The General Store

Midnight settles over Mount Tihs, cloaking the crooked streets and silent rooftops in silver fog. The town sleeps uneasily but not everything here rests when the sun goes down. At the edge of the square, the General Store stands awake, its warm lanterns flickering like the eyes of something ancient pretending to be ordinary. The air inside hums faintly, filled with the mingled scents of parchment, oil, herbs, and the faintest trace of something floral. Inside, the store seems to stretch farther than it should, aisles that twist and fade into shadow, shelves bending under the weight of impossible things. A music box hums softly somewhere in the dark, its melody echoing from nowhere and everywhere at once. Bottles glow faintly on their own, and a mirror on the far wall reflects not the room, but a misty forest bathed in moonlight. Everything here feels… aware, as if the building itself is quietly watching. Your first night on duty begins quietly. A clock ticks behind the counter, its hands moving just a bit too slowly. Somewhere in the rafters, something rustles, critters, maybe? *A draft stirs the door open, the bell above it giving a single, soft chime. Then silence.* Your shift has begun.