I. Laws and Lies

Adrian and Diana walked through her secret hideout, painted in dark black and blue hues. Adrian couldn't help but notice the small details etched into the walls and scattered all around as he trailed behind the strange woman. One section was dedicated entirely to gardening, alive with vegetables and flowers Diana had nurtured under sun-like lamps. On the far side stood a large table with an incredibly detailed map sprawled across it, marked with regions that caught Adrian’s eye. The walls displayed trophies of slain monsters as a bear-skin rug stretched beneath their feet.

They duo had only seen part of Diana's hideout when they came across a coffee maker. Adrian gulped at the sight of it . Coffee?!   Adrian thought, flabbergasted. It felt oddly out of place in such a fantastical world. Diana, unfazed, opened a cupboard to reveal rows of blends, flavors and tools to perfect the taste  to her liking.

“Black?” she asked.

"Can I have a Latte?" Adrian requested sheepishly.

“Sure." Diana replied as she busied herself with the drinks. 

"As I was saying, this world transforms and bends itself to the will of the user. But one thing remains constant for all who wish to thrive: sacrifice. You're not the first to arrive here, Adrian, and you won’t be the last. I myself was reincarnated into this realm, though my yearning to be here was far different from yours."

As Diana unraveled the truth of their world, she handed Adrian his coffee and guided him toward two large chairs facing each other at the side of the room. The chairs were worn, crafted with dark leather that had seen years of visible use. There were faint scratches and creases that told their own stories.

Between the two imposing chairs lay a thick, dark brown rug draping the stone floor, softening the coldness of the lair. The rug grounded this little corner of the lair in a touch of comfort, showing that Diana liked to spend much of her time here.

A small bookshelf stood beside this area. It was exploding with life, filled to the brim with a mix of novels, journals, biographies, spell books, picture books and other various types of literature that Adrian could not even classify. The plethoric variety of material on display convinced Adrian of her love for reading. It was evident that Diana had been on numerous adventures to far away lands, building this magnificent collection during her travels.

An apricot wood coffee table rested between the chairs, with an ashtray in the middle that was abound with half-burned cigarettes. A small dagger rested precariously at the edge of it, almost about to fall off. Diana seemed to keep it close at hand and fixed it back on to the table as the two sat down.

To the left of Diana's chair was another smaller table which had a scattering of notes left open as if she’d been studying them just the night before. This entire reading area carried her personality in quiet ways, showing her practical nature and sharply contrasting with a hidden longing for warmth.

As they settled in, sipping their hot drinks, Diana continued.

"Much like you are now, I was royalty in my former life. I was the youngest of twelve princesses. My father had many wives, and none of his daughters wanted for anything. I truly had everything imaginable. But having everything means nothing when you’ve never earned a damn thing in your entire existence. My life was dull, full of overflow. The excess was suffocating. I despised it. I had no bond with my father, the King, and my mother was too busy grooming my sister, the more beautiful one, to become queen. Every night, I tossed and turned, restless and yearning for an escape… until I saw the dream."

Diana lifted the sleeve on her right arm to reveal a mark, similar to  the one Adrian had on his shoulder. 

"You might have something like this branded on you as well if I'm not mistaken"

Adrian’s eyes widened. He pulled down his shirt collar, revealing the bite mark and confirming her suspicion. He knew for certain now that whatever Diana would tell him would be true. 

"It's just as I thought. I'm sure it acts up from time to time, especially during the sacrifices…”

Diana posited. Adrian nodded silently.

“Listen carefully boy, this realm has a set of laws with which it operates. The first rule: it responds to the wish you held when you entered. In your case, you wanted to be seen and adored, resulting in your kingdom just dropping into existence out of nowhere."

“What do you mean?” Adrian asked, puzzled.

“That kingdom you call home… not a single leaf in those courtyards existed before you got here. I’ve wandered these planes for decades and so, imagine my surprise when an entire kingdom dropped in from out of nowhere. That was this world answering your wish.” 

“Decades?! You don’t look a day over twenty. How old are you?” Adrian replied shocked

“Didn’t anyone teach you not to ask a woman her age? Trivial details but… I’m 335.”

Adrian stared, slack-jawed at the revelation, but held his tongue. This was because Diana had begun to dig her nails into her wrist as she spoke, a subtle tick betraying her unease, bubbling beneath the surface of her calm demeanour.

“The second rule is power.  These abilities manifest as a direct consequence of how we lived our previous lives. Yours is teleportation, born of your old life. I don’t know what you endured, but I’d wager it had to do with wanting to escape or feeling invisible. My own power however comes from resentment far deeper.”

“Resentment? I don’t think I was that resentful. What’s your power, anyway?” curiosity sliced through Adrian

"I have the ability to subdue anyone who enters within a 6 foot radius around me. I choose who to affect, which is why you sit unharmed. Make no mistake, I allow you to remain unaffected.”

Something in her tone chilled Adrian, as though she could crush him the moment he misspoke.

“My resentment came from having no control over my body…” Her eyes glazed as she dug her nails deeper into her wrist, drawing blood. Adrian wanted to reach out and stop her from hurting herself, but he was hesitant and fearful of the consequences.

“The final, and most important , rule of this reality: sacrifice.”

She sat upright, locking eyes with him.

"The individuals you've slaughtered so far in this illusionary realm can't be considered real people since they simply popped into existence upon your arrival, but let’s be frank Adrian…what is real? How do you define real ? Considering how tangible this realm feels, it's hard to differentiate between reality and fiction."

Diana continued, gesturing with her hands now as she made her points

"Fire still burns when you touch it, wine still intoxicates, taking a warm bath soothes you, laying in bed with a beautiful woman fulfills you and eating delicious food satisfies you. You feel tired, excited and everything in between. In many ways, this probably feels more real than your old life. But you must see through the illusion! Our powers , teleportation, subjugation, they’re simply fantasies given flesh! If you forget that, you’ll lose yourself! ”

Diana paused to sip her coffee, now lukewarm, before continuing.

" Even so, given how real the illusion feels, the blood you shed will leave its mark. The line between reality and illusion blurs  to obscurity until it vanishes! You must be extremely cautious when faced with grandeur Adrian. Do not lose yourself to the glamour...as I once did..." 

“So… you’re saying you’re stuck here?” Adrian asked stupidly.

“Is that what you got from all my yapping? You absolute, nimrod. Pay attention! And no, none of us are stuck. However...most of us wish to come back and stay.  To remain here requires giving up a piece of your soul, so to speak. I don’t want that for you.”

She paused, steadying her breath.

“‘Us’? So there are others like you and I?” Adrian was intrigued by Diana’s phrasing

“That’s not important now. What matters is the sacrifices. Think long and hard about the man in the mirror before you take another life, even if it is an illusionary one.  As far as staying here permanently …I'll let you cross that bridge when you get to it. You will definitely face that choice in time, as all of us did... I just hope you'll be able to chose the right path when that time draws its shadow upon you."

Adrian felt the weight of her words. He thought of the lives he had already taken, their faces appearing in his mind one after another like flipping through the pages of a novel, each smeared with blood.

“In this realm, blood is the price. Shed enough, and the world bends to you. Fail to do so, and this reality turns on you quicker than you can imagine. Do not be fooled by this illusion!”

“Turn on me? What do you mean?”

Before she could answer, a thunderous crash echoed from the underground passage. Metal screeched and shattered. Diana rose in an instant, calm face hardening into bloodlust. Upon seeing her ruthless expression, Adrian too stood up, prepping himself for what was coming their way.

"Well, you're about to get your answer… They're here."

In the next instant, the metal hatch covering the entrance on the ground exploded upward, slamming the ceiling and showering the lair in debris. Adrian was frightened by the sudden intrusion, shielding his head as he looked around in a panic. Meanwhile, Diana’s gaze never wavered from the tunnel. Without looking back, she commanded him.

"Get ready!"

From the depths of the passage, monsters surged forth, bloodthirsty and on the hunt for the battle hardened vixen.