<center>**Shards**</center>
<center>[[❧ Start ☙->Main Menu]]</center>You blink and take in your strange surroundings.
The more that you look, the more uneasy you feel. You're surrounded by what look sort of like jagged metal trees under a purple sky. There's no recognizable pattern or structure to this "forest"; the metal objects are all different shapes and sizes, arranged completely randomly.
You shift your weight, only to be surprised by a jarring crunching sound beneath your feet. Not the crunching of twigs or dead leaves—a sound like stepping on broken glass.
You look down at the ground. You see something that looks sort of like grass, narrow blades pointing up toward the sky, but instead of a bright green or sandy brown, it's transparent, with a slight bluish tinge to it. You decide that it would be a bad idea to try to touch it.
Suddenly, something shoots past you, landing explosively behind you. Then, more come; flashes of yellow light that fall from the sky and explode in the grass, releasing a burst of powderized glass near the ground.
You begin to panic. You need to take shelter, but are the metal trees safe? If this is some strange form of lightning, a tall metal pole is the last place you want to be.
You hear a cacophony of sounds: metal clanging on metal, shattering glass, and big, heavy thuds. Something is approaching.
[[❧ Freeze.->Meeting]]
(set: $mulove to 0)You watch in terror as a roiling mass of black makes its way toward you. Its body is nebulous and heterogenous; in some places, it's brilliantly shiny and viscous like tar, but in other places it appears hardened into various shapes. It seems to use these hardened protrusions to destroy obstacles in its way, forming giant blades that slice through the metal trees like butter or massive boulders that flatten them.
Before your conscious mind even processes that it's happening, you turn around and begin to run as fast as you can away from this thing. But as soon as you do, you cry out in pain. The glass grass stabs you through your shoes.
You hesitate and glance back, but there's no choice. You must escape. You run as far as you can, but the pain is too distracting. You lose your balance and fall forward into the glass, screaming as its pierces your skin all over your body.
You force yourself to roll over to look back at the monster. Its path of devastation leads straight to you. Yet when it reaches you, it stops.
//Is it...looking at me?//
[[❧ Look back.->Torment]]It extends a limb of black ooze toward your hand. You jerk your hand away, but it follows you, and you're too weak to try to stand or run.
The black ooze envelops your hand, and a shudder runs through your entire being. It has a sticky texture that seems to adhere to parts of your skin and tug them in different directions. It is searingly hot in some places, yet freezing cold in others.
The ooze is studded with varying sizes of hard chunks. You feel one of them press hard into the palm of your hand, and then...
You scream in agony as it pierces through your hand.
The monster sends forth more oozing protrusions, latching on to various parts of your body. You flinch and thrash, knowing what's coming.
But then you hear something new. A sound like glass being put through an industrial grinder.
You look around for the source of the sound.
[[❧ Observe.->Imprisonment]]You see an undulating metallic structure approaching you and the tarry monster. It seems to be composed of thin, metal rectangular cuboids all rising and falling in sequence in a sine wave pattern. You would almost think that it was a machine; yet, it was too perfect even to be a machine. It was more like a computer program, something that shouldn't exist in the physical plane. But that wasn't quite right, either—because there was something clearly alive about it, in the way that it would sometimes hesitate in its path, in the way it seemed to shudder at the sight of the black monster.
The metallic entity draws close. The tarry monster shoots out countless rigid spikes from its body as if in defense, but the metallic being ignores it and instead moves closer to you. The first cuboid suddenly pierces deep into the ground; a moment later, enormous beams of metal spring up, completely encircling you.
You can't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Whatever this thing is, it's at least standing between you and further impalement by black ooze.
You watch as the two entities shift in place, as if considering the other.
The black entity sends out viscous projections that begin wrenching apart the cuboids of the other's body, throwing them to the side.
The metallic entity releases an ear-piercing shriek like rough metal scraping together and retaliates by sinking into the ground and then resurfacing as an impenetrable metal vise around the black entity, crushing it into submission.
The black entity's scream is like a lion's roar suffocated by bubbling muck. When its cries have died down to weak gurgling, the metallic entity retracts and reforms, leaving its enemy to flee.
It then turns its attention back to you, and you begin to feel nervous.
The metal beams surrounding you sink into the ground. When the metal comes back up, it forms into a tight metal collar around your throat and shackles around your wrists and feet.
[[❧ Panic.->Punishment]]
[[❧ Remain calm.->Enslavement]]Your heart races. You try to stand, but almost every inch of you is aching with tiny glass impalements, and you collapse back into the glass grass, drawing further gasps of pain from you as your injuries worsen.
As this happens, your collar and shackles tighten painfully.
You look at the entity. Its body is undulating at a faster frequency now.
[[❧ "Please, don't hurt me."->Despair]]
(save-game: "Save")You feel metal form itself against your face, locking your jaw in place and completely covering your mouth.
You want to scream, but you can't. Tears pour down your face.
Your metal restraints continue to tighten.
//Please...Please, someone help me...//
[[❧ Look up.->Rescue]]Soaring above the metallic entity is a creature, some kind of...bird? Its body is transparent and shimmering like mist, with ephemeral streaks of color.
It circles above you, and you feel a tingling sensation in your body. You feel the pain from your restraints ease.
The bird meets your gaze as if enticing you.
You look down at your body to see your limbs disintegrating into the same type of mist as the bird.
[[❧ Fly.->Escape]]You fly upward to join the bird.
You follow it, flying for some distance. The metal forest eventually gives way to a barren snow-white steppe; and beyond the steppe, a landscape begins to take shape that seems almost recognizable.
The sky is blue. There's green grass and real trees. There are rocks and streams. There are even animals—birds and butterflies. None are species that you know, but they look ordinary as far as you can tell.
The bird finally lands on the ground in front of a strange house that seems to have been grown rather than constructed. Lines of narrow trunks make up the walls, and interwoven branches form the roof.
As you land nearby, you see the bird transform into a beautiful man with cerulean eyes and pale blue hair.
You feel yourself transforming as well, back to your human form. But as you stand again on your own two feet, the pain of your injuries comes rushing back. You feel woozy and begin to collapse.
He rushes to your side, catching you. Then, your vision goes black.
[[❧ Surrender.->Savior]]You awaken on a bed of soft moss inside the house grown of tree. It's warm and quiet in here.
Your savior is kneeling on the ground in front of you, looking at you with concern.
You shift in place and moan as you feel the sting of your injuries.
He extends a hand out to you, as if offering you to take it.
[[❧ Take his hand.->Touch]]Although it takes some effort, you manage to grasp his hand.
As soon as you do, you feel the pain in your hand begin to melt away into a sensation of pleasant warmth.
He releases your hand, and you look down at your palm. What was covered in lacerations a moment ago is now smooth, scarless skin.
He gestures toward your arm as if asking if he should continue.
[[❧ Nod.->Healing]]Your weak nod belies your desperation for his healing.
He begins gently tracing his fingers over your arm. Wherever he touches, the skin miraculously stitches itself back together, and the pain fades away.
He repeats the process on your other arm. Then, he reaches a tentative hand toward your neck.
[[❧ Let him.->Caress]]You give another weak nod to indicate your consent. He gently rubs your badly bruised neck, and the soreness evaporates.
He works his way across the rest of your body, carefully healing all of your injuries, all the way down to your feet.
The relief that you feel is intense, and you begin to feel relaxed, even.
Finding new strength, you sit up and face your strange companion.
[[❧ "Thank you."->Communication]]He looks at you with bright-eyed curiosity, but he clearly does not understand.
"°⊹ ࣪ ˖𑣲⋆.ೃ࿔*:･." His language is beautiful but completely unintelligible to you.
[[❧ "I'm sorry, I don't understand."->Kiss]]He looks at you for a moment, then gestures to his lips, then to yours.
You look at him quizzically.
He leans over you, bringing his lips close to yours.
[[❧ Let him kiss you.->Language]]
[[❧ Pull away.->Forehead Touch]]His lips gently press against yours in the softest kiss you've ever felt. It's over in a moment, and he draws back.
"Thank you for trusting me," he says. "Are you feeling all right?"
[[❧ "How did you do that?"->Conversation]]
(set: $mulove to $mulove+1)"I...I'm all right," you say. "How did you do that?"
He blushes nervously. "I'm not sure. This has never happened to me before. It just felt right."
[[❧ "Who are you?"->Answers]]
(save-game: "Save")He pauses, considering the question. "I am unsure how to answer," he says. "My name is ꧁⊹࣪ ˖𓆩༺✧༻𓆪˖࣪ ⊹꧂. Is there more that you wish to know?"
[[❧ "Where are we?"->Place]]"We are in my domain," he says.
[[❧ "And where is that?"->Dimension]]"I'm sorry, I'm unsure how to answer," he says. He hesitates. "Might I ask you some questions?"
[[❧ "OK."->Introduction]]"What is your name?" he asks.
[[❧ Tell him your name.->Name]]
[[❧ Refuse to tell him your name.->No Name]](set: $playername to (prompt: "Enter your name","Name") )(if: $playername is not "Name")["$playername," he says thoughtfully. He seems to treasure the feeling of your name upon his lips. "A beautiful name."
"In countless eons, I have never encountered one like you...one like me. Did you only recently come to be?"
[[❧ "No, I...I think I'm from another world."->Reveal]]](else:)[[[Return.->Introduction]]]
(set: $mulove to $mulove+1)"No, I...I think I'm from another world," you say. "I appeared here shortly before you found me, but my home world is very different."
"Another world?" he asks in surprise. "I thought this dimension was sealed..."
His gaze suddenly turns toward the door as if he hears something, although you hear nothing. His voice turns serious.
"I have to attend to something. Stay here, and do not leave this house for any reason."
He stands and leaves, closing the door behind him.
You hear a sound like crackling fire.
[[❧ Watch through the window.->Encounter]]
(save-game: "Save")The window is composed of a lattice of thin, woody vines. You swear that the vines are now woven more tightly than when you first arrived, but there are still enough gaps that you can barely make out what's going on outside.
You see an entity of shifting, blazing fire. Despite its fiery appearance, it doesn't seem to be setting anything else alight. The sounds that it emits are like fire, and yet unnatural, somehow. The crackles, snaps, and hisses seem to form a pattern almost like speech.
It seems to be conversing with another entity made of shimmering streaks of rainbow light that appear and disappear. This aurora-like entity has a voice like birdsong or flute music.
Suddenly, the aurora entity grows dramatically in size. The flame entity shrinks slightly in response, then leaves.
[[❧ Wait.->Back]]A handsome woman with the same bright blue eyes and pale blue hair as the man who left you enters the house.
"I'm sorry," she says, bowing slightly. "Please do not worry. I have addressed the situation. I would never allow you to come to harm."
You stare at her.
"Is something wrong?" she asks, concerned.
[[❧ "You look...different."->Woman]]"Oh," she says, looking down at her body. "Is this form displeasing to you?"
[[❧ "I don't mind. I just wasn't expecting it."->Acceptance]]
[[❧ "I find it unsettling."->Rejection]]"I don't mind," you say quickly. "I just wasn't expecting it. Where I'm from, people are not able to change their form like you do."
"Oh, I see," she says. "That is understandable. Even here, my gift is unique. I have many different forms. The others are far more limited."
[[❧ "The others?"->Others]]
(set: $mulove to $mulove+1)"You have met two already. I call them 〃𐃉𒐸⛰𖠢 and ၊၊||၊|။|||| |," she says. "Another, ঌ〽⚡︎༄𓆰, was here just now. "
[[❧ "What are they?"->Entities]]
(save-game: "Save")"It is difficult to explain," she says. "There is no one word for what they are in your language. They are similar to us in a few ways, but dissimilar in most. Some can sense certain things. They can store and process information, but they do not think as we do. They cannot feel pleasure nor pain. And they cannot love."
[[❧ "The one that was just here...Were you speaking to it?"->Friendliness]]She scoffs, a bitterness in her voice. "Connection is so inherent to your nature that it is difficult to describe anything in your language without implying it. But make no mistake: Just because something appears similar to what you know does not mean that it is the same. No...This conversation, now, between us is the first and only conversation I've ever had."
She smiles weakly at you. "Will you walk with me, $playername?"
[[❧ "OK."->Walk]]You walk with her through her domain, a peaceful forest in springtime. All of the flowers and animals are the same pale blue as she is.
"ঌ〽⚡︎༄𓆰 is somewhat less unpleasant than 〃𐃉𒐸⛰𖠢 and ၊၊||၊|။|||| |," she says. "It has a sort of resonance with the living things here. Its presence sometimes stimulates the growth of the plants. But other times, it burns everything to ashes. If there's any logic to when it behaves one way or another, I haven't discovered it in all of my years of existence. But I've learned that I can repel it by producing certain energetic signals. Seeing as you're here, I'm certainly not taking any chances."
[[❧ "That must be difficult."->Discuss]]You sit down in the sweet-smelling clover beneath the tree, and she sits beside you.
From the top of the hill, you have a good view of the lay of the land. Outside of this small domain, the landscape is chaotic. You see the white steppe and metal forest from which you came to one direction. In another, you see enormous teal structures in the shape of wild curls. And in another, a tumultuous ocean of pale orange.
Besides these larger biomes, there are randomly placed and sized islands of every color and texture imaginable.
And the landscape appears to be shifting before your very eyes. Mapping it would be impossible.
But here, under this tree, the world is stable. You lean your back against the unbudging wood of the trunk.
You look at your companion.
[[❧ "Is there another name that I could call you?"->Renaming]]"Sorry, but is there another name that I could call you?" you ask. "I don't think I can pronounce your name."
"Oh, of course," she says. "That's understandable. I do not yet have a name in your language, though."
She turns toward you. "If you like, you could give me one. Since I learned this language from you, it seems right for you to give me a name in it."
[[❧ Name her.->New Name]]
[[❧ Decline to name her.->New Name Mu]](set: $muname to (prompt: "Enter her new name","Name") )(if: $muname is not "Name")["$muname," she says, smiling. "Thank you. It's wonderful."
[[❧ "How long have you been here?"->Backstory]]](else:)[[[Return.->Sit]]]
(set: $mulove to $mulove+1)"As long as I have existed," she replies. "This world is all I have ever known. Not always right here, specifically. But that doesn't really matter. This world is vast, but it has little to interest me. I've searched every inch of this dimension. Other than those monsters, I'm completely alone."
She takes one of the fallen leaves and begins twirling the stem idly between her fingers. "I wished so many times to find someone. I did not know if it was possible, but I could imagine it—I could imagine it so vividly, and I wanted it to be real so badly."
She looks at you. "You have no idea how much I've longed for this moment."
She quickly averts her gaze. "I'm sorry. I do not wish to impose my feelings on you."
Before you can respond, she follows up with a question. "What is your world like?"
[[❧ "Different..."->Home World]]
(save-game: "Save")"It's extremely different from here," you say. "Well, it's not that different from your domain, physically. There are places very similar to here. But there are no entities like the ones that attacked me, and..." You hesitate. "There are a lot of people. It's not just me."
"A lot?" she asks. "How many?"
"I think it's about eight billion," you admit.
Her jaw drops. "Eight billion people? I can scarcely imagine." She looks wistful. "How lucky you are. If you come from such a world, you must never have known what it is to be lonely."
[[❧ "No, I was unhappy there..."->Loneliness]]
[[❧ "Yes, I miss it..."->Contentment]]"No, loneliness still exists in my world," you say. You brush your hand through the clover, hesitating. "Actually...I was very lonely there."
"Why?" $muname asks, her voice gentle.
"There are people, but..." You try to find the words. "It's not always easy to connect. There are many different types of people, and not all of them get along with each other. I wasn't hated...well, not by most, anyway. But I didn't always feel loved either. I was tolerated, but I rarely felt like I belonged."
You shake your head. "I'm sorry. It's nothing compared to what you've gone through. I should be more grateful..."
"It's okay," she says, taking your hand in hers. "I understand. To be surrounded by people, yet still feel alone—that must be a terrible pain to feel."
(if: $mulove >= 4)[She reaches out one of her hands, and a pale blue rose materializes in the palm of her hand. She offers it to you.
[[❧ Accept her gift.->Rose]]](else:)[[[❧ "Thank you."->Receive Sympathy]]]
(save-game: "Save")"Thank you," you say, taking the rose.
"I'm so glad to have met you, $playername," she says, smiling. Just as quickly though, her smiles dissipates. "Still...I assume you'll want to go back to your own world."
"Is it possible?" you ask.
She nods. "You must have entered through a rift in spacetime. If we return to where you arrived, I should be able to sense its location, and you can go back the same way that you arrived."
"$playername," she says, hesitating. "I know I have no right to ask this, but would you allow me to return with you to your world? I would very much like to see it. And I cannot bear the thought of being alone again. Not after learning that there are so many people out there."
[[❧ "Of course."->Allow]]
[[❧ "No."->Deny]]"Of course," you say. "Come with me. My world is far from perfect, but you won't be alone anymore."
"$playername," $muname says, her eyes tearing up. "Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
She stands. "Come. Let's find the rift."
[[❧ Go with her.->Homecoming]]
(save-game: "Save")You stand and feel yourself transform again. As birds, the two of you fly back to where you first arrived.
She walks around the area, reaching out with her hands as if feeling around for something.
"Here," she says. She wrenches open the rift with her hands, revealing a shimmering portal.
"Are you ready?" she asks.
You nod.
[[❧ Take her hand and enter the rift.->End]]You return home, hand in hand with your new companion.
Once you're through the portal, $muname seals the rift behind you.
What happens next is up to you...
<center>FIN</center>
<center>[[Return to Title->Title]]</center>
(save-game: "Save")You force yourself to remain calm. Maybe if you simply obey, this entity won't harm you.
You feel your collar and manacles yank you to your feet. You cry out in pain as you feel the broken glass shifting in the flesh of your feet. Your collar and shackles tighten in response.
You feel yourself dragged forward. It seems like the entity wants you to walk along side it.
You do your best to walk, but the pain is unbearable. You would collapse were it not for the collar and shackles unnaturally keeping you standing and ceaselessly pulling you forward. As you continue to fail to walk, your collar and shackles tighten more and more.
You can't breathe. You feel weak. You're not sure how much more you can take.
//Please...Please, someone help me...//
[[❧ Look up.->Rescue]]
(save-game: "Save")//Shards// is weird mystic horror romance interactive fiction game. The player character name can be customized. The pronouns cannot be customized as pronouns are never used to refer to the player character in game. There is one romanceable character of undefined gender.
This game is complete, with no current plans for updates or sequels. This is the most recent publicly available version of the game.
[[Click here to view content warnings (may contain spoilers).]]
This game does not contain sexually explicit material.
Twine Version 2.12.0.0
Story Format Harlowe 3.3.9
Last Updated: 08/29/2026
© 2026 Radiant Realities
[[Return->Main Menu]]He pulls back and considers your response. Then, he gestures to his forehead, and then to yours.
He leans toward you again.
[[❧ Let him press his forehead against yours.->Language Alt]]His gently presses his forehead against yours. It's over in a moment, and he draws back.
"Thank you for trusting me," he says. "Are you feeling all right?"
[[❧ "How did you do that?"->Conversation]]
(save-game: "Save")You hesitate, unwilling to share your name with this stranger.
He looks at you with a troubled expression. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he says. "You don't have to tell me your real name. But is there something I might call you, at least?"
[[❧ Tell him what he should call you.->False Name]]
(save-game: "Save")(set: $playername to (prompt: "Enter your name","Name") )(if: $playername is not "Name")["Then I'll call you $playername," he says.
"In countless eons, I have never encountered one like you...one like me. Did you only recently come to be?"
[[❧ "No, I...I think I'm from another world."->Reveal]]](else:)[[[Return.->Introduction]]]"You should choose your own name," you say.
"Ah, all right," she says. "Then...you may call me Kíte." (set: $muname to "Kíte")
"Kíte," you say. "OK."
[[❧ "How long have you been here?"->Backstory]]
(save-game: "Save")You shake your head. "No."
$muname's face falls, and tears well up in the corners of her eyes. "Of course," she says. "No, I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. Of course...We are too different. I belong here, in this dimension, and you in yours. I'm sorry..."
She stands. "Well," she says, forcing a smile. "Let's get you home."
[[❧ Go with her.->Homecoming Alt]]
(save-game: "Save")You stand and feel yourself transform again. As birds, the two of you fly back to where you first arrived.
She walks around the area, reaching out with her hands as if feeling around for something.
"Here," she says. She wrenches open the rift with her hands, revealing a shimmering portal.
"Goodbye, $playername," she says, her voice flat.
[[❧ Say goodbye.->Goodbye]]
[[❧ Enter the rift.->End Alt]]You return home.
You wonder what caused the rift in spacetime and if it could happen again. Only time will tell.
<center>FIN</center>
<center>[[Return to Title->Title]]</center>
(save-game: "Save")"Thank you, $muname," you say. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye," she says, her voice breaking slightly. "I'll always remember you, $playername."
[[❧ Enter the rift.->End Alt]]
(save-game: "Save")Content Warnings (not an exhaustive list, please use your discretion): mild weird mystic horror elements, fantasy violence, injury, physical restraints, body transformation, physical touch, social isolation/loneliness
[[Return->About This Game]]"I miss it," you admit. "Everything and everyone I know is there. Now I have no idea if I'll ever see it again."
"That must be a terrifying prospect to face," $muname says. She seems to be trying to keep her tone measured, but a certain wavering still comes through. "Well, I believe I can help with that."
"So it's possible for me to return?" you ask.
She nods. "You must have entered through a rift in spacetime. If we return to where you arrived, I should be able to sense its location, and you can go back the same way that you arrived."
"$playername," she says, hesitating. "I know I have no right to ask this, but would you allow me to return with you to your world? I would very much like to see it. And I cannot bear the thought of being alone again. Not after learning that there are so many people out there."
[[❧ "Of course."->Allow]]
[[❧ "No."->Deny]]
(save-game: "Save")"I find it unsettling," you admit. "Where I'm from, people don't change their form like you do."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she says, looking at you anxiously. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'll avoid changing my form unless it's necessary then."
You nod awkwardly and change the subject.
[["What was that outside just now?"->Outside]]
(save-game: "Save")"Ah, it was another one of the entities that inhabit this dimension," she says.
[[❧ "What are they?"->Entities]]"Thank you," you say.
"I'm so glad to have met you, $playername," she says, smiling. Just as quickly though, her smiles dissipates. "Still...I assume you'll want to go back to your own world."
"Is it possible?" you ask.
She nods. "You must have entered through a rift in spacetime. If we return to where you arrived, I should be able to sense its location, and you can go back the same way that you arrived."
"$playername," she says, hesitating. "I know I have no right to ask this, but would you allow me to return with you to your world? I would very much like to see it. And I cannot bear the thought of being alone again. Not after learning that there are so many people out there."
[[❧ "Of course."->Allow]]
[[❧ "No."->Deny]]"It must be difficult to deal with that kind of chaos," you say.
"This world is chaos," she says. "What little peace I can make can be destroyed at any time. But they cannot kill me. And I can always regrow."
As you continue to walk, the forest turns to grassy meadow, which in turn leads to a hill with a tree.
You crest the hill, finding a tree with a large trunk and emerald green star-shaped leaves. A gentle wind blows past every now and then, and every time it does, a few of the leaves fall to the ground, collecting in piles around the tree.
"Will you sit with me?" she asks.
[[❧ Sit with her.->Sit]]<center>[[❧ Title ☙->Title]]</center>
<center>[[❧ New ☙->Arrival]]</center>
<center>[[❧ Load ☙->Saved Game]]</center>
<center>[[❧ About ☙->About This Game]]</center>
Only one save file can exist at a time. Game will auto-save at pre-determined savepoints.
Game saves are stored as cookies in the user's browser. If cookies cannot be stored for some reason, game saves will fail. Clearing cookies will delete all saves.
Click below to load your save file.
{(if: (saved-games: ) contains "Save")[
(link: "❧ Load Saved Game ☙")[(load-game:"Save")]
](else:)[𐡸 No Save File Detected 𐡷]}
[[Return to Main Menu->Main Menu]]