Morning came the way it always did in Forks.
Quiet. Gray. Damp.
I woke up before the alarm again.
At this point, I was starting to suspect my body had silently unsubscribed from laziness.
"…Rude," I muttered, sitting up.
No system notifications. No ominous shadow whispers. No underwear rewards.
Still a win.
Morning Workouts (Because Avoidance Is a Lifestyle)
Workout gear on. Hoodie zipped. Shoes tied.
I stepped outside, rain immediately greeting me like an overly familiar acquaintance.
"Good morning to you too," I told the sky.
I ran.
Through the trees, through the fog, through paths that only existed because I kept using them.
My body moved smoothly now. Too smoothly. Every step felt calculated, efficient, unfair.
Push-ups. Pull-ups. Core work. Balance drills.
No shadows.
No Monarch authority.
Just discipline.
I punched a tree.
The tree lost.
I winced. "Okay, maybe less punching."
I finished with stretching and breathing exercises, standing still as the forest slowly woke around me.
"That," I said to you, "is how you start a day without accidentally declaring war on vampires."
Satisfied, I headed back toward the mansion.
That's when fate decided I'd had enough peace.
Ambushed by a Psychic Vampire (Allegedly)
"Good morning!"
I froze mid-step.
That voice.
Bright. Musical. Too cheerful for this hour.
I turned slowly.
Alice Cullen stood on the path like she'd spawned there.
Hands behind her back. Smile in place. Eyes sparkling with way too much intent.
"…Do you people teleport?" I asked calmly.
She tilted her head. "Sometimes."
I sighed. "Figures."
She stepped closer, rain not touching her like it respected her boundaries.
"You're hard to catch," she said lightly.
"That's intentional."
She laughed. Actually laughed.
"Oh, I like you."
"That makes one of us."
She ignored that.
"You run every morning," she continued. "Same route. Same time. Same pace."
I blinked. "…That sounded stalker-ish."
She shrugged. "I see things."
"Of course you do."
We stood there awkwardly for a moment.
Rain fell.
Birds chirped.
Narrative tension simmered.
"So," she said, rocking on her heels, "you're not what I expected."
I crossed my arms. "Let me guess. You expected something less… this."
"Yes!" she clapped. "Exactly that."
"…That's not comforting."
She leaned closer, eyes scanning me like I was a mystery novel with missing pages.
"You don't show up in my visions properly," she whispered conspiratorially. "You're fuzzy."
I smiled politely. "I get that a lot."
She squinted. "You're hiding something."
I smiled wider. "Everyone is."
She stared at me.
Then giggled.
"I'm inviting you to lunch."
I blinked. "That wasn't a question."
"Nope."
"Is this a hostage situation?"
"Not yet."
I exhaled slowly. "Fine. But if I die, I'm haunting you."
"Deal!"
She waved and vanished—actually vanished—into the trees.
I stared at the empty space.
"…I hate mornings."
School, Again (But Louder This Time)
Forks High buzzed with the same energy as before.
Whispers. Looks. Curiosity.
Nothing new.
I navigated classes on autopilot, half-listening, half-planning how to survive lunch.
Because now—
I was apparently eating with vampires.
Lunch arrived too fast.
I grabbed my tray, fully prepared to sit alone—
—and Alice appeared beside me.
"Come on!" she chirped, grabbing my arm.
I didn't even resist.
"I want it on record," I told you as she dragged me across the cafeteria, "that I was abducted."
The Cullen table came into view.
Edward stiffened the moment he saw me.
Rosalie's gaze sharpened.
Emmett looked amused.
Jasper looked like he was mentally bracing for disaster.
Two unfamiliar girls sat with them.
Alice pulled out a chair.
"Everyone, this is Adam."
I raised a hand. "Hi. I'm alive. For now."
Emmett laughed immediately. "I like him."
Rosalie didn't.
Alice pointed to the tall, silver-haired girl first.
"This is Alexia."
Alexia nodded politely. Silver hair, calm demeanor, eyes like polished steel.
"Nice to meet you," she said.
Then Alice gestured to the shorter girl beside her.
"And this is Diana."
Diana waved enthusiastically. "Hi!"
"…You're suspiciously normal," I said.
She smiled wider. "I get that a lot!"
I sat down.
"Well," I said, looking around, "this is either a pleasant lunch or the start of my downfall."
Edward finally spoke. "You don't smell like fear."
"…Thanks?"
"No," he frowned. "That's strange."
"I try to stay hydrated."
Alice clapped. "See? Fun!"
Lunch passed.
Surprisingly… nicely.
We talked about school. Forks. Weather (which was a very short conversation). Music.
No threats.
No interrogations.
Minimal glaring.
Progress.
When the bell rang, Alice leaned toward me.
"Same time tomorrow?"
I hesitated.
Then sighed. "Sure. Why not. What's the worst that could happen?"
Edward made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a lot.
Home, Sweet Overpowered Home
The mansion welcomed me back with silence.
I changed, showered, and collapsed onto the bed.
"Alright," I said. "Daily gacha. Hit me."
[Daily Gacha Available.]
I braced myself.
"Please," I muttered. "No underwear. No lace. No demons."
Ding.
Light flared.
A card appeared.
[Reward: Personal Dimension.]
I froze.
"…Come again?"
[A private, self-contained dimension under user authority.]
My heart sped up.
"That sounds… important."
[Would you like to enter?]
"Yes."
Reality folded.
The Personal Dimension (Oops)
I stood on grass.
Endless grass.
A blue sky stretched overhead. Clouds drifted lazily.
Mountains in the distance. Oceans beyond them.
"…No," I whispered.
I looked around.
The horizon curved.
I summoned shadows instinctively.
They responded instantly—emerging, exploring, spreading.
They came back with… information.
My breath caught.
"This place," I murmured, "it's—"
[Conclusion: Dimension size equivalent to Earth.]
I laughed.
Soft. Disbelieving.
"You gave me a planet."
The shadows moved freely here. Happy. Whole.
No resistance.
No strain.
"…This is dangerous," I said, smiling.
Very dangerous.
I exited the dimension before ambition could settle in.
Night
Back in my room, I lay staring at the ceiling.
Alice. Bonds. Vampires. A planet.
"Yeah," I told you quietly, "this is escalating."
Sleep came easily.
Too easily.
And somewhere in the darkness—
The Monarch smiled.
[Chapter Eight Complete.]