SKI LODGE

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[PRE-ALERTS: IF YOU SEE ANY REFERENCES, DO NOT SPOIL IN COMMENTS. THE TIME SHALL COME.] 

The doors swing open, ominously glazed, shining darkly in the light. A strange fox-like creature perches on the jeweled throne, flipping around a ring. The fox turns towards you, revealing a set of obsidian-black eyes, staring deep into your soul. 

"The stars, the sky...it's all a gigantic hoax. A lie." 

With that, your alarm clock interrups the dream- more like nightmare- with a loud ringing. You hit it until it's silent, before getting ready for school- like a normal day. 

But you cannot get your mind off of the two sentences the fox-like creature has said. All day in class, you barely pay attention, zoning out. And at art class, you are given paper, and all you do is draw the fox-like creature, black soulless eyes staring straight at you, flipping the ring, and the words, messily scribbled. 

THE STARS, THE SKY...IT'S ALL A GIGANTIC HOAX. A LIE. 

You cannot erase the two sentences from your mind, and they grow louder and louder, until you are sent running home, and collapse on your bed, the words ringing in your ears. About then is when you black out, curled into a fetal position. 

And there you enter another nightmare...or should it be called daymare? 

But this one, this one is a tad less disturbing. The same doors swing open, but this time, a long hallway is revealed, moonlit orbs, all a swirling, dusty white, lined up along. 

Then it returns with the fox...

Oh god, you think, always the foxes. Why??? 

The fox utters the words again, and they ring in your ears, louder and louder. 

"The stars, the sky...it's all a gigantic hoax. A lie." 

And then it begins a grandeur speech, tilting it's head slightly. "My name is not to be revealed...namesakes do not matter. Accept the invitation...cyberangel shall serve. You are one of our only hopes...AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT FALL VICTIM TO THE F-" 

But just then, your eyes blink open, of their own accord. Do not fall to what?, you think. 

As you begin your homework with a plate of cookies, all of the conversation is forgotten: except for the one sentence "Accept the invitation...cyberangel shall serve." 

You look up. The moon is full- unobscured by clouds. There is a strange girl perched on your windowsill- which you swear you left closed. A gust of cold wind blows through, and you shiver, taking a closer look at the girl. 

She has black curls up to her waist, and inky black eyes- akin to the fox, you think with another shudder- topped off by an equally black crescent, imprinted on her forehead. 

Her cherry-red lips part slightly as she seems to study you, almost like a scientist would study an interesting specimen. 

And then she speaks, a melodical voice that reminds of you of moonless nights spent in the forest, hearing the soft whoosh of bats. 

"I am the Cyberangel, and I have come to serve. Flutter away with me, butterfly...for together, we have yet to discover many mysteries." 

She holds out a deathly pale hand, and you take it, hesitantly. For a minute, a dark smile flashes across her face, before her emotionless state is recovered. 

"I am simply ecstatic that you have come to join us...I hope your grip is tight, sparrow, for I, a Valkyrie, may fly incredibly speedily." 

And strangely enough, you manage to hold on for long enough- albeit closing your eyes. When you do open them, you are seated at a long oaken table, and several copies of the black-haired girl are zooming to and fro, providing different sorts of refreshments to the many species sitting at the dinner table. 

After a period of silence, the hooded figure at the head of the table speaks, in a dusky voice, deep, dark. 

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Castle of Arlechinno. My name...I suppose you may call me the Nocturne Shrouder." 

He begins to disintegrate into mist, and he leaves one last call- "Good luck with the Games..."