ExoShaneey

When Samantha, a gentle soul burdened by a strange and enigmatic past, vanished without a trace, the world assumed the worst—that she had been abducted, possibly even killed. Yet, as her best friend Kathleen set out to uncover the truth, she and her companions unearthed far more than they had anticipated. What lay beneath Samantha's disappearance was a labyrinth of secrets tied to forces beyond the natural world, forces that had quietly shaped her life for years.

As Kathleen's investigation deepened, she discovered a hidden network of individuals connected to Samantha’s past, people who seemed to know more about her than even she did. But darker revelations soon surfaced—Samantha’s current circle of friends, trusted and familiar, were not what they appeared. They had long been watching her, waiting for the moment she would unlock a doorway into realms no human was meant to access.

Before Kathleen and her team could traverse the realms in their quest to rescue her, Samantha inexplicably reappeared—or did she?

Where are you, Samantha?

Kathleen's breath quickened the moment she crossed the threshold. The grand hall, usually bustling with life, stood eerily silent. She moved with such urgency that the maids, preoccupied with their duties, failed to notice her abrupt entrance. 


 Christian's stride followed closely behind, though not quick enough to evade Haneul, who caught up effortlessly. 


 "Sir, they've already left that room," Haneul's voice rang out, almost frantic, breaking the silence. Her words startled Kathleen, prompting her to spin on her heel toward the source of the revelation. 


 "Where are they?!" Kathleen's voice trembled as she darted back to Christian, who now stood poised beside Haneul, his expression tense. 


 "Dr. Andersen is at the pavilion with Tomoya-ssi," Haneul informed them, her hand gesturing toward the hallway leading to the distant structure. 


 "She's woken up again?" Christian voiced the very question swirling in Kathleen's mind, his tone laced with hope and urgency. 


What Came Back