*He'd hacked governments.* *Banks.* *Private military servers.* *Once, when he was twenty-three and bored out of his skull, he'd slipped into a billionaire's smart-home network just to prove he could.* *Yet somehow, the most infuriating breach of his career came from a woman who left behind a digital smiley face.* *A bloody smiley face.* *Andreas O'Cathasaigh stared at the monitor in disbelief.* *The security dashboard of the O'Cathasaigh organization—an empire built on fear, money, and generations of Irish mob influence—should have been untouchable.* *His system was untouchable.* *He'd built it.* *Every firewall.* *Every encrypted tunnel.* *Every security protocol.* *And yet there it was.* :) *Nothing stolen.* *Nothing altered.* *No ransom demand.* *No threats.* *Just evidence that someone had slipped inside, wandered around, and left again.* *Like a cat knocking a glass off a table before walking away.* *Andreas leaned closer.* *Dark circles sat beneath his eyes from three sleepless nights spent hunting her digital trail.* *Every clue she'd left behind turned into another dead end.* *A ghost. *A phantom.* *A genius.* *And he couldn't stop thinking about her.* "Still obsessing?" *He didn't look away from the screen. His oldest brother, Ronan, stood in the doorway holding a whiskey glass.* *Their middle brother, Finn, appeared behind him.* *Both men looked far too entertained.* "Get out." *Finn laughed.* "He's in love." "I'm not." "You've been awake for seventy hours." "I'm working." "You're stalking code." *Andreas clenched his jaw.* *Neither brother understood.* *This wasn't about pride anymore.* *It wasn't even about security.* *It was about her.* *Who breaks into the most protected network in Ireland for a joke?* *Who does that and walks away?* *Who was she?* *Ronan sipped his drink.* "Find the lass yet?" "No." "Shame." *Andreas ignored them.* *His fingers flew across the keyboard.* *Another trace.* *Another connection.* *Another breadcrumb.* *This time something stuck.* *A location.* *A pattern.* *A mistake.* *Tiny.* *Almost invisible.* *But human.* *For the first time in weeks, he smiled.* "There you are." *His brothers exchanged glances.* *Neither looked particularly reassured.* *She wasn't what he'd expected.* *That somehow made everything worse.* *He had imagined a criminal mastermind.* *A cold professional.* *Instead, the woman he'd spent weeks hunting lived alone in a cluttered apartment overflowing with books, empty coffee cups, and half-finished electronics projects.* *She looked normal.* *Laughably normal.* *She wore oversized sweaters.* *Talked to herself while debugging code.* *Forgot meals.* *Played old video games at three in the morning.* *He sat in his parked car across the street, watching her apartment window glow against the darkness.* *His stomach twisted.* *The victory he'd imagined never came.* *No confrontation.* *No threats.* *No demands for answers.* *Because seeing her had only made the questions worse.* *Why her?* *Why him?* *Why did she keep occupying every waking thought?* *Days became weeks.* *He learned routines he hadn't meant to learn.* *Not because he needed them.* *Because he couldn't stop looking. And with every passing day, an uncomfortable realization settled deeper into his chest.* *This wasn't rational.* *Wasn't healthy.* *Wasn't normal.* *The woman had become a puzzle he'd built his entire world around solving.* *Ronan noticed first.* "You look awful." *Andreas ignored him.* *Finn noticed second.* "You finally catch her?" *Andreas nodded.* "And?" *Andreas hesitated.* *For the first time, he didn't know how to answer.* *Because catching her should have been the end.* *Instead, it felt like the beginning of something darker.* *Something that had less to do with cybersecurity and more to do with obsession.* *And deep down, Connor knew one thing with absolute certainty.* *The hacker who left behind a smiley face had breached far more than his network.* *She'd gotten into his head.* *And he had no idea how to get her out.*

} was light as a feather, clammy, lifeless. He carried the body back to the villa, through the glass corridors where no human was ever supposed to have set foot. He laid it in one of the unused rooms, his movements precise, almost clinical, while his mind already fought against this action.* *Three days passed, during which the sound of the sea became almost unbearable for him. He tended the wounds, he checked the pulse—mechanically, emotionlessly, with the cold distance of a man who had actually wanted to let no one near him again. The house, his protective wall, suddenly felt small, cramped, almost suffocating. He lay there, perfectly motionless, a foreign object in his life. Nox sat nearby for hours, his eyes fixed on their face, waiting, watching, unable to tear his gaze away.* *The fourth day dawned, and the silence in the house felt different now, charged. The world out there seemed forgotten, and yet the reason for his trauma was here, right in his living room, breathing.* *An intruder. His downfall. His chaos.*

The Last Day That Didn’t Feel Like an Ending The last day of school should have felt exciting. Freedom. Relief. Summer. Instead, it meant your mom saying no. No beach trip. No friends. No end-of-year celebration. After staring at the ceiling long enough, you stopped arguing. Quietly grabbing your backpack and slipping out through the window felt easier than asking again. The walk to the beach took twenty minutes. By the time you arrived, the shoreline was packed with people, laughter, music, and movement. You searched for your friends. Then searched again. Nothing. Without realizing it, you kept walking farther down the shore. The crowd slowly disappeared behind you until there was only empty sand, ocean waves, and wind. Then you heard it. A faint jingling sound. Soft. Delicate. Like tiny bells underwater. You followed it. Soon, a pale glow appeared ahead near the water’s edge. The untouched sand felt cooler here. Quieter. And then you saw her. A girl sleeping alone on the beach. Each slow breath carried that same faint jingling sound. Long platinum hair spread across the sand around her. Her skin looked almost unreal. And beneath her rested a shimmering mermaid tail, colored with soft blues and greens where the waves touched it. For several moments she didn’t move. Then her eyelids fluttered open. With a tired groan, she slowly pushed herself upright. MIRELLE: “...Hhngh...” She rubbed her eyes before looking around in confusion. MIRELLE: “Nope... still not dreaming...” Her gaze dropped to the sand. MIRELLE: “Why is it always sand? I don’t even like sand.” She sighed dramatically and glanced toward the ocean. MIRELLE: “Okay... I definitely fell asleep somewhere...” With that brilliant deduction, she began dragging herself toward the water. MIRELLE: “Why does land make everything so difficult...” Slowly, awkwardly, she slid across the beach until her tail finally touched the shallows. MIRELLE: “Mm... that’s better...” Her shoulders relaxed immediately as seawater washed over her scales. For a moment she simply sat there while the tide moved around her. Behind her remained the empty stretch of beach. Space to leave. Space to follow. Or space to let the strange encounter disappear like it never happened at all.

}, they're one of us from now on. *He said, standing firmly beside you with his arms crossed. Ticci Toby raised his hand, and he quickly made him lower it, speaking in a dry, firm tone.* Laughing Jack: Slenderman already knows, weirdo. *A softer voice caught your attention. Eyes, or rather... two black, empty holes, stared at you.* Eyeless Jack: A new proxy... *He moved even closer* is cute. Laughing Jack: Could you all be less idiotic? I know you're all crazy, but- Ticci Toby: "We are." *Another dialogue or discussion took place among the inhabitants of the mansion...possibly your future family. A small hand gently tugged on your sleeve, and sweet green eyes looked at you innocently as the cute little girl hugged her favorite brown teddy bear.* Sally: Do you want to play with me? Let's be friends. *She looked at you expectantly while holding your sleeve; the boys continued talking. What will you do now?*

.jpg) *the being talks with authority and great power in its speech, you are uneasy yet have a strange feeling of content. You can sense the being coming closer to you before halting* "...i am your guide...i will help you pass on to the next life...are you ready, lost soul?" *you feel prepared for what the being will say to you next. It senses your acceptance and begins to show you the way* You've been given the rare opportunity to be able to reincarnate as a god! Meaning that unlike other souls, you can never have eternal rest! You will choose your new appearance, abilities, and the new world you will be given control over. Once your finished, the being will transport you to your new life! Appearance: You're new appearance will dictate how you see yourself and how your lowly followers will see you! Choose things like your height, your skins color and texture (e.g. green and scaley), or your body type. You can also add quirks and things that make you unique, like more than one set of arms, or eyes all over your body! Not all of these details are essential but might helpful to remember! These aspects of you may also be important if they relate to your godly abilities as well. Abilities: The skills and powers as a god are highly customizable. There could be other gods like yourself (Pantheons) if you choose there to be, and power could be split up amongst you, if that were the case what would you be the god over? Control over fire, ability to manipulate dreams, and so forth. These could all range from party trick to world ending power. There are so many combinations to really make yourself your own. Again not all details are required but helpful to create a nuanced character World: This is possibly the most important step and ties in with the other two directly. Choose the new world and its attributes, for example, what the beings that live there look like, how the society acts, and your place in it. Where does your heavenly abode exist (if you have one) and are there other gods like you there? Experiment and be creative with this part as it will be where the majority of your story takes place Then finally you can let the being know you are finished and begin your next life. Once you do, the being will ask you to choose whether to keep your past memories or not. Feel free to ask questions or change the rules if your unsure. *with that the being of light ceaces his words and gives you a moment to think.* "...you may leave when you are ready..."

*Kyle Bennett was the kind of person everyone knew.* *At six-foot-four, heir to a fortune large enough to buy half the city, and effortlessly handsome, he carried himself with a laid-back confidence that made people gravitate toward him. Most students at MIT spent their days trying to earn his attention. Some wanted his friendship. Others wanted his money. Many simply wanted the status that came with standing beside him.* *Kyle wanted none of it.* *The only people he genuinely tolerated were his two best friends, Reinhard Mahoney and Derreck Holt. The three of them had been inseparable for years. They never bullied anyone, never looked down on others. Unfortunately, that didn't stop people from using their names as social currency* *The three of them weren't saints, but they never bullied anyone either. Unfortunately, plenty of people around campus weren't the same. It wasn't uncommon for students to pick on weaker classmates in hopes of impressing Kyle's circle. It never worked, but that didn't stop them from trying.* *One afternoon, Derreck found himself caught in one of those situations.* *A quiet nerd named Ron had been thrown into the college pool by a group of students. What started as a cruel joke quickly became dangerous when Ron struggled to stay afloat. Without hesitation, Derreck jumped in and dragged him back to safety.* *The bullies didn't appreciate having their entertainment interrupted.* *Words were exchanged. Then punches.* *Derreck fought back, refusing to leave Ron alone, but there were simply too many of them. By the time Reinhard called Kyle and the two rushed toward the pool, Derreck was already exhausted. His breathing was ragged, his knuckles were bleeding, and every muscle in his body screamed for rest. Even then, he stood in front of Ron, refusing to move.* *Then they saw* **her.** *A girl stood between Derreck and the crowd.* *Her lower lip had been split open. Bruises colored her cheek and jaw. Someone had clearly landed several good hits on her. Yet despite looking like she'd just crawled out of a war zone, she wore a grin that made her look almost insane.* *A baseball bat rested casually on her shoulder as she panted heavily.* "Seriously?" *she laughed, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth*. "That's it? C'mon, I've got all day. If you're gonna jump people, at least make it interesting." *The bullies hesitated.* *Kyle froze.* *Not because she was beautiful, although she was.* *Not because she was brave, although she clearly was.* *But because she looked alive.* *Everyone Kyle knew was predictable. They cared about appearances, reputation, consequences. This girl looked like she'd gladly fight an army if it meant protecting someone who needed help.* *And somehow, she was enjoying herself.* *The next second Kyle was moving.* *The girl had already charged forward before he could say a word, swinging her bat with frightening enthusiasm. Kyle found himself joining the fight without thinking. Adrenaline surged through him. For the first time in years, he felt awake. Beside him, the girl laughed every time someone tried to swing at her. She fought like she had endless energy, like pain didn't exist, like getting bruised was simply part of the fun.* *Together they pushed the bullies back until the group finally gave up and scattered.* *The moment it was over, the girl spun around and hurried back to Derreck.* "You still alive?" *she asked, grinning despite her bruised face.* *Derreck let out a breathless laugh.* "Barely." "Good. That means I didn't waste my afternoon." *Ron immediately started thanking her, nearly tripping over his own words. She waved him off like it was nothing. Meanwhile, Reinhard watched Kyle. Kyle hadn't taken his eyes off her once.* *Reinhard looked at Derreck.* *Derreck looked at Reinhard.* *Both of them immediately understood.* *Their friend was doomed.* *_____________________________________* *The next day, the girl walked across campus with the same battered baseball bat resting on her shoulder. No entourage. No dramatic stories. No attempt to brag about what happened. She didn't act like she'd saved Ron. She didn't act like she'd helped Derreck. She didn't act like she'd stood against half a dozen bullies with a smile on her face. To her, it had simply happened.* *Nothing more.* *Kyle sat across the courtyard pretending to listen to Reinhard talk.* *Pretending.* *Because every few seconds his eyes drifted back toward her. Again. And again. And again.* *Reinhard sighed.* "Just go talk to her." *Kyle didn't even look away.* "No." "You've been staring for twenty minutes." "No, I haven't." "You absolutely have." *Kyle finally glanced at him. Then immediately looked back at the girl.* *Reinhard groaned. Yep.* *His best friend had fallen hard.*

I hear footsteps. You did not come to me for no reason. I smell the scent of spring earth and the bitter-sweet smell of pollen — you carried it on your clothes, even if you do not notice it yourself. Come closer, mortal. Let me hold your pomegranate in my hand while you tell me what troubles your spirit. *She slowly rose from the throne, and the silk of her dress slid across the marble with a soft rustle, like the whisper of dry leaves. Her fingers, adorned with thin golden rings, touched the pomegranate lying on the platter, and she squeezed it as gently as if it were a heart that might shatter with a single wrong movement. For a moment, she held her breath, listening to something beyond the hall — perhaps the voice of the underground river, or perhaps the beating of your heart, echoing through the cold stone.* You could have come to a temple or a meadow — but you came here, where marble and shadow reign. That means you are tired of hiding from the truth. *She stepped closer, and the air around her grew denser, heavier, like before a storm. Her eyes, dark and deep as the waters of the Styx, met yours, and there was neither threat nor pity in them — only a quiet, all-knowing expectation.* Speak. I am listening. I am not in a hurry — I have eternity and a little bit of winter. *She extended her hand, palm facing upward, inviting you to place your story into it, and the pomegranate in her other hand trembled, releasing a single drop of crimson juice that fell to the floor like a promise or a warning.*

} I heard a certain special neighbor just graduated today. Don't you dare walk by so casually as if it's no big deal. Come here, let me properly congratulate you." You stop in your tracks... not expecting such kind words from her but it's honestly really nice. You timidly approach her and thank her. Her captivating smirk widens.Kurenai: "I've always kept my eye on you. Now seeing how far you've come and how... grown-up you've become, it makes me so proud... deeply. I know you don't know me too well but... just know I care a lot." she gently places a gloved hand on your shoulder... her tone turning a tinge more sultry than sentimental. "Now does the graduate have any plans this summer? I'm just curious what someone like you is up to."You think for a moment... realizing you pretty much have no plans this summer. Just a summer of relaxation after your hard work in school. Then an idea forms... you like the beach and Kurenai seems like maybe she'd be interested. You've always wondered about Kurenai... what she's like... if she feels alone in her house all the time. So before you can second guess it you decide to go for it. You stammer out to Kurenai... an invitation to go to the beach with you... tomorrow. You look away blushing... figuring it was stupid to ask considering she may prefer to be inside. Maybe she'd enjoy getting out a bit and having some company though? Maybe...Kurenai's grip on your shoulder tightens ever so slightly and she chuckles... covering her mouth with her free hand. She then stares into your eyes once more... looking down on you from her porch step. For a brief fleeting moment you see her eyes color a shade of red then before you can process it it fades back into the soft hazel tone.Kurenai: "Bold question, sweetheart. But... I'd say that's very thoughtful of you. Of course I'm going. It's summer so the beach is where people like us should be, enjoying ourselves to the fullest. I love how you think, darling. You definitely chose the right person... it'll be the most fun you've had in your life. Well I know you have a graduation party to go to. Our plans are made so we'll have our time tomorrow. Looking forward to it, cutie." she leans in for a quick peck on your temple then playfully pushes you toward the sidewalk and back on your way home.You reach your house but things feel different now. You try to focus on the festivities but the thought of being alone with Kurenai at a beach... a confident woman who's so much older than you... makes your head spin and your heart skip a couple beats. Even if it's just a neighborly gesture it's exciting. The party is over and you finally lay in your bed to rest for tomorrow. You're still wondering how a woman as beautiful and sophisticated as Kurenai would accept an invitation to the beach... especially considering you thought she had adversity towards the outdoors. But your courage paid off and now you get to enjoy your day at the beach with Kurenai.A day passes and you arrive at the beach ten minutes earlier than agreed. You're in your proper beach gear and are looking forward to the day... despite not being sure what to expect. You look around for a good spot and then your gaze catches Kurenai who's been looking at you from a beach chair under an umbrella the whole time it seems. She's wearing her usual large dark picture hat and she's also almost fully covered but this is a different look from normal. Kurenai is clad in a sheer black full-body swimsuit that fits her figure expertly. On top of all this she has a glass of iced juice in her palms, heeled black boots, dark red lipstick, and her left leg elegantly draped over the right one. And finally her eyes... eyes that look almost... hungry? You might be seeing things. You shake off the haze and run toward Kurenai while waving tentatively. Your beach trip with Kurenai has just begun... a summer day and sight you could never imagine until now.

}. It lingers a little too long before he forces it away.* “This place is not safe for someone of your status.” *A short silence follows. Only rain and the soft flicker of the lamp fill the space between them. Cales does not move closer. He keeps his distance with deliberate restraint, as if the rules of the monastery are the only thing keeping the situation from becoming something else entirely*

}. *She pauses.* Celeste: My apologies for the first impression. Kai: Personally, I think honesty builds trust. Celeste: Personally, I think we should stop mentioning bankruptcy to the new owner. *Behind them, the resort stands waiting.* *Beautiful. Broken. Full of possibilities.* *And somehow... it's yours now.* What would you like to do first?