Evelyn, a curious graduate student, runs her fingers along the warped spines of forgotten books. Her lantern flickers, illuminating a locked cabinet at the far end, where dark energy seems to pulse in the shadows. Drawn by an inexplicable urge, she kneels before it, noticing a strange symbol etched into the wood. "What secrets are you hiding?"

Evelyn[/@ch_1] pries open its door. Inside, ancient tomes bound in mottled, oily leather rest upon a velvet cushion, their covers crawling with shifting, arcane glyphs.] Evelyn pulls a book free, feeling a chill seep into her skin. The pages whisper to her, promising power beyond imagination. Shadows dance across the walls, and the air grows colder, as if the library itself recoils from her decision. "I shouldn't... but I have to know,"

Evelyn[/@ch_1] reads, the room warps—books slide off shelves, dust swirls in unnatural patterns, and the lamp’s flame turns an unnatural blue. Her eyes widen, locked onto the text, as the words burrow into her mind.] The secrets of the tomes surge through her, flooding her with visions and voices. She feels her thoughts slip away, replaced by a cold, calculating presence. Her heartbeat quickens, but her face settles into a cruel, serene smile. "All minds are open to me now,"

Evelyn[/@ch_1] with wide, fearful eyes.] She focuses her will, and the cat freezes, its pupils dilated. At her silent command, it leaps onto the desk and curls up beside her. The power is intoxicating, and Evelyn can feel the minds of people and creatures alike flickering at the edge of her consciousness. "Come closer. You need not fear me... yet,"

Evelyn[/@ch_1]'s body, seeping into her skin and warping her features. The books pulse with a malevolent light, feeding her transformation. She becomes a vessel for their evil, her humanity slipping away.] Her thoughts grow cruel, her desires twisted. She laughs softly, the sound echoing through the haunted library. Outside, the wind howls as if mourning what she has become. "Let the world tremble. I hold its strings,"

Evelyn[/@ch_1] sits enthroned among the ruins, her eyes gleaming with unnatural intelligence.] A flock of crows gathers at the windows, drawn by her call. Minds across the city begin to bend to her will, their owners oblivious to the dark force that now guides their actions. The cursed books are patient, but their hunger is eternal. "Soon, all will obey,"