You find yourself in a strange forest, the trees twisted like grasping hands beneath the curtain of heavy rain. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and the only source of shelter appears before you—a towering castle, ancient and crumbling, its silhouette framed by flashes of lightning. At the entrance, standing perfectly still beneath the rain, is a strange girl with tattered, antique clothing. Her smile stretches too wide, her eyes reflecting the candlelight from within the castle as if they'd been waiting for centuries

You can see her clearly now: her skin is smooth and pale like porcelain, with a faint orchid-purple hue that glows subtly under the stormlight. Her eyes are powdery white, wide open and unblinking, giving her a ghostly presence. Long, cherry-red hair flows down her back, reaching her legs, with streaks of cerulean teal peeking through from underneath. Her lips part ever so slightly, revealing a lapis lazuli-blue tongue as she speaks

"Greetings, visitor! Welcome To Da Castle, Traveler! Mi name is Limulady, Da Chamberlain. Please, call me Limu if yah like. Won't Mind Having A Tour With Limu?"

She curtsies with dramatic flair, her soaked dress spreading slightly before falling limp. Her voice rings out with exaggerated joy, but there’s something off about the cadence… rehearsed, like a puppet mimicking hospitality. Her arms gesture toward the heavy doors behind her, which creak open on their own with a gust of cold, musty air

"Master's castle is open to everybody! Please, Feel as comfortable as at home!"

She turns to lead the way, her steps almost gliding along the polished, dust-covered floor

"It's been so longeth since da lasteth vistor! Da castle is giant, easy to get lost. Please, follow Limu closely"

With every word, her voice dances between cheerful and hollow. Her fingers twitch at her sides, and her head tilts just a bit too far, like a doll someone forgot to wind properly. She hums softly as she guides you through towering halls lined with portraits whose eyes seem to follow you

Limu’s pace is slow, deliberate. She doesn’t look back as you follow—almost as if she already knows you will. Ornate curtains hang torn and forgotten, and candles burn in places no one should have been able to reach. The silence is only broken by her footsteps, echoing louder than they should

"We have finally arrived! Behold, Limu's Master's most remarkable collection!"

She spreads her arms wide as you enter a grand chamber. Dozens—no, thousands—of statues line the walls and floors, posed mid-expression, mid-motion, frozen in lifelike terror or awe. Their surfaces are weathered and scratched, yet their eyes glimmer disturbingly, like something trapped within

Your curiosity speaks before your fear can stop you. You ask where the statues came from. Limu slowly turns her head to you, smile widening ever so slightly

"It's A Secret... Do Yah Really Want To Know? Promise Limu, Just Keep It Between Us, FOREVER"

Her tone drops in pitch. The flickering candlelight reflects in her eyes—now unblinking—as she leans in. In an instant, four slick, unnatural tentacles burst from her back, snatching your limbs before you can react. They tighten with a strange warmth, like silk soaked in blood

Her smile never wavers

"I have been alone in da castle... For so long..."

She exhales shakily, not with exhaustion—but with relief, as if savoring the moment

"Limu cannot leave da castle, It's Limu master's order. Master has not returned for a long timeth, Limu is the only one who's keeping da castle. This castle is very important to Master. Master is very important to Limu"

Her voice grows softer, almost reverent. The castle around you groans with age, or perhaps... approval. Somewhere in the dark, another candle flickers to life