The Ethereal night : Feather's Curse

The Search Begins

Arin couldn't shake the memory of Cain. The man's sharp eyes, his cryptic words, and the way he seemed to know more about the game than Arin did—it all gnawed at his mind.

The morning sun spilled through his window, but the fear and exhaustion from the night before still clung to him. He glanced at the feather on his bedside table, its faint glow an ever-present reminder of the nightmare he was trapped in.

Determined to find answers, Arin decided to search for any clues about Cain. Maybe there was a connection, someone who had heard of him, or even rumors about people vanishing into strange circumstances. He left home and spent the day combing through the streets, asking questions, and visiting libraries, cafes, and gaming hubs.

But as the hours dragged on, frustration mounted. No one had heard of Cain, and every lead he followed turned into a dead end. By sunset, Arin was back where he started—alone, confused, and no closer to understanding who Cain was or how he fit into the game.

---

The Unexpected Encounter

As Arin sat on a park bench, lost in thought, he didn't notice the young woman approaching him until she spoke.

"Hey, you've been wandering around here all day," she said, her tone curious but laced with suspicion. "Are you looking for something?"

Arin looked up, startled. The girl had a confident stance, her arms crossed over her chest. She had striking green eyes, a loose ponytail, and wore casual clothes that gave her an athletic appearance.

"I, uh…" Arin hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "It's nothing. Just… looking for someone."

She raised an eyebrow. "You've been asking weird questions about a guy named Cain and acting like you're hunting ghosts. What's going on?"

Arin froze. He hadn't realized someone had been paying attention to him. "It's complicated."

The girl tilted her head, studying him. "Complicated, huh? Does it have anything to do with that glowing feather you've got in your bag?"

Arin's heart skipped a beat. He instinctively clutched his bag, where he had stashed the feather earlier. "How do you know about that?"

"I saw it when you opened your bag earlier," she said with a shrug. "It's not exactly subtle. What is it? Some kind of rare collectible?"

Arin debated lying but decided against it. He needed help, and this girl seemed sharp enough to notice things others wouldn't.

"It's… part of a game," he said finally. "A dangerous one."

Her eyes lit up with interest. "A game? What kind of game?"

Arin hesitated. "The kind where if you die there, you die here."

---

An Unlikely Ally

The girl stared at him for a moment, then laughed. "You're serious?"

Arin nodded grimly. "Dead serious. I've been pulled into it every time I sleep since I touched that feather. And last night…" He trailed off, the memory of the Chimera's claws still fresh in his mind.

She frowned, her curiosity now tinged with concern. "And this Cain guy? He's part of it?"

"Yeah," Arin said. "I met him in the game. He knows things—things I need to figure out if I'm going to survive."

The girl was quiet for a moment, then extended her hand. "I'm Lyra. And if this game is as dangerous as you say, I want in."

Arin blinked. "What? No. You don't understand—it's not a normal game. It's—"

"I get it," Lyra interrupted. "But you're clearly out of your depth. You need someone who can keep up, and I've got experience with games and puzzles. Besides…" She smirked. "You've piqued my curiosity."

Arin hesitated. "This isn't a joke. If you die in the game, you die in real life."

Lyra shrugged. "Then I guess I'd better not die, huh?"

---

A New Player Joins

Despite his protests, Lyra followed Arin back to his room. She was insistent, and Arin was too tired to argue.

When they arrived, Lyra immediately zeroed in on the glowing feather. "So this is it?" she asked, picking it up and examining it closely. "Looks pretty ordinary to me."

"Don't touch it!" Arin warned, but it was too late. Lyra had already plucked one of the glowing strands from the feather.

A faint pulse of light filled the room, and Lyra's expression shifted from curiosity to shock. "Whoa… What's happening?"

"You're in now," Arin said grimly. "The game will pull you in the next time you sleep."

Lyra placed the feather back on the table, her hands trembling slightly. "Well… I guess there's no turning back now."

Arin sighed, rubbing his temples. "I tried to warn you."

"Relax," Lyra said, her smirk returning. "We'll figure this out. Together."

As night fell, the two of them prepared for the inevitable. Arin could only hope that bringing Lyra into the game wouldn't make things worse.

---

_________________________________________

More episode are available in patreon

Our patreon id is

patreon.com/Noan994

Support for more interesting stories