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Prologue
A blinding white light filled Aveline's vision, then darkness. The suffocating grip of the book had vanished, replaced by the cold bite of cobblestones beneath her hands. Gasping for breath, she scrambled to her feet, the attic a distant memory.
The air hung heavy, thick with the stench of decay and something far worse – a suffocating silence broken only by the mournful hooting of unseen birds.
A dense fog rolled in, obscuring the outlines of towering buildings that seemed to claw at the bruised sky. Where was she?
Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at Aveline's throat. The attic, the dusty tome titled "Inquiry City," it all felt like a fever dream. But the worn leather of the book clutched tightly to her chest confirmed its reality.
Suddenly, a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye. A shadowy figure, cloaked in darkness, melted back into the fog before she could get a clear look.
Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the oppressive silence.
Just then, a guttural screech echoed from a nearby alleyway, sending shivers down her spine. Panic jolted through her, dispelling the lingering haze of confusion. This wasn't a dream. This was real. And she was in grave danger.
Aveline scanned her surroundings, desperate for a way out. The fog seemed to swirl with an unnatural malice, obscuring any potential landmarks. Her gaze fell on the faded inscription on the book's margin. The words, a language both elegant and alien, burned into her mind.
Had she doomed herself by uttering that forgotten incantation?
A low growl ripped through the air, closer this time. Aveline spun around, clutching the book tighter, her mind racing. She had to find shelter, find answers. But more importantly, she had to find a way out of this desolate, horrifying city.
With a newfound resolve, Aveline plunged into the fog, the book clutched to her chest like a talisman, the chilling screams echoing behind her. She was in Inquiry City, a place shrouded in mystery and despair.
But she wouldn't give up. She had to find a way back, or at least find someone who knew the secrets this cursed place held.
Table of contents
A blinding white light filled Aveline's vision, then darkness. The suffocating grip of the book had vanished, replaced by the cold bite of cobblestones beneath her hands. Gasping for breath, she scrambled to her feet, the attic a distant memory.
The air hung heavy, thick with the stench of decay and something far worse – a suffocating silence broken only by the mournful hooting of unseen birds.
A dense fog rolled in, obscuring the outlines of towering buildings that seemed to claw at the bruised sky. Where was she?
Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at Aveline's throat. The attic, the dusty tome titled "Inquiry City," it all felt like a fever dream. But the worn leather of the book clutched tightly to her chest confirmed its reality.
Suddenly, a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye. A shadowy figure, cloaked in darkness, melted back into the fog before she could get a clear look.
Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the oppressive silence.
Just then, a guttural screech echoed from a nearby alleyway, sending shivers down her spine. Panic jolted through her, dispelling the lingering haze of confusion. This wasn't a dream. This was real. And she was in grave danger.
Aveline scanned her surroundings, desperate for a way out. The fog seemed to swirl with an unnatural malice, obscuring any potential landmarks. Her gaze fell on the faded inscription on the book's margin. The words, a language both elegant and alien, burned into her mind.
Had she doomed herself by uttering that forgotten incantation?
A low growl ripped through the air, closer this time. Aveline spun around, clutching the book tighter, her mind racing. She had to find shelter, find answers. But more importantly, she had to find a way out of this desolate, horrifying city.
With a newfound resolve, Aveline plunged into the fog, the book clutched to her chest like a talisman, the chilling screams echoing behind her. She was in Inquiry City, a place shrouded in mystery and despair.
But she wouldn't give up. She had to find a way back, or at least find someone who knew the secrets this cursed place held.
Table of contents
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