𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒑

CHAPTER 1

THE MAGIC SHOP

By U. Ananya

In the middle of the night,a girl named Mimi walked alone down an empty road.The cold wind brushed against her skin,yet she barely noticed it.

Everything around her felt lifeless.

As she continued walking, something unusual caught her attention.

At the end of the street stood a magnificent shop glowing beneath the darkness of the night.Colourful lights shimmered around the building like stars trapped behind glass.The shop looked strangerly beautiful - almost too beautiful to exist in a place so silent.

Mimi slowly stepped closer.

For some reason,her heart told her to walk away.

But curiosity pulledher forward.

She reached for the door and carefully turned the knob.

the moment she stepped inside, a strange chill ran though her body.

The shop was filled with glowing flowers.

Some shimmered in silver light while others glowing with the shades of violet and bule.Their beauty felt unreal, almost magical.

Mimi stared at them in amazement.

Then her eyes landedon a single flower glowing brighter than the rest.

And smelled it.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

The warm glow inside the shop disappear.

Silence swallowed everything.

The wind outside stopped.

Mimi's heartbeat quickened.

A heavy feeling settled in her chest as fear slowly crept though her body.

''I have to leave...'', she whispered.

She quickly turned toward the door .

But the entrance was gone.

Mimi froze.

then suddenly, black ash began spreading though the air from one of the dark corners of the shop.

The room grew colder.

A deep voice echoed like thunder.

''Hey, Little human...''

The voice paused.

''Why did you come here?''

Mimi's breathing became uneven.

''don't you want to live?''

Fear struck her instantly.

Before she could react, her vision blurred and darkness swallowed her whole

After some times , Mimi slowly opend her eyes.

she was no longer inside the shop.

The ground beneath her was covered with sand and pebbles. Cold wind brushed past her face as she looked around in confusion .

''What is this place..? she whispered.

The sky above hher looked strange.

Dark.

Endless.

Mimi stood up, she noticed something moving in thne distance.

At first , her vision remained burrly .

But slowly, the figure became clearer.

A tall man stepped out from the shadows.

His clothes shimmered with shades of silver and lilac beneath the dim light .

Mimi instinctively stepped back.

A cold breeze surrounded her body, leaving her fingertips numb.

The mysterious figure finally stopped a few steps away from her.

For a moment, he remained silent .

Then he spoke.

"You touched my forbidden flower''.

Mmi stared at him in confusion.

"What "?

"Our king has chosen you".

The figure's voice became quiter.

"And he hates humans''.

Mimi's eyes widened .

"Wait... what are you talking about?" She asked quickly, ''who are you? What is this place? Why am I here ?"

The figure looked at her calmly .

"My name is Ryan", he finally answered. " I am the right hand of the king".

Mimi shook her head.

"This makes no sense''.

Ryan looked toward the dark sky above them.

"The flower you touched is not ordinry'', he explained."It only blooms for someone the king considers worthy''.

Mimi felt her heart tighten".

"If your king hates humans...'' she asked slowly ''then why did he choose me ?"

Ryan did not answer.

Instead his expression suddenly changed.

His eyes widened slightly as if he had noticed something terrifying.

Then he immediately dropped to one knee .

"Here he is..."Ryan whispeared.

Mimi's heartbeat stopped for a second.

"What do you mean?" She asked nervosly.

But Ryan remined silent.

At the exact moment, the atmosphere changed again.

The wind disappeared.

The sky darkened.

Black ash spread across the air from the beginning of a thunderstrom.

Then suddenly-

A burning pain shot through Mimi's shoulder.

She cried out and grabbed it tightly.

"What's happening?!"

Even though it was winter, her skin felt as if it burning beneath summer heat.

Slowly, a strange black mark apeared on her shoulder.

It looked like a crown surrounded by flames.

Ryan stared at it in shock.

"So...he already marked you".

Mimi looked at him fearfully.

"Marked?"

Ryan swallowed hard.

"That is not an ordinary mark,"he said softly.

"It is summon seal".

Mimi's breathing became shaky.

"Only the king possesses the power to create it". Ryan continued." The power of fire... and spirit".

Mimi looked down at the burning symbol.

Then back at Ryan.

" What does this mean?" She whispered.

Ryan slowly stood up.

"The king wants you in his world".

Silence filled the air.

Then Ryan spoke once more.

"He has waited for a very long time".

Mimi felt fear crowl down her spine.

"But you were gone..." Ryan said quietly.

His eyes locked onto hers.

And now he knows you've returned"