Whispers of Hollow Manor....
Clara stood in the darkness, the weight of Adrian's words pressing on her like the chill of the manor itself. The choice before her was impossible to free him and lose him forever, or to stay and let the house consume her soul.
The air seemed to thrum with anticipation, the walls holding their breath. The whispers grew louder, swirling around her, Eliza's voice twisting the sound into something cruel and demanding.
Stay… stay… stay…
Adrian's hand hovered near hers, fragile and faint. His eyes, those endless wells of sorrow, held her gaze.
Clara's heart trembled, but her resolve did not waver. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, feeling the cold of his form as if it were the last warmth in the world.
I love you, Adrian.
She spoke it not as a question, but as a vow.
Adrian's lips parted, as though to say something, but no sound came. His expression softened, a bittersweet smile touching his lips.
Then, with a voice both fierce and gentle, he said, It is time.
Clara lifted her hand and placed it over his, though it passed through the air like mist. Still, the contact was real to her more real than anything else in that moment.
With a deep, steadying breath, she spoke the words she had read in an ancient book she found in the manor's hidden library words of release, of final farewell.
I release you.
The manor trembled violently. The floor groaned as though in agony. The whispers twisted into screams, rising in a terrible crescendo.
Adrian's form began to glow softly, light spreading from his chest outward, illuminating the darkness like the first fragile rays of dawn.
No… do not go… Clara's voice broke, tears flowing freely now.
But he only smiled, the sorrow in his eyes deepening, beautiful in its tragedy.
Clara, my love, he whispered, thank you.
In that instant, the light consumed him. His figure dissolved like smoke in the wind, leaving behind nothing but a faint warmth that slowly faded.
The manor sighed, its hunger momentarily sated, though the whispers remained, quieter now, mournful.
Clara collapsed to the floor, her body trembling, her heart hollow. For the first time, Hollow Manor felt emptier, colder and yet strangely free.
Days passed. The village of Ravencroft seemed unaware of what had transpired. To them, she was just another historian who had braved the cursed place.
But Clara knew the truth. Adrian's spirit had gone, freed by her love and sacrifice. His face, his voice, his touch forever etched in her memory.
She left Hollow Manor behind, walking away as the first light of dawn broke over the moors, illuminating the house in pale gold. The whispers faded into silence, and the house stood still once more.
But in Clara's heart, something remained.
An echo.
A love that neither time nor death could erase.
End of Whispers of Hollow Manor