author's note: Here's a heads up on what to expect. To allow freedom of worldbuilding in this draft, I am writing it scene by scene as I feel like it. So, there will be plot holes. There will be contradicting facts (a ritual may change/reason for something happening may change). I'm not meaning to scare you off, but I want you to know this story is in its first stages of birth. Be prepared.

NOVEL TW (i'll keep this updated)
- mild amounts of uncensored cussing

SCENE TW
- mild amounts of uncensored cussing

scene 001 - a gift of eyeglasses

These eyeglasses do not seem particularly usual, Afyuli observed.

“Thank you for the gift, April. I really appreciate it. But really though? What does it mean?” Afyuli observed the inscription on the temples of the eyewear. It said Afyuli fiä kaiöiw aßie eyät eye. It was a strange inscription, indeed.

“No idea. The store lady just said it was ‘special and magical.’” She held out air quotes. “Plus it had your name in it. So... yeah.”

“I’m sure they are very magical.” I laughed and put the round frame on my face. I immediately took them off and jumped back. What I saw was no human. “What the fuck! The fuck are those glasses?!”

“What are you talking about? What did you see?” April seemed just as confused as I was.

“Did you not try them on before you bought them?” I sighed and looked around the room. Everything was just as I had left it and definitely not what I saw through the glasses. Was I just imagining things?

“Of course I did! You know me.” She crossed her arms and sat in the chair next to me. “What did you see?”

“I’m not sure you’d believe me. Hell, I don’t even believe myself!” I threw my hands in the air and sunk back in the chair. “I don’t even know where to begin. None of it makes sense.”

“Alright. If you don’t want to say anything right now, that’s fine. Take as long as you need to process it, but know I’m always willing to talk.” She comforted me with a smile and a pat on the arm. 

“Thanks, April.” I looked at the glasses one more time. “Can you tell me what store you got these from? I’d like to talk to the owner and find out more about these glasses.”

“Sure. I found them at Sygy Ynäun. It sounded random, so I thought I might find something you’d like.” She sighed and slouched in her seat. “I didn’t mean to find something that would cause you a fright.”

“It’s fine. It’s just a good puzzle!” I feigned a smile. Something was off, and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I hated that feeling.

“Happy Birthday.” She feigned her own smile.

total word count: 381