"Time is running out," the woman's voice echoed through the darkened woods.
Emerald spun around, trying to locate the source, but the trees seemed to shift and move around her, trapping her in what seemed like an endless maze.
"Who are you?" Emerald called out, but the oppressive silence swallowed her voice.
A figure stepped out of the shadows, and she immediately recognised Ares' sister. Even though they looked the same, his sister had a softer, more troubled expression. She reached out towards Emerald with her ghostly fingers.
"The curse... it's spreading faster than he knows," she whispered. "You must break it before it consumes everything. Time is running out."
"Wait! Tell me how!" Emerald shouted, but the woman was already fading.
"Find the truth he hides. Only then…"
Emerald woke up suddenly, her body soaked in sweat and her heart hammering against her ribs.
