Peril In The Dark (A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Novel)
Yes, really.
Welcome to the sneak preview of "Peril In The Dark", the Erebus choose-your-own-adventure novel. Why do we have a choose-your-own-adventure novel, you ask? Why don't YOU have a choose-your-own-adventure novel? Huh, punk?
Jokes aside, this is only a portion of what we've got planned for the world of Erebus, and it's a portion I personally love. - Synclair
You've awakened in a strange room, and it's your job to escape almost certain death. Choosing correctly will lead to salvation. Choosing poorly may lead to a fate worse than death. Choose wisely, adventurer.
The preview:
You awaken to total darkness. You hear 3 sounds, each strange, yet somehow familiar. The first is the steady whirring of gears, coming from behind the walls. The second, the ticking of a clock, almost as though it's counting down to zero. The last, a constant hum, the kind you hear when surrounded by electricity rushing through the air.
After getting out of bed, you feel around the room. You find a dresser, a locked door, and an alarm clock. As you walk around, you notice the sound of your footsteps changes depending on where you step, like certain tiles have less floor under them.
What do you do?
A. Open the dresser
B. Smash the alarm clock
Try to break through the door
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Open the dresser:
You open the dresser to find a key, a knife, and a piece of paper, a note? As you feel around the drawer, you find a button.
What do you do?
A. Push the button
B. Use the key on the door
C. Use the knife to cut open the bed
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Use the knife to cut open the bed
You pocket the piece of paper and the key, and start using the knife to cut open the mattress. As you make the first cut, you notice a blinding light coming from the hole. You cut the mattress completely open from top to bottom, creating a rift of this light.
You try reaching your hand inside. It feels like both fire and ice are working against you, causing your hand to feel a steady fluctuation of hot and cold throughout, though not causing any pain. Upon pulling it back out , you come to the conclusion that you're able to pass through the rift without causing yourself any harm. However, you have no idea where this rift may lead.
What do you do?
A. Try to travel through the rift
B. Examine the room further, now that you can see
C. Ignore the clear wonder and intrigue of a literally completely unknown rift of energy, and boringly use the key on the door
D. Ignore one mystery in favor of another, opting to push a mysterious button in a mysterious drawer in this mysterious room, just to see what will happen.
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TRY TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE RIFT
Stepping on top of the bed, you brace yourself for the journey ahead. For a split second you realize how utterly insane you are, and start questioning your entire existence. Existential dread washes over you, causing you to consider the implications of what you're about to do. Unanswerable questions flood your mind, and it takes everything you've got to steady your nerves.
You say out loud, to an audience of exactly nobody, “This may almost certainly be the single dumbest thing anyone in the world has ever done, period.” Before steadying yourself, and jumping straight into the rift.
You want to scream, you so desperately WANT to scream, but something tells you that would be unwise. You settle for thinking a constant barrage of expletives instead. It isn't that the trip is painful, nor is it that the sheer amount of energy rushing through your body is overwhelming. It's just that you can't stop thinking about how absolutely, utterly stupid you are for trying this before even looking through the door.
And then, it's over. As quickly as it began, your rift-based travel session is finished.
The rift spits you out in a green meadow, covered with flowers. You quickly check your body to make sure everything's okay – which it is. You notice a silver sun shining overhead, smell the pollen on the breeze, and almost jump for joy.
Taking out the piece of paper, you find that it's a note. It says “Come to Erebus – Amira”. You aren't sure what that is, but you decide it's as good of a place to go as any. Off in the distance, you see a castle, surrounded by what appears to be a vast garden maze.
What do you do?
A. Start walking towards the castle
B. Rest for a while to gather your strength
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START WALKING TOWARDS THE CASTLE:
(No spoilers)
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REST FOR A WHILE TO GATHER YOUR STRENGTH:
You decide to lie down for a spell, wary of the dangers ahead. You start thinking about Erebus and what it could be. You think about this “Amira” and who – or what – it could be.
“Erebus, Amira... It all sounds so familiar, so why can't I remember?” You ask to no-one in particular.
“Because silly, you're in Erebus right now!” Says a voice that seems to come from nowhere.
“What? Who said that?” You cry out, looking around but not seeing anyone.
“Down here! I'm perched on one of the flowers right behind you!” Says the voice.
Looking behind you, you see a very small girl with wings, perched on a sunflower. Kneeling down you ask “Who are you?”
“The name's Krista, nice to meetcha! I'm one of the angels here in Erebus. Say, are you one of those new travelers from Earth I've been hearing about lately?”
“Well I don't know about that. I wasn't aware this wasn't Earth. So this must be the place mentioned in the note... Oh! It's nice to meet you too Krista, I'm... Huh, that's funny. I can't seem to remember my name.”
“Oh well, I'm sure that you'll remember it soon. I've never heard of that happening from the trip up here though. So is it true? Are you really from Earth?!”
“Hmm, I guess you're right. And I guess I must be. The last thing I remember, I was in a dark room and there was a rift in the mattress, and I just jumped through and now I'm here.”
“Wow! That's amazing! I've never heard of anything like that before!”
“Yeah I'm pretty amazed myself... Say Krista, does the name Alina mean anything to you?”
“It sure does! She's our beautiful queen of Erebus! She lives in that biiig castle over there, and rules over the land! I think she does a pretty good job too, look how pretty everything is!”
“Haha it does look nice. I guess I know where I'll need to go next if I'm gonna find some answers... Oh, Krista?”
“Yeah?”
“Is everyone here as small as you?”
“Haha no silly, most of us angels are as big as you! I'm just especially tiny!”
“Oh okay, thanks for the help. See you later, Krista.”
“Bye new friend!”
GO TO THE CASTLE
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