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We have our winner for March 2024's Trials of Astania, Paradox of Pisces! Please join us in congratulating returning champion MilaForLife with both her written and graphic entries, "The Bleeding Truth" and "Exposed Lies"!
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───
Prompt: Write a story using the words opposition, compassion, illusion, and secret.
An excerpt from "The Bleeding Truth" by MilaForLife
I've spent all twenty-one years of my life fearing and despising vampires, and that hate grew exponentially after what happened to my brother. I had vowed to bring every vampire that crosses my path to its rightful death.
And all because of love. Fucking love.
My mind feels as if it's being sucked into a dark pit of pain when the stinging pressure on my neck mitigates. The vampire's face appears before mine, her mouth stained with my blood as she grins malevolently. She licks her lips in a satisfied way, her fangs glistening at me under the moonlight.
My body now feels as if it has been set on fire, with flames crawling through every vein. The burning pain is enough to cause my heart to function improperly. It should be a welcoming change from the previous chill, but it's only worse. The pressure in my chest grows each second, restricting my breathing as I gasp for air.
Those thoughts spiral downwards into a black hole as a sudden icy chill consumes my burning body. It invades me with the fury of a snowstorm putting out a fire. I gasp, or at least try to, because I have no control over my own body anymore. It's as if I'm a separate entity, an outsider.
Except I'm also experiencing the excruciating pain which is tearing me apart from the inside.
"Shhh. Don't fight it," the woman's husky, hypnotic voice whispers in my mind. "You didn't think it would be this painful, did you? Maybe that will help you with your next step."
"Next... step?" I gasp out.
"To become one of us."
Shock overtakes me. "Y-you can't be serious? I will never be one of you! You people are f-fucking monsters!"
"Darling, I think your heart will tell you otherwise," the Elite says. "Besides, if you want your little girlfriend to be alive..."
"I swear, if you hurt her--"
"Oh, don't you worry. I won't lay a finger on her pretty head. As long as you agree."
"A-agree--"
"To become us."
"Why? Why do you want... me?"
"Because what you did just there..." She jerks her head to Thana, who still hasn't moved. "That may have been stupid and pathetic, but we need that type of spirit for our opposition."
"Oppo...what?"
"Opposition, darling. After all, that's what was doing here before you two idiots barged into me. I plan to expose all the lies your families have told everyone, and I want you to join us."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───
Prompt: Two sides have been enemies for longer than anyone can remember. Little did they know that the event that started it all wasn't even real.
"Exposed Lies" by MilaForLife
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Congratulations, MilaForLife!
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