Trapped within the land of dreams, a beast shall awaken;
Demonic and evil, heroes forsaken.
But beneath the full moon, lies a shimmering star;
A curse darkens the path, cast by Angels afar.
Clock beating quickly, death close be...
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Taking a deep breath, steadying her heart, Lily gazed firmly into the piercing eyes of the Queen, refusing to allow herself to tremble under the violet stare. Yet, she could feel the cool sweat seep down her back from the nerves. A betrayal. The beautiful azure fabric clung to her skin, reminding her of how mundane she was in the presence of these creatures.
The vines that clung to her chair had begun to move like snakes, climbing over her limbs. Lily held her breath. She didn't want her gaze to drop. But she could feel the vines tying her hands, body, and head to the cold stone chair. It reminded her of her brief time beneath the soil, the roots gripping onto her skin slowing choking her in the darkness.
It was in that moment that Lily understood how, once a deep thrumming panic had settled deep within the pit of ones' stomach, time stopped. Everything – the past, the present and the future – molded into a single brutal force that sought to drown her. She felt as if an overwhelming weight was resting on her chest, pushing against her rip cage, squishing her heart. And yet it kept beating, so hard Lily was afraid her pulse would rip free of her throat. She was submerged, buried alive by the events unfolding before her and all she could do was watch, helpless, breathless, and suffocated.
Lily tried to remind herself that she wasn't a victim. She wasn't a toy to be manipulated. And yet, strapped against her will, she could only stare forwards. A doll encased within its plastic box, sitting upon a shelf and waiting for someone to play with her.
Suddenly, a loud bang shuttered against the walls of the court room. Like a cocoon splitting down the middle, the noise released Lily from her trembling state as she caste her eyes in the direction of the intricate doors she had been pushed through moments before.
Together, Ash and Ren swept through the chamber, moving to stand on either side of the throne, their expressions blank. Ash looked remarkably bored, his eyes wandering idly around the room, almost refusing to see her. Up close, the pair were even more beautiful than Lily would ever care to admit; darkness and light intertwined right before her eyes.
Ash's features embodied the obscurity of the night, with his high-cheekbones and his windswept locks of black hair spiraling their way down his neck, gleaming in stark contrast to his bright jade eyes. Shadows seemed to cling to his skin, weaving their way up his ankles, spiraling around his torso, his shoulders, and finally interlacing themselves through the thick strands of hair. They blended seamlessly into the sharp black tux he was wearing, whispering to her. There was a desire burning in the blackness.
If Lucifer were real, he'd be enthralled by the creature standing before me, Lily thought. She still hadn't forgotten his words to her in the woods.
This world is vast, ancient and utterly distinctive from yours. It was born of imagination, of wicked dreams that are pungent and corrupt. Everything wants to hurt you, to use you in some way. Remember that Lillian
