4: TheHyacinthShrine

A land where nothing is quite what it seems and danger lurks around every corner. The city of Hyacinth Falls is a peaceful place, full of bustling people going about their day, and just living life to the fullest. 

Deep in the mountains lies an old, decrepit, shrine seemingly forgotten by time. But the rumors of the city and those who have ventured to see it paint it as being quite alive, and seemingly the entrance to some bizarre place. Or something like that. Rotanev has grown up hearing the stories and he doesn't believe them at all, mythical creatures, yokai, gods? Nothing but children' stories told to them by their parents to scare them. Even though he's always been able to see things others haven't...

One cool summer evening he ventures up to the shrine on a bet by a bunch of his grad school buddies. The bet is that they will each give his 200 dollars if he can spend the night in the shrine without chickening out. Rotanev accepts knowing that this is a joke it's so easy, and he doesn't scare easily. Yet he can't help feeling watched and unable to get into the shrine he sits on the steps, but as the night progresses something begins to feel more and more off, and before long he is startled by a beautiful young man...with fox ears, four eyes and six tails. Terrified he flees the shrine and heads deeper, and deeper into the mountains. 

Now hopelessly lost in the dense mountain and his body slowly being changed by the thick, magically charged spirit energy, will Rotanev be able to find his way back home? Or will he be trapped within the kingdom forever, never to return home or even be human again?

His parent's warned him to never venture out beyond the shrine, and now he knows why.