Ethan's fingers hovered over the keyboard, the dark screen before him reflecting the flickering light from his desk lamp. The link from Lila's message loomed on the screen, waiting for him to take the plunge. He had tried to ignore it all day—told himself repeatedly that whatever strange corner of the internet she was part of wasn't worth his curiosity. But curiosity had a way of sinking its claws into him, pulling him deeper until resistance felt futile.
Finally, with a sharp breath, Ethan clicked the link.
The browser opened slowly, as if the internet itself was reluctant to let him in. The website that appeared was unlike anything he'd ever seen. A black background with silver, intricate patterns of arcane symbols lined the borders. At the top of the page was the title of the forum: The Veil. Beneath it, the subheading read, "Where Death Is Only the Beginning."
Ethan swallowed hard, the words sending a chill through him. His rational mind screamed at him to close the tab, to walk away, to forget Lila and whatever dark web she was weaving around him. But another part—a part driven by both intrigue and fear—kept him there, glued to the screen.
The forum was filled with threads on ancient rituals, necromancy, and strange occult practices that sounded more like fiction than reality. Yet the conviction in the posts unsettled him. There was a fervor in the way these anonymous users spoke, as if they truly believed they were walking the thin line between life and death. The longer he read, the more his skin crawled.
"Has anyone successfully communicated with a spirit after completing the Triad Ritual?" one thread asked.
Replies followed, each more disturbing than the last.
"Yes, but beware—there are spirits who don't want to be found."
"I performed the ritual last year. She came back… but it wasn't really her. It was something else, wearing her face."
"I've done it. You need to be prepared for the cost."
Ethan's heart pounded harder with each comment, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck. He scrolled through the discussions, a sickening fascination tightening his chest. These weren't just people speculating about occult practices. They were talking about doing them, about seeing things that defied logic and reason.
Then he found it.
A post by someone with the username "Luma." His stomach flipped as he realized it was Lila. She hadn't been hiding behind some random pseudonym or vague reference. She was using a name so close to her own, almost daring anyone to find her.
Her post was pinned to the top of the forum—a position of prominence, of authority. The thread was titled "Resurrection: A Gateway to Power."
Ethan's eyes widened as he read her words.
"Death is not the end, but a door we can open if we are willing to pay the price. The ancient texts speak of rituals that transcend the laws of life and death. I have walked the path, and I know what lies beyond the veil. There is power there—power we can wield, but only if we are brave enough to face what comes back with us. To those who seek to understand, know this: resurrection is not about bringing back the past, but about claiming control over the future."
Her words echoed in his mind. Lila wasn't just a participant in this twisted world; she was a leader. A respected authority in a group that openly discussed playing with the forces of life and death. He stared at her post, feeling like he had crossed a line he could never uncross.
Ethan's hand shook as he scrolled down to the replies, all filled with reverence and admiration.
"Luma, your insight is unparalleled. Have you completed the Triad?"
"Can you tell us more about the consequences? I've heard they're irreversible."
*"What is the next step after resurrection? How do we use the power?"
Ethan's heart raced as he read the comments. Lila wasn't just experimenting with these dark rituals; she was guiding others into them. His breath came quicker, a sharp, panicked edge creeping into his thoughts. This was far worse than he had imagined.
He quickly scrolled to the bottom of the page, hoping to find an exit from this nightmare. But there, at the very end of the thread, was another message from Lila.
It was recent. Just minutes ago.
"To those who seek me, remember: the price of power is steep. Be sure you're ready to pay it. We walk in the shadow of death, but we do not walk alone."
A single reply followed: "Ready when you are, Luma."
Ethan slammed his laptop shut, his chest heaving with the intensity of his reaction. The darkness of the room seemed to close in around him, thick and suffocating. What the hell had he just stumbled into? Lila wasn't some eccentric with strange interests; she was involved in something far more sinister—something that pulled at the very fabric of existence.
He stood up quickly, pacing the room in an attempt to clear his head. But no matter how many steps he took, no matter how many times he tried to tell himself it was all just a strange online cult, the truth settled into his bones like ice.
Lila wasn't just talking about death. She was living it, wielding it like a tool, like power. And now, she had pulled him into it.
His phone buzzed on the desk, and he froze, staring at it as if it were a ticking bomb. He knew who it would be. He didn't want to look, didn't want to confirm the gnawing dread building in his gut. But he had to.
He picked it up, his hand trembling as he unlocked the screen.
A single text message.
"Now you understand. We'll talk soon."
It was from Lila.
Ethan's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the message, his pulse roaring in his ears. He felt trapped, like the walls of his apartment were closing in around him. He had no idea how deep this went, how much danger he might be in, but he knew one thing for sure.
This wasn't over. Not by a long shot. Lila wasn't going to let him walk away.
He was already part of her world now, whether he liked it or not.