kuro probed.

There are powers that existed in this universe and still do exist in other universes, and they are insurmountable, we will take them all and bring about the Collide…so listen closely and carefully… Envy growled.

Two more shadowy phantoms stepped out of the portal, one seemed to vaguely resemble someone the group had seen before, but they couldn’t match him with anyone. A young man wearing a white shirt, grey vest, and black boots. Appearing with brown eyes, black hair, and a short goatee. His appearance seemed elegant but was pulsing with an unholy aura. As he stepped out, he looked away from the group and into the distance, staring at something with murderous intent, before reverting his gaze. The other was in its true twisted form, a shadow warping itself continuously, as their victim was long gone.

Omega is completely empty; the World Garden is all that remains, the man announced.

Oooooooh, what took so long, Wrath, feeling a bit old and rusty, are we? Envy mocked the young-looking man.

Watch your tongue, or you lose it, he replied.

I think it’s time we let our guests go, no fun holding them here when they’re all so weak, Greed snarled.

Seconded; I want to play with them when they can fight back, can’t pleasure myself when there’s no struggle. Lust licked her lips disgustingly.

All the demons thundered in a terrifying unison. We are the Tribulations, and we will bring about the Collide and make our will a reality, this is…SALVATION! The World Garden resonated from the sheer dread that word carried, and darkness fell instantly. The visible area which was a small fragment of the endlessly vast acres, became frighteningly silent.

Everyone awoke in their homes at midnight with little recollection of being gone.

What the fuck was that? Gri whispered, alone in the darkness of her bedroom, staring at an after image of her Tribulation. Shaking, terrified of what just happened, as if the nightmare were ongoing. She was startled by the vibration of her phone on her desk and snapped back to reality. It was their group chat.

We need to talk. Meet at the Kingyo tomorrow. Victor sent.

No one replied, they all just acknowledged it.

Gri called Victor to confirm she wasn’t crazy and that this whole thing wasn’t her descending into madness. Kuro was with him, the three of them talked, reassured and comforted each other.

Arthur fainted for a brief moment when he came to. He fell towards his bed, so no harm came to him. When he woke up, the nightmare came back to him, a perfect recollection of the Garden and the shadow creatures, it was all too much for him. He picked his phone up and messaged Zeally to make sure she was fine. No reply.

Zeally didn’t recoil in fear when she came to; instead, she immediately sat down at her desk and began to note down what she had experienced: where she was, what those creatures were and what they had mentioned. Her phone buzzed; she didn’t register it. She tried to make links between the points in her notes but could make none.

Chapter 2

Curator’s Gauntlet

[She observed them closely from within her void. I wonder how they’ll each use it, how exciting, she pulled up each of their profiles for you to examine. Allow me to formally introduce the unlucky ragtag group of friends whose lives will soon be changed forever…haha.]

"19-year-old Gri Shapmen. Although she isn’t Romanian, her name is, and it means grey. Her hair shines like polished silver and is almost always in a long messy state, encapsulating her carefree side quite well. She’s a medium height girl with an attractive figure, who suffers from a condition called heterochromia, which means her eyes are of different colours. She currently lives with only her mother due to her father unfortunately passing away when she was young; a car accident, her mum had told her. But she knew the truth. She remembers little of him, due to him always working, but what she does remember she treasures greatly. She’s charismatic and chaotic by nature, and possesses some casual appeals: dark coffee, staying up late, midnight snacks and knee socks. She can be very nosy and inappropriate in serious situations and doesn’t shy away from a challenge. One of her favourite pastimes includes partaking in mischievous activities. She’s an agent of discord; a punch you in the gut as a hello type of girl.

"18-year-old Victor Hawking. A boy with a slender stature and short brown hair that he styles very simply. He too revels in staying up late, then complains about being tired the morning after. Being sort of lazy and slightly introverted, he spends most of his time in his room, however, if presented the opportunity to go out and spend time with his friends, he won’t refuse. Regardless of this, he is someone the others look up to, mainly because of his strong persona and soft interior. Victor regularly makes up fake scenarios in his head, ones that make him some protagonist in some fantasy story, where he goes on guests and experiences life from a different angle. He spends a lot of his time on his computer, mostly playing games, but this morning it was research, he was desperate to know if there was anything online that could help them understand what happened last night. It didn’t take him long to realise there wasn’t and would never be.

"Victor’s 20-year-old adopted sister, Kuro Taki, usually going by the nickname Ku. She was brought into his family before Victor was born. She was born in Kamagasaki, Osaka, an extremely poor and dangerous neighbourhood in Japan. A few months after her birth, she was sent to Vancouver and put up for adoption. Her parents couldn’t give her the childhood she deserved and decided that this was best for her. She hasn’t seen them, nor has she heard from them since. Her name means Black Waterfall, which resembles the flow of her long black hair that often covers her azure eyes, which are a sight to behold. Kuro is a fair height with a tight build and is heavily into music, but she mostly listens to songs in her native tongue. For personal reasons, she keeps her life as private as humanly possible, to her closest friends and even family. She’s always very content and doesn’t require much; she’s a simple girl, contrary to what everyone else thinks. Most of Kuro’s possessions are in black, or if not in black, then pink.

"18-year-old, Arthur Myth. Admirable height with a svelte manner and blonde messy hair. He’s the brains of the group and is usually quite timid when it comes to just about anything, but when it comes to science, he becomes a walking talking encyclopaedia. Arthur is as loyal as they come, trustworthy and protective, despite him being easily frightened.

He’s held in high regard among nearly everyone who knows of the Myth name; it’s been a well-respected family that has greatly contributed to the field of science for generations. His room, like many things in Arthur’s life, is organised beyond reproach; it was one of his few talents, taking something as simple as a bedroom and organising it so much that the shirts in his wardrobe are sorted by purchase date, ascending. He’s the personification of attempted perfection, as it’s shown by his countless awards and certificates in academic subjects alike.

"17-year-old Zeally Hope. A short girl with a slim posture. She styles blonde hair into side pigtails that hang just above her shoulders, with neon green ribbons tied at each side, which were a gift from Arthur. A hyperactive girl who revels in learning and expanding her archive of knowledge. She’s always eager to make friends and never fails at making a dull situation enjoyable. She’s also quite adventurous in her own quirky ways, exploring paths she’s never been down, venturing to places she’s never been, it all piques her endless curiosity.

Her flaw however is she can unintentionally become over-obsessive, but she always means well. Ever since she was introduced to religion and faith at a young age, she’s believed there is a supreme being that exists, someone or something that existed before the universe, and still exists. Someone who’s powerful enough to create new universes with the snap of their fingers, though quite different from your typical god."

Gri woke up in a mess of her hair and lay in bed for a while, staring blankly at a map of the world she had on her ceiling. She liked to look at it every morning and imagine being in different countries, meeting new people there, doing things she normally wouldn’t, being free from the shackles of home.

It was Friday, few hours before lunch, the usual time for Gri to leave the comfort of her dreams. She got out of bed in protest and headed downstairs wearing pyjama shorts and a black crop top. It was time for breakfast, which had been waiting for her longer than she had been awake. It was her favourite, a mountain of pancakes with two dollops of syrup and a perfect, tiny cube of butter on top. She smiled and giggled lightly at the sight. She entered the living room, plate of pancakes in hand, and sat at the small table. Her mother was ironing a jacket with the TV on behind her; the morning news was on.

Morning sleepyhead. Someone’s in a good mood, slept well? Her mother Diane surprised sincerely.

Uhhh… Yeah, it was great, actually dreamt about that boy I keep telling you about, she lied as naturally as she breathed, as not to provoke further questions. The pancakes were slowly being devoured.

Oh, you mean that Victor boy, handsome that one, Diane agreed.

You think so? Gri asked curiously.

Yeah well, looks aren’t everything, you know. But he has a caring personality going for him and you two seem close. If you ask me, you two are natural for each other, Diane replied.

Natural for each other? What does that mean? Gri queried.

You’ll know in due time, sweetie. Diane gave out a giggle at the feeling of nostalgia, for she had the same conversation with her mother when love was once on the topic. Lost in reminisce, Diane accidentally burnt a part of her jacket and exclaimed in frustration, Gahh! I can’t go like this; it’s ruined, she sighed.

Gri laughed at the clumsiness of her mother. You can borrow one of my jackets if you want, she offered.

Diane’s eyes glowed up. Reeeeaaaally? She stretched the word far more than needed.

Gri responded with a click of her fingers into a thumbs up as her mouth was full of pancake goodness.

Alright then, I better get going. Well, you enjoy breakfast and take care, the drivel calls, she gave Gri an approving wink, while heading to the front door. Gri swallowed the mouthful in a heavy gulp.

Okay, see ya later, mum, love ya, she returned, allowing the inappropriate wink.

She finished her breakfast promptly and headed back upstairs. She washed up and changed into her lazy casual outfit; jean shorts, knee high socks, and a black and green striped long sleeve, which was comfortably oversized. She sat down on her bed, back against the wall, and began reading her favourite yet unfinished fantasy book, to pass the time, and to not think about her terrible nightmare.

Victor slept for at most one hour, he suffered the most out of everyone in terms of how much it affected them. Ku on the other hand slept fine, her usual night terrors were a lot worse than a few abnormally shaped demons which wish to bring about universal extinction.

Victor and Ku’s parents: Stephanie and Maximus, were away in Zermatt, Switzerland, on a skiing holiday. It’s an annual occurrence they have as a family, however, this year Victor and Ku decided not to go, and after the events of last night they regretted their decision. It was just before midday and Victor was still scouring the internet in search of any information that might’ve proven useful. Typing and clicking away the daylight. His room’s colour was a mix of orange and pink, making a funny peach gradient. He sat at his desk in his usual, long sleeve black and white shirt, and jeans that definitely weren’t thrown on his chair before he got into bed the night before.

ばか (Idiot), you won’t find anything on there. Ku heavily rolled her eyes as she walked in, dressed head to toe in black, as per usual. She occasionally threw some Japanese in conversations to throw people off.

There has to be something on here about what we saw; the Garden and those…things. Victor sounded exhausted.

You didn’t get any sleep last night, did you? She leaned against his door frame, knowing full well what his answer was.

No, I couldn’t, not with those things embedded in my memory, Victor justified in a low voice, gawking down at his keyboard.

Ku entered the room fully. Look, we don’t know anything about last night, it was supernatural. The least we’re gonna do is talk it over, make sure everyone is fine and that nothing is out of place.

Victor looked blankly at his computer screen. It felt so real, it felt like we were face to face with death, you know, the face of despair.

Ku pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, Please try to get some rest before we head out later, I’m going out to get the Kingyo set up, and… She kneeled beside him. Don’t think about it too much, we’ll figure it out, she reassured, before hugging him tightly and making her exit.

Thanks, I’ll try, Victor complied, feeling slightly better. As Kuro was his only sibling, even if they weren’t blood related, she still meant an insurmountable amount to him.

Ku stepped out of the house and the summer Sun whipped her, she regretted wearing so much black as she began to lightly sweat. She refused to go back and change, standing by her outfit choice. Instead, she popped in her earphones and took a casual stroll to the restaurant, rhythmically matching her steps to the beat of her music.

Arthur woke up in a panic with cold sweat just after high noon, the latest he’d ever gotten up. First time for everything, he thought to himself. He got up in a daze, with a pounding headache and nausea, both of which appeared out of nowhere and disappeared seemingly instantly. He had a wash, and changed into his morning shirt and tie outfit, classy. He strolled downstairs but not before checking his phone for a message from Zeally, she replied at witching hour.

I’m fine, I just had to write down some of my thoughts before I got some rest, what about you? she sent.

That’s great, I’m eager to read them later, I had some troubles getting to bed but settled down eventually. Arthur replied.

Zeally almost always wrote down her thoughts when she had an epiphany or if something struck her interest, and shared them with Arthur, since he’s the only one who matched her intellectually. He pondered as to why she was still up at that time, but quickly dismissed it.

Arthur visited his parents in their reading room in search of a particular book. Morning, he greeted them.

His mother, Anastasia, looked up from her book with a warm smile. Ah, morning dear. Is everything alright? You woke up terribly late, she asked worriedly.

Yeah mum, everything’s fine, had trouble sleeping is all, Arthur assured.

He’s a teenager, Ana, nights are a troublesome time for youngsters like our boy. His father, Albert, called out from a great chair across the room, the daily newspaper in hand.

I don’t know what you’re thinking but no, it’s not that… Arthur made sure his point was clear. I actually need a specific book from the library, dad.

Is that so? Which one? Albert questioned.

Mythic legends and stories, Arthur responded with certainty.

Alright, I’ll go grab it, sit tight. Albert stood up and it seemed like every bone in his body cracked in unison as he stretched. He returned a few minutes later with said book in hand. Here. He handed it to Arthur.

Perfect, I’m heading to Zeally’s, and then later to the Kingyo with everyone, Arthur alerted them both.

Okay honey, have fun, grab something to eat on your way out, his mother reciprocated.

Try not to ruin the book too much, eh. Albert sat back in his chair.

Sure. Arthur put on his casual pair of brogues, grabbed a ripe crispy apple from the kitchen and left for Zeally’s.

Zeally was sat at her desk that morning, clutching a pot of strawberry yogurt in one hand, it was her favourite. She wore her favourite dark-blue dungarees with a white top underneath.

She was reviewing and refining the notes she took last night while waiting for Arthur to arrive. She was making sure they were in proper chronological order with detailed descriptions of what occurred that night, any possible links to anything she could think of was jotted down at the bottom of each page. That section was empty.

She began to stare at her notes blankly as she leant back in her chair and closed her eyes, the memories of that night violently flooding her mind and she was suddenly reliving the same nightmare. She wasn’t scared this time.

Zeally lucidly found herself back in the Garden, it was the same as she remembered, a never-ending concrete jungle. She was floating like a bubble, a little way above the platform which held the mysteriously constructed portal. She saw herself and the others approaching it and made sure to pay close attention to the Tribulations.

She wanted to observe them in depth, this wasn’t easy however as she was reciting all this from memory in the form of a lucid dream, fortunately for Zeally, she had somewhat of a photographic recollection. She watched as the twisted creatures took the forms of everyone before them, her Tribulation in particular, Pride, had her attention. A twisted clone of herself, tall and corrupt, with devilish wings and freakishly long arms.

Just as she was reaching the end of that memory, she met eyes with one of the demons stepping out of the portal. It was that man again; she knew him but couldn’t place his face. It stared deep into her and caused a sharp pain in her chest, as if her heart were being pierced.

She awoke in a cry of agony and a lack of breath. In the end there was nothing she could add to her already detailed notes.

She settled down after a moment, regulated her breathing and reclined in her chair, to the point where she was laying in it. She began to slowly drift off into a snooze, after a night like yesterday’s, she needed the extra rest. Zeally woke up from her blank dream to a knock on the door sometime later.

Arthur’s here, sweetie. Her mother, Elizabeth, softly called out from downstairs.

Oh-okay… Zeally mumbled, half asleep and one eye open.

Arthur entered the modern comfort of Zeally’s home and was greeted with the loving and warm presence of her mother; he removed his shoes accordingly and greeted her back.

Head on up, my dear, she’s just in her room. Elizabeth smiled at Arthur.

So, the usual. Arthur nodded with a giggle and thanked her as always.

As he walked up the stairs, he never failed to notice the certificates and awards that hung on the pastel pink wall which Zeally had amassed over the years, all of them academic.

Hey, how are you holding up? Arthur asked, closing the door behind him as he walked in. Zeally had more certificates framed on the walls of her bedroom, hung in a neat and organised fashion; Arthur, of course, had helped put most of them up. There were three bookshelves at the far wall that stood side to side, floor to ceiling, one was completely filled with science and maths books, another with Zeally’s own notes and research, the last was filled exclusively with manga and fictional novels that she liked to indulge herself with. She was recently talking about buying more shelving, seeing as she required additions to her expanding archive.

For some reason, I’m not that fazed by what happened last night, at least not as badly as you were. To clarify, I was beyond terrified at first, but once we returned, I was weirdly fine, Zeally remarked, gently shrugging her shoulders.

That’s a relief, I’m trying my best not to think about it… Still sends shivers down my spine when I do though, Arthur hesitated in a low voice as he sat down on Zeally’s bed.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we still have to look over these notes I wrote up and later we’re going to the Kingyo to discuss it at length, so saddle up, Zeally lightly giggled.

Arthur returned a disapproving look and sighed, Let’s have a look at your notes then. He reached out.

It’s quite detailed, so unless you want to relive the experience, I’d advise against it, Zeally warned fairly, clutching the notebook against her chest.

Relive it? I can’t imagine that’s something your writing can do, Zeal, despite how detailed it might be, he convinced her easily.

Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you, enjoy. Sarcasm rolled off her tongue as she handed over the notebook.

After mere seconds of reading, Arthur’s mind was overflown with flashes of last night, he fainted and collapsed onto the bed. Zeally started to laugh hysterically. Told ya.

Meanwhile, Arthur began to uncontrollably experience the horrors of last night, not like a dream, but more like a presentation, showcasing the worst possible moments, and he was given tickets to the front row seats in the theatre of terror. He sat helplessly as these images were burned into his retinas. The last image he saw was of his Tribulation, Greed, by far the most nightmare inducing creature of the lot.

He awoke shortly after and Zeally was still laughing, sinisterly.

What’s so funny? Arthur asked, concerned.

Zeally could barely stop her laughter. Sorry, she spurted out, placing her hands over her mouth in hopes to stop laughing, but only blowing raspberries. I’ve just never seen you faint from reading, it’s gotta be a first, huh? She couldn’t stop herself this time, a steady stream of tears flowed from her eyes as she burst out in laughter.

Hilarious, Arthur said bashfully.

Oh, don’t be like that, she smiled, C’mon, pass me that book you brought and let’s carry on. A final giggle sounded from her. They eventually settled down to review said notes and try to come to any conclusion about this whole ordeal.

Just as the evening began, Victor and Gri gathered at the Kingyo where they met up with Ku, who was already there setting up the bar they’d be sitting at. The Kingyo was a small Japanese izakaya restaurant; cosy, upbeat, and casual with inspired decor, offering inventive Japanese small plates and bento boxes.

It oozed with rich culture and delicious aromas which made the head of every customer spin, unable to resist the urge to go in and chow down on whatever the head chef was assembling in his kitchen.

Ku worked there as a bartender and managed to close the bar early so they could all talk privately. Despite her strong and silent persona, she could sweet talk her way to get almost anything she wanted.

Gri and Victor walked in together and a heavy smell of roasting pork slapped them, almost lifting their souls, and pulling them to the seating area, ready to be served. The restaurant was warmly lit and had a reasonable number of customers, resulting in a comfortable social atmosphere. They walked towards the bar that Ku so conveniently managed to close off for the evening and were met by her. She was leaning against the back of the bar facing the seating area, eyes closed, chewing on a toothpick, and cleaning glasses with a cloth in a cliché manner.

Hey Ku, they both said, almost in synchronisation.

No response.

Uhhh, hellooooooo, Gri said slowly, waving in front of Ku’s face.

Still no response; however, she was nodding rhythmically.

Is she deaf? Blind? Do we need to call an ambulance? Gri wondered with a tilt to her head.

Oh, I know what’s going on, she does this at home all the time, Victor figured out.

Huh? Gri wondered.

Victor manoeuvred around the bar to Ku’s side, she was still nodding rhythmically, cleaning off the same glass. Once at her side, he mercilessly poked her waist, startling her to the point where her glasses nearly fell off and her earphones, which were discreetly hidden behind the darkness of her hair, popped right out.

Quickly realising her situation, Ku turned to Victor with a forceful and furious backfist to the cheek, sending him tumbling in an attention-grabbing manner.

The restaurant fell silent at the thud of Victor’s body hitting the recently polished floor, as all eyes began to converge on the commotion. An older couple, on the other side of the restaurant, began