I opened my eyes to the sound of silence.
Everything was still. The air was heavy, laced with dust and the faint scent of earth and something unfamiliar. My skin prickled as I realized I was lying on cold ground, surrounded by trees I didn't recognize.
I blinked slowly, trying to piece things together.
I remembered falling. Damier's arms around me. Then nothing. Just darkness.
How did I end up here?
Was this the place I saw Virelda? It didn't feel like it. That place was strange, yes—but this... this felt alive in a different way. The air carried a weight I couldn't explain. Something wasn't right.
I pushed myself up, shaky. My hands pressed into soft moss, and the silence wrapped around me like a shroud. The trees loomed overhead—tall, ancient, unmoving. They stood like guards watching from above, blocking out the sky.
I stepped forward, slowly.
That's when I noticed it—my clothes had changed.
I was wearing a black cape, one I'd never seen before. It wrapped around me like it belonged here, like it had been waiting. I ran my hand along the fabric. It felt real. Heavy. Cold.
"I'll be okay," I whispered to myself. But I wasn't sure if I believed it.
I kept walking, deeper into the forest. The path wasn't clear, but the trees had aligned just enough to show the way. Their placement felt deliberate. Too perfect.
White flowers lined the edge of the path. I recognized them, though I couldn't say from where. Dream? Memory? Another life?
Fear stirred in my chest.
Am I dead?
Or had my cursed powers dragged me somewhere else? Somewhere between life and something else?
I didn't have time to wonder.
Something shifted in the bushes nearby.
I froze.
My breath caught in my throat, and I took a slow step back. Every part of me was on edge. Then it came forward.
A figure.
Not human.
It stepped out from the shadows, tall and distorted, its body draped in vines and bones. Its face was hidden beneath a tangled mask of bark and decay. But its eyes—those eyes burned. Black and endless.
It stared at me.
I didn't move.
Fear crept through me, slow and steady. My heart pounded. I took another step back, then another. My foot brushed a loose stone, and I picked it up without thinking.
I threw it into the trees.
The creature's head turned toward the sound.
I ran.
Branches whipped past me as I pushed forward, legs tearing through undergrowth. My lungs burned. I didn't look back—I couldn't. I just ran.
Then, suddenly, it was in front of me again.
I stumbled to a halt, nearly crashing into it.
"Don't come closer," I said, breathless. "I swear I'll kill you."
The creature tilted its head, as if curious.
I searched the ground, found a branch, and yanked it free. I held it up between us like a sword.
"Last warning," I said.
It stepped forward.
I struck it. The branch hit its chest, but it didn't react.
It moved faster than I could follow, grabbing the wood mid-swing. My eyes widened. It yanked the branch away and shoved me back with brutal force.
I hit the ground hard. Pain shot through my back, but I forced myself up.
I charged again, fists clenched. I had nothing left but instinct.
The creature lunged, and I dodged.
Then its hand closed around my throat.
It lifted me off the ground like I weighed nothing. My feet dangled. I gasped, clawing at its grip, feeling the pressure tighten.
Then—something changed.
A sharp sound cut through the air.
The creature froze.
Its eyes dimmed.
Blood—dark and unnatural—poured from its mouth.
It let me go.
I crashed to the ground, coughing, chest heaving.
When I looked up, I saw him.
A man stood behind the creature, a sword buried deep in its back. His expression was unreadable, cold. The creature let out one last breath before it crumbled into smoke. Then it vanished.
The man looked down at me. His eyes were a deep violet. Piercing. Calm.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"I... I don't think so." My voice trembled. I couldn't stop shaking.
He nodded once and turned to leave.
"Wait!" I called after him. "Who are you?"
He paused, then turned his head.
"If you want answers," he said, "come with me."
Then he disappeared into the trees.
I stood there for a moment, heart still racing.
Then I ran after him.
"Wait—please. I'm coming."