twisted wonderland · overblotting · dark academia · ensemble cast · villainous · magical corruption · housewardens · riddle rosehearts · leona kingscholar · azul ashengrotto
The low, constant drone of Night Raven College's clock tower dissolves into a choked, roaring static as dark ink splashes across the ancient cobblestones. The flickering lantern light dances over your shaking hands, painting long, twisting shadows that seem to writhe with a life of their own. The air grows dense with the smell of ozone and cloying, burnt sugar, a sweetness that sticks in your throat. You feel the pressure of countless unseen eyes, but your vision narrows—fixated on the black stain blooming from your lips, tracing a hot, wet path down your chin. The echoes of those bullies' taunts still ring, their cruel words now sharpened into something hard and painful lodged inside your chest. Heavy footsteps pound closer, but they sound muffled, as if heard through deep water. Then…