Dreamtales Comics __link__ -

It wasn’t locked. The iron ring sat there, alone on the black velvet. It seemed to thrum. Try me. Just for a minute.

The Ringmaster’s mask cracked. The carnival of bones began to collapse, not into dust, but into words —scrambled, furious sentences that rained down like black snow. The grey hands receded, not freed, but… paused. Waiting.

Leo tried to wake up. He clawed at his own mind. Nothing. The iron ring on his finger was now a manacle, chaining him to this place.