The sun shone brightly in the vast blue sky, bathing the countryside in golden light. Spring was in full bloom, transforming the pastures into a shimmering sea of buttercups, their yellow petals swaying like tiny lanterns in the breeze. This was what Camille loved most about springtime—the season of rebirth and renewal. The world seemed alive, brimming with warmth and possibility, as if even the earth itself had forgotten what it meant to fear.

Lying in the grass by Blue Water Lake, Camille f...

Out of nowhere, Adam appeared, like a burst of sunlight piercing through a storm, scattering the shadows that had been closing in around her. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice cutting through the silence like a lifeline. Camille looked up, her dismay melting into a mix of relief and wonder. All she saw was a tender smile that shone through the darkness surrounding her.

“Hey,” he said softly, bending down to meet her gaze. Camille squinted to make out his express...

The night falls, and darkness blankets the town like a suffocating veil. Shadows slither and stretch, creeping toward Camille with sinister intent. The walls of her room feel closer, the dark energy thickening around her body. He’s coming.

The monster.

Exhausted and battered, Camille had succumbed to sleep, but it offered no refuge. Even as her eyes remain shut, her mind jolts awake, tangled in a web of nightmares.

He’s coming.

Her body twists in bed, cold sweat prickl...

Camille stands before her father, her body screaming in pain, her willpower the only thing holding her upright. Her spine throbs, her face feels like ice, but none of it matters. She’s ready. Ready to hear the truth, no matter how ugly. Why are the shadows targeting her? Why has her father become a monster?

“Camille,” her mother whispers, trembling as she sees the cold glint of determination in Steve’s eyes. She knows he’s on the edge, desperate to unburden himself wit...

Almost out of breath and wracked with pain, Camille stumbles through the dense trees, the world around her dissolving into shadows. Her trembling legs carry her to the one place she’s ever felt at peace—Blue Water Lake. The night is heavy with silence, save for her ragged breaths and the occasional snap of twigs underfoot. Each step feels like an eternity, her body screaming for rest, but the weight of unseen eyes on her back drives her forward.

When she finally breaks through the tree ...

Camille stirred, the edges of consciousness flickering back into focus. Her mind was slow to catch up, her body strangely weightless. She kept her eyes closed, letting her senses stretch outward. Her fingers flexed, brushing against something coarse and gritty—sand. It was smooth yet warm, unnaturally warm, like it had absorbed the sun’s fire. She stilled, but the heat didn’t hurt her. Instead, it seemed to hum against her skin like an energy source.

A salty tang filled her nostri...

“Aren’t you a god?” Camille asked, her voice strained. The saltiness in her throat stung with every word, and her face flushed from the sun’s relentless heat.

“My function in this world is to serve and assist His Majesty, the God of the Water Kingdom. Therefore, I am nothing.” Azzel spoke with measured politeness, his tone carrying a quiet reverence for someone far greater than himself.

Camille’s eyes narrowed slightly, his humility puzzling her. Azze...

Left alone in the ethereal garden, Camille wandered deeper, her steps hesitant but driven by curiosity. The more she explored, the more she felt the weight of countless eyes watching her from the shadows—curious, harmless, yet undeniably otherworldly. Creatures of every shape and size lingered just out of reach, peeking from behind flower-laden vines and shimmering pools. Their attention wasn’t menacing but cautious, as though they, too, were trying to understand this unexpected visitor in th...

The large doors groaned open, the sound echoing through the grand space like a wailing spirit. Camille winced, the screeching noise rattling her nerves and making her brain shudder. As the echo subsided, she cautiously took a step forward, keeping herself slightly behind Azzel for a sense of security.

The moment her foot crossed the threshold, her breath hitched. Her eyes widened as they drank in the opulent splendor of the ballroom. Glittering seashells adorned the walls, forming intricate pattern...

Camille’s room was like nothing she had ever seen before. It felt as though she had stepped into another world entirely, one crafted from the very essence of magic and luxury. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the space—a blend of elegance and comfort, a stark contrast to the rough, faded memories of her life in Primavera Town. Her breath caught in her chest as she stepped further into the room, feeling as though she had crossed a boundary that separated her from everything she kne...