The Pens of Fate [17](Saga remastered) {Jun.27, 2023}

Prologue/Note from the Author

This book contains and mentions sensitive material relating to mental illnesses, several personality disorders, suicide, suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress disorder, rape, murder, death, alcoholism, self-harm, and depression. Reader discretion is highly advised and it is important to practice self-care during and after reading. There is foul language, substance abuse, multiple types of abuse as well. Some of the events, people, and timelines are based on true aspects of my life, so keep a clear mindset.

I will continue to write for myself, not for the people who judge based on what my cover looks like. They will miss out on these torn pages that bleed to please because of what is written in them. To my inner angels who kept fighting against the demons of my mind, I want to thank you for it. And to those inner monsters of mine, thank you for being my inspiration for the dance that came from these stories. To the angels who stood beside me while I battled evil in my childhood, these books and stories will represent how you have been there for me. 

And to the younger me, who gave it all they had to entertain the audience around them; you were going to do great things. Don't you ever look back and question the choices that lead you to the me that I have become...

(P.S I am so sorry for the delays but I just graduated so I can post more often now.)

Adaline sat in front of the chessboard, lost in thought as the pawns of the Opponent moved in closer to Adaline’s bigger group of pieces. “Only five Pens are in play right now and Kali has already killed one of ten heavenly virtues,” Adaline muttered to themselves as they stood to walk deeper into the white room. The room became something almost like a maze of shelves. Each shelf had black roses painted into the dark wood and golden plates labeling the thing on the shelf. Adaline continued to walk past a missing poster with the name Roxy Willaims and a small bag of jewelry with different names on them, without any emotion engraved into their expression. As they continued passing the collection of stories, Adaline stopped in front of a shelf holding three small black boxes. The remaining Pens of Fate rested on the shelf next to a glass vile of glowing Spectra and an old anthropologist’s notebook. Adaline took the Pens out of their boxes and turned to walk deeper into the collection as what was once a white room slowly shifted into a long dark tunnel. Adaline waved her hand as the wolf paw tattoo hummed on their skin. A portal opened in front of Adaline as a familiar face stepped through. James bent over to catch his breath, as Adaline smiled at him, “Long time no see, Babe.” James set his rifle down and embraced Adaline tightly, “Dammit, Ada. Why do you always have to go out alone?” Adaline’s hands tighten their hold on James, letting a small sob out, “I’m sorry, but Aries created Kali when I reset the world and I had to pull away to figure out how to solve this issue.” James locked eyes with Adaline, confused, “Kali? As in the Goddess of Destruction?” Adaline nodded, “You shot her with Callie,” Adaline looked down at James’s rifle named Callie. James nodded as memories of that cult leader reaching for her left eye in pain came to mind. James let go of Adaline and looked around the dark tunnel, “So, where exactly are we, Ada?” Adaline led the way down the tunnel, “You know how some of my characters went completely insane after going through their climax?” James followed closely as the tunnel shifted into what looked more like a hospital hallway, but the rooms had locks and a small window in the door, “Yeah, you said that they broke away from the story somehow and are dangerous to the stories now.” Adaline looked back at James who was looking into a room that held a blue Pegasus with a dirty rainbow mane and badly torn wings. Adaline cleared their throat, “Yes, this is that place where all of the dangerous, mentally unstable characters of mine spend their days until I can find a way to rehabilitate them.” The pair continued to walk to the end of the hallway, in front of the door labeled The Valley View Executioner… 

Adaline paced back and forth behind the chained up woman in a padded room. The pair of dark green eyes that were sunken into the older woman’s head locked onto Adaline’s, “What do you want?” The woman spat cruelly as Adaline continued to watch the woman in silence. The woman looked at Adaline’s face as feelings of a familiarity washed over her, “Y-you were there,” she stuttered in horror, “The night my wife was murdered, you w-were there.” The memories of that mugging flooded the woman’s mind as Adaline spoke up, “Yes, Zoe Mana. I was there. I was there when you went on that murder spree as the Valley View Executioner, too. You drifted from the plot though, Zoe. You weren’t supposed to kill your daughter.” Zoe couldn’t even hear her own thoughts anymore, “ARE YOU THE DEVIL?!” Enraged and confused Zoe continued to yell and sob, “HOW DO YOU KNOW ME?!” “Hold your tongue,” the man who came in with Adaline shouted at Zoe, “She is your God.” Adaline looked back at the man who leaned up against the door, “It’s okay, James.” Zoe looked up in shock at Adaline who sighed and placed her hands in her pockets, “G-god?” Adaline turned to James and opened a portal with a nod, “We have to go to that time now, babe.” As the pair left in a hurry, Zoe’s eyes landed on a white pen on the floor. The pen had the words Hauntingly Lovely engraved on its side… 

Back in the town of Phoenix Mountain, the river had been set up for the spring festivals with different booths for a different festival that is celebrated in different parts of the world. Simon, Bonnie, Grace, and Viviene started to move along the booths to see if anyone knew about Glenda’s disappearance. Simon went up to one of the booths that were being run by his ex-girlfriend, Heather Griffin. Her long blonde hair blew in the wind as she set out little bags of different colored powder. Heather looked up with a smile, “The winds have brought your gypsy soul back to me,” she chuckled. Simon sighed, “You haven’t changed one bit,” he looked up and down at her. She was still wearing the same hippie style of clothes; a-line skirts, and wide-leg beach pants. Made of light fabrics such as cotton or linen, these were typically either bright solids or ethnic prints. Simon locked eyes with her, “You still on that vegan diet?” Heather shook her head, “I really did try, but it was the hamburgers that got me crawling back to the meat. So what brings you here?” Heather wasn’t a true hippie, but she tries to be. She broke up with him because she wanted to find herself in the world. Simon looked around to see if there were any unwanted ears listening in, “Did you hear about Glenda Froster’s disappearance?” Heather’s expression changed as she nodded. He continued, “Well, there’s something going down and I was hoping that you might have seen or heard something.” Heather went completely pale, “D-do you mean like she was kidnapped?” Simon nodded and went completely silent. Heather pulled him behind the booth, “I think that someone’s stalking me, maybe whoever they are, maybe they were stalking Glenda, too.” Simon's eyes narrowed, “How long have you been feeling like this?” Heather shrugged, “Over the past few days.” Simon put his hand on her shoulder, “You have my number and the next time you feel like someone’s following you, call me.” Heather nodded and looked down sadly, “You know that I still miss you, sunshine.” That nickname stung Simon as he turned to leave... 

Coraline sat behind the rows of booths watching the boy comfort the next target. She pulled her snake masked down over her face and sighed. A portal opened up beside her and Norman stepped out with a grin. Coraline handed him his dragon mask and rolled her eyes, “You should have taken it with you, but hey don’t listen to the living.” Norman smiled, “Just because I died in one story doesn’t mean I am not alive in another. Plus, who said that you didn’t die in a different world? You don’t even remember your whole life!” Coraline sighed and rolled her eyes, “Just put a sock in it, dork.” Norman’s nostrils flared up, “Rude!” Both turned back to their prey...

Heather walked home, still feeling like she was being followed, alone after closing up her booth. Heather pulled out her phone to check the time when she saw two figures in the reflection. She turned to see if there was anyone really there or if she was just being paranoid. There were two masked figures standing at the end of the block watching her. Heather took off in a mad dash, dropping and leaving her purse behind but still clutching onto her phone. The river was next to a church and a few stores but they were all closed, nowhere to hide, she thought to herself. Heather saw a dark alleyway that had a big enough dumpster to hide behind. Heather took a deep breath and pressed her back right against the brick building and the dumpster. The sounds of footsteps and two different voices went past, “You can’t hide for long.” Heather held her breath until the footsteps went away. She dialed Simon’s number and waited for him to pick up. She silently counted the rings, holding her breath as time slowly went on. It wasn’t until the fourth ring Heather slowly inhaled. Simon’s voice came through the other end of the line, “Hello?” Heather looked over her shoulder, not daring to move, “They are after me!” Simon’s voice changed, “Who is? How many are there?! WHERE ARE YOU!?” Heather’s eyes widened as a hand clasped over her mouth, pulling her backwards. Heather dropped her phone and tried to bite her way out. Simon’s voice came out of the phone, “HEATHER!?” Heather managed to scream out, “SUNSHINE!”...