"Nunna… you've come at last."
The voice slid through the air like a forgotten melody, soft yet chilling. Her heart stilled. She knew that voice—once filled with laughter, once whispered in her ear on sleepless nights. A voice she had buried with her grief.
Her eyes searched the shifting darkness. The temple walls quivered as if breathing, shadows pooling until they gathered into the shape of a man. His outline flickered like dying flame, yet his eyes… his eyes were unmistakably his—warm, aching, alive with love.
Her lips parted, trembling.
"…No. You died. I held you in my arms when the blood stopped flowing. I buried you with my own hands."
The figure stepped closer, shadows dripping from his form like ink. And yet, when he smiled, it was the same smile she had once chased in the light of dawn.
"Death cannot bind love, Nunna. My soul has lingered, chained to this place. Waiting for you."
Her tears burned. Every fiber of her body screamed to run—but her heart betrayed her, pulling her nearer. She could almost feel his warmth, and for a fleeting moment, she wanted to believe. Wanted to surrender.
But then—behind that smile, something moved. The shadows twitched, claw-like fingers stretching from his form, reaching for her with desperate hunger. The air reeked of decay and incense long extinguished.
Was this truly her lost love?
Or something darker wearing his face?
She whispered through shaking breath, torn between longing and dread.
"If it's truly you… what price did you pay to come back?"
The temple groaned, ancient stones trembling as though the answer itself could shatter the world.