Rachel moved swiftly through the airship’s narrow corridors, her pace steady but controlled, Tom close on her right. The hum of the vessel reverberated beneath her feet, its mechanical pulse matching her own simmering anger while leaving Astra on the floor. The air felt colder, sharper, like the storm brewing on the edges of her control.

She glanced briefly at Tom. His face was calm, his footsteps purposeful, but there was no mistaking the tension in his broad shoulders or the way his muscles twitched.

He’s thinking the same thing I am… I’m getting too emotional.

Rafael’s voice cut through her thoughts as he issued orders behind them. “Enrique, lock down the armory. The spy, Astra, as Rachel put it, is to be detained and kept under close watch.”

The sound of Enrique’s boots echoed in response, the wrestler Legend moving away to fulfill the command. Rachel didn’t bother to look back. Astra might slip through their fingers, but right now, that didn’t concern her. He was someone else’s problem.

The Abundant Moon brought me here and allowed me the chance to find a direction but this is as far as it took me. I can’t do this on my own… I need to be a leader.

She reached the elevator with Tom as the others caught up—Scarlet, Barbara, Green, El Santo, Grace, and Rafael. The group filed in, the silence between them thick with unspoken questions as they waited for her to report what was running through her mind.

Rachel leaned against the side of the elevator, arms folded across her chest, eyes narrowing as she filtered them out. [Strategic Mind] and [Mental Acceleration] were kicking in to bring back everything she could recall and giving her processing time.

Nia’s voice slipped into her mind like a comforting whisper, the bond between the Adult Bun humming with reassurance and confidence.

“Nam and the others are with me and safe, for now. I’ve moved them into a house nearby. Healers are with them, and I checked it myself. Maria’s still out cold, but they’re doing everything they can to wake her. Like you said, she’s the best chance we have for fixing the more serious damage to Nam.”

Rachel’s fists tightened against her sides, knuckles turning white. She could picture her brother’s charred skin, the smell, the aftermath of the explosion still burning in her mind.

I should have been paying better attention or checked the house myself… No, I can’t blame myself. I need to move forward. How is he? she questioned, watching the lights they passed rise in slow motion and the faces watching her.

“The military healers here are telling me it’s beyond physical. It’s like his entire body was converted to charcoal…but he’s still alive. They’re not sure what to make of it, which means it’s probably something more spiritual or soul related. I’ve talked with Nike and she said it’s possible he shattered his Seed and caused a Second Awakening.”

A what?! Rachel’s stomach cramped, realizing she hadn’t even thought about contacting the most knowledgeable person she could. I’m glad one of us is thinking clearly right now… What does that mean? Can Maria even fix that if it is Seed related? I’m trying not to panic here.

Nia breathed out a sigh. “As best she can tell from what I showed her, she believes he may have met Eostre since her Neutral Energy signature seems to be involved. Which means…”

He broke into the 4th dimension, she finished, feeling her breath come out faster as her eyes shifted to the corner. If Eostre helped him, then I think things are in a more positive direction.

Looking internally, she tried to navigate the ever-shifting string of bad luck cycling her. Now that I’m feeling it out, I can’t sense…any misfortune around him, as if the threads get burned the moment they touched. Still…

“I’ll be right by his side.”

Thanks, Nia. A flicker of guilt twisted in her chest. I feel like I’m going too slow, but I can’t charge in. They’re expecting an emotional response.

She pushed the thought aside, forcing herself to focus. Nia would keep things stable, allowing her to go on the offensive. Tom’s voice broke the silence, pulling her back to the group around the moving elevator.

“Could this be a diversion?”

Rachel exhaled through her nose, not moving from her position as time sped up again. “Most likely. They knew I’d raise hell the moment Nam was attacked. If they were smart, they’d be using this as a distraction to cover something bigger.”

Barbara nodded, her yellow eyes scanning the rest of the group. “Then we’ll tighten security. We can start rotating personnel, making it harder for them to predict our moves and disrupting their own planned actions from protocol. We need to introduce variables they can’t account for.”

“Good idea,” Rachel muttered, her mind already racing ahead.

Whoever orchestrated this knew exactly how to hit me where it hurt. That level of precision doesn’t come without careful planning…and having some personal knowledge about me. It feels like…Relica. I bet she was involved in some way, albeit likely more for consultation. Who the hell has this kind of reach? They would have had to predict multiple organizations’ actions.

Green leaned against the back wall, arms mirroring her as she frowned. “This is our wheelhouse, Rachel. Just so you’re aware, Grim Tales aren’t like Fablekin.”

All eyes darted to the woman as her long ear twitched in conjunction with Rachel’s.

“Abu Hassan isn’t a Fablekin. His story was about thieves and betrayal, but it wasn’t this…” She trailed off, biting her lip as if turning the thought over. “He’s supposed to be the biggest villain in his own tale. He’s a thief and murderer, sure. Attacking Fable is one thing since we hunt them but…why go after you, Rachel? Why now?”

The elevator came to a stop, doors sliding open with a quiet hiss. Rafael stepped out first, brushing by the others before they followed. The hallway stretched out before them, illuminated by sterile white lights. Scientists and engineers glanced up as they passed, their murmurs hushed, eyes wide with curiosity and unease at the chaos on-board.

Rachel’s senses flicked over them, picking up scattered conversations and casting her ears in a wide net over the city. Nothing useful. I can’t focus properly… Gah! I’ve never felt this way.

“Keep moving,” Rafael called out, his voice a commanding presence in the otherwise quiet space to his employees. “I need security on every floor and a full inventory made.”

They scattered at his orders.

Rachel’s mind tracked every detail, every possibility. Green’s right. Why me? Why Nam? Why now? Could this be a higher dimensional play? One of the Mystickin acting in accordance with a 5th-dimensional entity, looking to influence the outcome of the Crystal before it reopens? Could they have been after Nam all along and this is actually South Korea, like before?

The Fable Key left an imprint in her hand, her mouth tightening. It’s more than a vendetta. This is a part of something larger.

She glanced at Green as the woman continued to explain the details regarding the fable of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. The forty-eight characters of the story, including the forty thieves themselves. Any one of them could be corrupted or victim and hostage within the corrupted fable. Rachel wasn’t interested in the fable itself, like Green.

Her gaze shifted to Rafael as he asked questions but her thoughts weren’t with them. Abu Hassan was hired by someone to destabilize me and everyone else by the hellfire I’d rain… I’m giving them what they want.

The monster within her chest flexed its claws, her pace slowing as she took a long, deep breath and released it.

I won’t give them the satisfaction. If you are involved Relica, you probably purposefully left out critical details about me for your own benefit… This is a multi-faceted coalition of forces each struggling to achieve their own goals…with me at the center, raising hell.

Rachel rubbed her arm to stop her jitters and got everyone’s attention by coming to a halt. “Rafael, how powerful are the rest of the Cyclone bombs?”

He didn’t hesitate, his arms crossing his chest with a deep frown. “That’s a good point. They can be used in a combined form of uniting forces, up to four, creating a blast powerful enough to level the Pentagon, eight are missing.”

“Shit, Rafael!” Tom growled, nose twisting with anger. “You should have warned me before bringing that kind of firepower onto American soil.”

“Which means seven are left,” Rachel mumbled, lightly biting her bottom lip. “We better hope Abu Hassan still has them and hasn’t sold them off.”

Rafael frowned at Tom’s growl, his crossed arms tightening against his chest as he matched the man’s intense gaze. “You would have been briefed an hour from now since this is our highest secret weapon we’ve developed for the Mexican military. You were the one who told me to bring our greatest minds and weapons to deal with this Crystal threat. But now that’s in the past.”

His voice calmed, eyes flicking to the scattered crew working to secure the area. “Stealing a weapon like this isn’t outside the realm of possibility for a master thief like Abu Hassan or a hacker, as I assume that Astra fellow was. The question is, how did they know Astra would be the one to steal it and when?”

Rachel swallowed, the logic swiftly falling into place. “You’re right. They needed both pieces for this to work, and it’s not like Astra could’ve made the move without them having inside information about his movements.”

She glanced at Scarlet, who was wearing a scowl the moment the AI was brought up. The Scarlet Hand has a leak in their operation. I’m sure Astra already planned that out the moment I confronted him and exposed the thief… I can’t ignore Astra, can I?

Tom’s jaw clenched at the same time hers did. “Abu Hassan is a proxy, which means we need him alive to find out who hired him.:

Barbara hissed, rubbing the back of her neck and muttering, “That brings my mind to a story Mateo’s group told me. As Green Berets, they’ve dealt with a lot of civilian contacts and insurgencies in the middle east. In this kind of scenario, it isn’t uncommon for the assassin or agent to be paid or convinced to commit suicide or be murdered to cut a link back to the client.”

Rachel’s ears tilted to the side as Scarlet stepped forward, her crimson eyes locking onto her. “But you can see through it, right?”

She knew exactly what the fanged girl was referring to—the Abundant Moon’s vast influence and the initial clarity and clues it had given her.

Scarlet… I’m not a seer. It’s not something I can simply access and pick apart, just like the Black Moon. I only channeled its lunar energy; there’s no way I can have the same level of connection as I did while under it and the Scarlet Moon at the same time. I’m frazzled, as it is, and these puppet masters know I can’t ignore this to not pursue Abu Hassan.

Letting the steady rhythm of her breathing calm the raging thoughts rolling through her brain, a new angle was filtering into her mind. The lights above flickered as the group fixated on her, El Santo paying close attention by his boss’ side.

All eyes are on me, trusting me to shed the veil and to make sense of the next action. I thrive in chaos, but I need to take a rational approach, not just react.

Rachel’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile as the new angle unfolded in her mind. She met Scarlet’s trusting gaze, the young vampire girl’s fangs poking through her lip in anticipation.

“Okay, Scarlet,” Rachel began, voice low but decisive, “I need you to make sure Astra doesn’t slip away. Maybe I was a little too harsh and rushed for answers. He’s not escaping under your watch.”

Scarlet’s eyes lit up at the prospect, a dangerous gleam flashing through the red. Rachel didn’t need to spell out the rest; Scarlet was already reading between the lines.

If Astra wants to figure out the mole in his organization, then it will get them further insights into the Scarlet Hand’s network. It would also give Scarlet more time to get through some of the issues she had with her mother. If she wanted to redeem her mother, then it would be a long road, and she had to come to terms that there was a higher power at play, pulling her mother’s strings.

Crimson eyes narrowing, Scarlet’s smile revealed more of her fangs. “I’ll make sure he earns our trust back… I know you have high expectations for him.” There was a wicked edge to her voice that promised no mercy in working him to death and turning him into her puppet.

Go steal your mom’s play thing, Rachel internally mused.

Rafael cleared his throat. “And be sure we are well compensated for his…transgressions against Mexico, if you could, Ms. Scarlet. I expect given their resources, they can do a few favors for our nation, as well.”

Scarlet gave him a casual salute, chest puffing up at being given some responsibility and expectations. “As a representative of Omen, I will take that job!” she chimed before faltering slightly. “Uh, but…are you sure you won’t need me?”

Rachel’s smile grew slightly as she turned to Grace, her mind already weaving the next step of her plan. “Milky here has all the support I need. Consider it her initiation test.”

Grace blinked before breaking into a grin, the idea of charging into action clearly energizing her. “Well, I always knew I’d be a healthy source of strength for ya,” she quipped, adding her usual dairy-themed innuendo with a casual shrug. “Bet your ass I’m the cream of the crop!”

The group gave the bright-eyed cowgirl a questioning look, but it lightened the tension in the air for a moment. Rachel chuckled at Grace’s antics. “I’m counting on you.”

Grace’s eyes twinkled and she mirrored Scarlet’s earlier salute.

“Don’t be countin’ us out. Oh, uh…can I fill up on some booze in the kitchen?” she asked Rafael, her smile becoming strained while summoning a flask. “This lady requires a bit of the stronger stuff to not bite the dust, if ya catch my drift.”

El Santo stepped forward, his broad figure radiating determination. “I can guide you there. Also, I’d like to join you in the raid against Grim,” he declared, his Spanish accent thickening. “They’ve smeared the honor of my people, and that’s something I won’t stand for.”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Grace’s cowboy hat tilted upward as she stared up at the giant of a legend, who overshadowed her. And before Rachel could reply, Tom nodded and broke in.

“Good. Barbara, I need you to raise the alert level and implement Strategy ‘Orange Man Tango.’ ”

Rachel shot him a confused look. Strategy Orange Man Tango?

She hadn’t caught that particular strategy in their earlier meeting, but the moment Tom mentioned it, Barbara’s face paled, and she swallowed nervously.

“Right away, General,” the captain muttered, before turning on her heel and rushing off to bark orders through her radio.

Rachel’s tail flicked. Whatever Strategy Orange Man Tango was, it certainly put Barbara on edge, which meant it was something major.

The General shot a glance toward Rafael and El Santo, then back at her, his voice low and measured. There were likely a lot of things he wanted to say to the Mexican military company representative but that would be saved for when they got into his private bunker.

“I’m sure Rafael would love to see some action taken due to the theft, and El Santo is more than strong enough to join you. Right now, we need to be smart. We don’t know their exact motives yet, and that spreads our forces too thin over too many places. For that reason, you’re taking point on this angle, Rachel.”

His dark eyes flicked to her closed palm, where the Fable Key rested. “You’ve already given us a lead. So follow it through.”

Rachel followed his gaze, tightening her fingers around the key, its cool surface pressing into her palm. “The mountain,” she murmured. “The realm is somewhere there and the key will guide us to it.”

Tom nodded and glanced toward Green. “Black, Red, and Gray went there earlier tonight, as I recall. You think that’s just a coincidence?”

Green’s long ears twitched and Rachel could see the stiffness of her tail from her position, a shiver visibly running from her ears down to her tail as she glanced between her and Tom. She chewed her lip, her brow furrowing while taking a measured tone.

“Probably not. Gray tends to handle the more focused operations. If there were signs that Grim Tales were nearby, they would’ve gone to check it out… Now, I’m wondering if they were led into a trap.”

Rachel’s stomach knotted at the thought, her mind already picturing the dangerous implications. She shifted her attention to Scarlet. “You follow your own angle with Astra,” she said, locking eyes with the vampire girl. “If we meet up later, all the better.”

Scarlet’s grin widened, fangs glinting. “Leave it to me.” In the blink of an eye, her form dissolved into shadows, vanishing into the surrounding darkness with an eerie, graceful ease.

Letting out a slow breath before turning her focus back to Green, Rachel opened her mouth, but hesitated while trying to articulate her thoughts. A disturbing question rose in her mind, one she couldn’t shake.

“Green, Red’s not…exactly stable as a Fablekin, as I understand it,” she muttered, voice tightening. “Could Abu Hassan bring out the Big Bad Wolf in her…and or turn her into a Grim Tale?”

Grace let out a low hiss and adjusted her hat atop her head. “Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit, this is gettin’ uglier than a mud fence in a rainstorm. That’s bad, ain’t it?”

Green’s arms crossed over her chest, her fingers rubbing at the goosebumps on her skin. She shook her head, eyes narrowing in thought.

“Yes, it’s bad, but there’s something worse not many know about Little Red’s stories. Red is powerful because she’s a mix of different versions of her fable. She’s not just unstable because the Big Bad Wolf merged inside her with the Hunter. Abu Hassan… He could pull various aspects of those tales out—one of the most dangerous being the version where her grandmother is the Little Golden Hood witch.”

Rachel blinked, trying to connect the dots. But green clarified, her voice growing dark.

“A witch of incredible power… How that would manifest if a Grim Fable manipulated that part of her, we don’t know for sure. White mentioned it to me a few weeks ago. But if the witch could be twisted into a Grim Tale… I think it’s likely she’s the one they’d be after…not the wolf.”

Her heart quickened and she turned to grace, eyes locking with the cowgirl’s bright blue gaze. “We’d better hurry then. Think you can keep up?”

Grace’s grin returned, brimming with energy. “Hell yeah, boss! Jim and I’ll be right beside ya!”

Rachel couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips, but her mind was already speeding ahead to the task at hand. Green cast a lingering glance at the key clutched in her palm.

El Santo presented a suave smile, his deep voice carrying a gentlemanly tone. “Señorita Rachel, I’d like to hear it from you directly rather than by order. If I may, it would be an honor to fight behind you. Your leadership is admirable, and I trust you will take us directly into the heart of this battle. You have impressed me by your bravado.”

Rachel raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching at the smoothness in his words, but she nodded. “I’m not going to turn that down. Alright, El Santo. You can handle carrying him. Right, Milky?”

Grace’s grin widened, clearly loving the energy of the moment as she tilted her hat back slightly. Her blue eyes twinkled with a mischievous gleam as she rested her hands on her hips, ready to throw herself into the mission with full gusto by her stance.

“Well, I dunno. Ain’t you a tall drink of milk!” she teased, glancing up at El Santo’s towering figure. “Guess I’ll just have to make sure you don’t fall off ol’ Jim. He can get a bit jittery if the rider ain’t steady, but I reckon you’ll handle it just fine. After all, it ain’t my first time helpin’ a big ol’ fella like you stay upright.”

Her teeth flashed, clearly enjoying herself. “I grew up round big ol’ cows and bulls, and lemme tell ya, there’s nothin’ I can’t manage. Plus, if you’re ridin’ behind me, well, I’m a nice cushion but make sure ya don’t be feelin’ too high up!” She gave a playful glance down at her chest, the humor in her innuendo causing El Santo’s brows to rise in amusement.

Rachel chuckled softly under her breath, the tension lifting a bit as Grace’s humor lightened the mood again; she really was a calamity. The cowgirl was turning out to be quite the grounding force, even in the middle of a storm like this.

El Santo gave a deep, rumbling laugh and nodded. “Señorita, I will put my trust in your safe hands. Or rather, a safe seat.” His eyes gleamed with warmth, clearly enjoying the banter. “It would be an honor to ride with you into this battle. Just let me know when Jim is ready… You wish for me to guide you to the bar before we depart?”

Grace gave an exaggerated tip of her hat. “Oh, sugar, you’re speaking my language! Jim’s always ready for action, as well.”

Rachel allowed herself a brief smile before refocusing. Alright, I’m calm… Now is the time to zero in. Let’s see how Grace handles actual combat.

Grace adjusted her hat, rolling her shoulders to shake off the last bit of levity before her face shifted to something a bit more focused. “I see the look. Don’t worry, boss. I’ll have this big guy saddle up, and we’ll be right behind ya, ready to plow through whatever comes our way. Trust. I’ll catch up. Endurance and speed is what Jim’s all about.”

El Santo gave a low bow, stepping back to let Grace walk beside him, making their way toward the airship bar for her to stock up on whiskey, no doubt; the girl’s power resource. The energy between them crackled with both humor and readiness for the battle ahead.

His chuckle was deep and warm. “With your humor? I doubt there’s a force on this earth that could hold us back.”

“Oh, stop it! You’re making a lady blush.”

Rachel glanced at Green and gave a nod; obviously, she’d be joining them. It would be a four-man team, at least, until they met up with the other three members of Fable.

* — * — *

The icy wind howled through the mountain pass, kicking up flurries of snow that bit at Red’s exposed skin, though she barely felt it. Her red cloak billowed behind her, its warmth keeping her more than comfortable despite the blizzard.

Gray walked behind her with an unnatural ease, white flames licking at his boots and frame, turning the snow beneath him to steam. His casual pace grated on her nerves and made her mutter under her breath, “We could’ve just followed a road, but noooo, we had to be all sneaky through the trees. I would’ve been faster alone… Can you pick up your pace?”

Black chuckled below her as Red took to the trees, making Red’s wolf ears and tail twitch as she skipped between laden branches with the grace of a cat. The rat girl’s cloaked form blending into the blizzard, making her movements nearly invisible while following Gray’s cleared path.

“Careful, Red. You’re starting to sound like me.”

Red rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I don’t need another lecture. I just hate moving this slow in the snow. And that smell…” She wrinkled her nose, taking in the scent of the corrupted Fables. It was a mix of burning rubber and rotting wood, with just a hint of wet dog. “It’s like someone set a garbage dump on fire.”

Gray kept his cool, collected attitude, hands clasped behind his back while climbing up the mountain, finding sure footing for Black, not bothering to look her way while speaking.

“You could always go back and walk on the road, Red,” he teased, his tone not carrying the joke he’d spoken. “But where’s the fun in that?”

“I’ll show you fun when I knock that smug look off your face, White Boy,” she growled, her wolf tail flicking in irritation. “Gah! See how agitated I am? I’m so…restless,” she growled, scratching her neck and feeling the wolf within her rattling her cage.

Despite herself, she picked up her pace, moving to outpace them a bit to peer past the blizzard. They were getting close. Red’s sharp eyes spotted the faint outline of a house on the mountain slope, buried beneath layers of snow.

She stopped abruptly, sniffing the air once more. There was no doubt about it—something rotten had passed through here recently, but their tracks had already been erased by the storm…or they never left them in the first place. They couldn’t be sure which Grim Tale they were dealing with, after all.

“They’re in there,” she muttered, allowing the others to catch up. “But we could’ve done this a lot faster if we didn’t have to stomp through the damn forest.”

Black’s chuckle was low and amused. “You’re not wrong, Red. But it’s better to be cautious when we don’t know who we’re dealing with.”

“Cautious is boring.” Red folded her arms. “Let’s just get this over with. I’ll slip inside and unlock the door. The scent is hours old and Black will take forever to find a place she can slip inside as a rat.”

“Rude,” her partner dully sighed, devoid of energy.

“Facts.”

Gray gave a small nod. “I know you’re restless, Red. The house doesn’t seem heavily guarded. We go in quietly, assess the situation and keep your senses sharp. I’m counting on you two. Green isn’t here to back me up and I’m not great at defending others, which is why I usually handle things alone… Don’t make me regret bringing you two.”

Red narrowed her eyes, her mood souring even more. “Yeah, sure but you couldn’t even find this place without me. So I don’t want to hear it. Like I’m capable of controlling my appetite.”

Ignoring her sarcasm, Gray pushed forward, his white flames shrinking to avoid giving away their position. Black followed closely behind, her big ears never leaving the house ahead.

Once they reached the entrance, Red didn’t wait for orders. She teleported inside, her form dissolving into a cloud of rose petals before reappearing in the middle of the darkened room. The air was stale, and the faint scent of sweat and old wood hung around.

She swiftly noted the high-tech security system, yet it was down, not a sound touching her sharp ears or power in the house, the faint hum of machines absent. Lifting an eyebrow and feeling slightly disappointed upon not finding a trace of resistance, she unlocked the door and opened it up for them to enter.

“No traps and no one my Hunter or Wolf sides can sense… Boring. The Grim Tale was here an hour ago and swiftly left. It’s clear.”

Gray and Black entered, trailing mud and snow; they weren’t trying to hide they were here. As they scanned the interior, Black’s gaze fell on a room filled with various stolen goods just out of sight from the doorway, the unmistakable symbols of the Scarlet Hand etched into some of the crates.

“This doesn’t look like a Grim lair,” Black muttered, her tail twitching in irritation. “More like a storage site for Scarlet Hand which…is not the level I was expecting to face. The security system seems down, though. Why would a Grim Tale target a Scarlet Hand base and risk drawing their ire?”

Gray frowned, his eyes sweeping the room. “Could be both. The Scarlet Hand meant to use us as sacrifices for their end, so using Grim Tales isn’t that implausible. Sweep the place and call out if you feel anything. I know you two don’t work well with teams, but you two are the sensory types here. Warn me.”

Red barely listened, her senses homing in on something else—something darker that felt distant, as if it had passed through here centuries ago, which was impossible. She sniffed the air again and caught the new scent. It was faint, but unmistakable: a Grim Tale’s signature, twisted and malevolent. Her blood hummed with anticipation as the wolf inside her stirred.

“I’m checking the upper rooms,” she growled, her voice tight with restrained excitement and tail wagging behind her. “I smell a different Grim Tale that was here a while ago.”

Without waiting for a reply, she prowled upstairs, her boots barely making a sound on the creaking wooden steps as the storm made far more noise outside, battering the side of the house.

The deeper into the house she went, the stronger the unsettling vibe became. The faint sound of wood creaking, a gust of wind, and then something made her pause halfway up… A distant, eerie whisper that filled the air, setting her on edge. She couldn’t make out the words, even with her sharp ears but they were human words, spoken at an impossibly low level.

Her wolf ears twitched, picking up every subtle sound, every shift in the oppressive atmosphere. Something was very wrong here. Slowing her pace, she suppressed a shiver and, despite her pride, she did as she was ordered.

“Gray! Black! There’s something weird up here… Maybe a Scarlet Hand artifact? Maybe a mental attack? I’ve got the strongest [Resistances], I’m checking it out.”

She heard their voices reach her as if from a great distance, and she turned to look down, her ears falling back when the hall elongated an impossible distance.

“Shit… Did I walk into a magical or supernatural trap? Dammit,” she snarled, rubbing between her eyes and fighting down the skin-prickling feelings cascading down her spine.

“You’re frightened.”

She winced, feeling the wolf clawing at her chest to be released. “I’m not scared! Shut up… I thought I got rid of your voice.”

“You know we’re stronger together. Stop denying it. You cannot handle what is ahead…but I can.”

“Hah!” She gritted her teeth and shoved him down, strengthening her will. “I’m not falling for that… You couldn’t handle those Eldritch things.”

“I got us out…didn’t I? You wouldn’t have made it.”

Ignoring the voice in her head, she crept forward, summoning her ax and flipping it around her arm. “I’m a Hunter…not a beast. Who…”

As she entered a small bedroom, Red froze. A figure sat in a chair by the window, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders, eyes hidden in the shadows she should have been able to penetrate with her keen vision. The moment the woman turned to look at her, a shiver ran down Red’s spine.

image [https://c10.patreonusercontent.com/4/patreon-media/p/post/114970282/deff3aede4d24633af6d16bcced67072/eyJ3Ijo2MjB9/1.png?token-time=1735084800&token-hash=GYo2ejnit9eH5IjN3DHJ_JBFhbA4sRzgl74twMMSjgA%3D]

“Welcome,” the woman said, her voice sweet, almost mocking.

Red grinned, flipping her ax over her shoulder and fought down the bone-chilling vibes that cascaded through her senses; she felt similar to the Eldritch…but different. “Oh. Well that’s nice. Found you, Grim Tale.” She turned her head, calling down to the others, “Hey! I’ve got—”

The woman’s giggle stopped her mid-sentence. “They can’t hear you, my dear,” she said, standing slowly from her chair. “You’ve entered a different space…a little place I like to call home.”

Red’s blood ran cold; all of a sudden, she couldn’t feel her presence. The woman’s words echoed inside her mind. Her grin faltered, but she refused to show weakness. “Yeah? Well, that’s fine by me. I only need you. Wait…” The words spilled out of her mouth, raising her ax as her magically subdued instincts finally kicked in. “You’re a hag; from what fable?!”

The woman seemed to move at impossible speeds at split second intervals before stopping just before her face. The hag’s unseen eyes darkened further, turning into black pits with faint, glowing yellow light inside them. Her smile stretched into a monstrous, toothy grin as she whispered, “Sleep.”

Red’s body moved against her will. She tried to lift her ax, but her arms felt like lead. Her muscles wouldn’t respond. Her heart pounded as she fought the witch’s control, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t move; no, she’d been fighting it since entering her territory, yet, somehow, she didn’t realize it.

“You’re…not an ordinary hag.”

“Ooh, sweetie,” the witch cooed, her voice soft and soothing as she swept back a few locks on her face and even the wolf inside her grew more distant. “Don’t worry. I’m not as bad as you think. I just need to talk to a…little friend. When you wake, all of this will be but a passing nightmare that slips into the wind.”

Red’s breath quickened as her body slumped into a chair, her eyes widening in realization. She tried to summon the wolf, to claw her way out of the hag’s hold, but a gentle hum left the witch’s throat, lulled her inner beast into a hypnotic daze, drowning her in darkness.

Embraced by shadows, she swam through emptiness…and then, she blinked awake, her body sluggish. Black stood over her, her brow furrowed in concern.

“Red? What the hell happened? Why were you sleeping?”

She rubbed her head, groggy and confused as her memories veiled in fog. “I…I don’t know. I came upstairs, and…I think I collapsed?”

A shimmering yellow cloak caught her eye, draped over the bedpost, its golden threads gleaming faintly in the dim light. Her stomach knotted, and she tried to remember what had happened. But all she could recall was coming upstairs…and then smelling something off.

Before she could make sense of it, Gray appeared at the door, his expression tense. “I told you you’ve been pushing yourself too hard. We’ve got a bigger problem,” he said. “Omen’s house was bombed. We need to move.”

Red shot up, her fists clenched, the image of a saintly unicorn popping into her head, freeing her from a world of Eldritch nightmares during the vampire masquerade; she’d almost been consumed and converted into one of the…things, wolf and all.

“Is Maria alive?!”

Gray nodded, but his expression was grim. “As far as we know, everyone made it out. Rachel’s on her way to…take us to the Fable Realm of Ali Baba. The Grim Tale is Abu Hassan.”

The wolf inside her stirred awake at the name and promise of flesh, the thought of sinking her teeth into something pushing the fog from her mind. Her tail bristled as she grinned, eyes narrowing. “Good. It’s about time we get some real action.”

Black’s furrowed brows wore a suspicious frown Red knew well, though, as she slowly moved to stand beside the bed rail, drawing her attention to the cloak. “When…did your cloak turn fully yellow, Red? It only becomes that color as a last resort to give you control over The Wolf.”

Scratching the back of her neck, Red felt her Little Red Riding Hood impulsive nature kicking in as she stretched out and jumped out of bed. “Probably when I was asleep. Maybe I evolved or something! Mmm. One thing is for sure, I feel fantastic! Let’s go.”