Beyond the Veil: A Descent into the Fourth Realm
The Portal in the Mirror
Ethan had always felt uneasy about the old mirror in his grandmother’s attic. Its frame was carved with strange symbols, and its surface shimmered unnaturally under the moonlight. No matter how many times he asked about it, his grandmother never spoke a word.
One night, unable to resist his c
uriosity, Ethan approached the mirror. As he stared into it, his reflection suddenly blinked.
His breath caught in his throat. He hadn't moved.
Before he could react, an unseen force yanked him forward. A sharp, gut-wrenching sensation twisted his insides, and in a blink—he was gone.
Welcome to the Fourth Realm
Ethan stumbled forward, gasping for air. The world around him was warped, alien. The sky was an unnatural shade of violet, swirling like liquid. Buildings loomed in jagged, impossible angles, as if reality itself was breaking apart.
The air felt thick, pressing against his skin. Distant whispers echoed through the mist, voices speaking in a language he didn’t understand.
Then he saw them.
Dark figures stood in the distance, their hollow eyes fixed on him. Watching.
A cold dread settled in his gut. He wasn’t supposed to be here.
The Watchers in the Dark
The whispers grew louder, merging into a low, guttural murmur. Ethan turned, his heart hammering in his chest.
Emerging from the fog was a towering figure, its limbs impossibly long, its glowing red eyes burning into him. Its mouth twisted open, revealing rows of jagged, rotting teeth.
Ethan stepped back. The creature stepped forward.
More figures stirred in the mist. Watching. Waiting.
He realized then—he wasn’t just lost. He was being hunted.
A Desperate Escape
Ethan ran.
The ground beneath him felt unstable, shifting like liquid stone. The creatures pursued him, their movements jerky and unnatural—like marionettes controlled by an unseen force.
The whispers became screams. The air vibrated with an energy that made his skin crawl.
Then, in the distance, he saw it—a massive, crumbling structure, glowing faintly in the mist.
The Forbidden Temple
Ethan reached the temple, its ancient walls covered in the same symbols that adorned the mirror back home. He hesitated, but a guttural growl behind him forced his decision. He rushed inside.
The air within was colder, heavier. At the center of the chamber stood an altar, and above it, a swirling vortex of light.
The Final Choice
The portal pulsed with energy, its glow illuminating the horrific shadows creeping into the temple behind him. Ethan had no time to think. Either he stepped through or faced whatever nightmare ruled this world.
With a deep breath, he lunged forward.
Pain. A deafening silence. Then—
Ethan gasped, opening his eyes to find himself back in the attic, the mirror standing before him. But something felt... off. His reflection was still staring.
And then, it smiled.
.webp)
