Elestria's bare feet sank into the grass, feeling the soft blades crush under her weight with each hurried step.
The rough ground threatened to draw blood, causing her to wince with each sharp sensation.
She clenched her teeth, shutting her eyes tightly whenever the pain became unbearable. The urgency to leave this hunting place drove her to increase her pace, her heart pounding with fear.
Glancing back, she strained to see if guards were following her, but the darkness within the forest made it impossible to discern any figures.
Her feet came to a halt when she saw two directions ahead of her. Without thinking twice, she ran towards the darker side of the forest, hoping it would lead her to escape from this nightmare.
Halfway along the path, Elestria's breath came in ragged gasps as she staggered to a stop, unable to run any farther. Exhaustion washed over her like a suffocating wave, and she felt a need to rest her body. Her eyes, strained from the darkness of the forest, offered little assistance in determining her location, adding to her frustration.
Her patience was giving up.
Standing still, she scanned her surroundings in desperation, her mind reeling from the events that had transpired only moments ago. "Where am I supposed to go?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the rustle of the leaves. Tears welled up in her eyes as the weight of her situation became too much to bear.
Elestria raised her trembling hands to her forehead, intending to wipe away the sweat that trickled down her brow. But as her fingers made contact with her skin, a jolt of disbelief shot through her.
Lowering her hands slowly, she squinted at them, her eyes wide with shock. They looked perfectly fine; how is this even possible? She should have been injured, perhaps even gravely so, considering the height from which she fell.
Her mind raced back to the moment when she fell from the window, the memory of the impact still vivid in her mind. There was no way she wouldn't feel pain from such a fall.
"This isn't true," she murmured in disbelief, her voice barely above a whisper. Her chest heaved with each breath, confusion washing over her.
Shaking her head, she pushed aside the bewildering thoughts. "This isn't the time to think of this," she reasoned internally.
Scanning her surroundings, she found herself trapped in a dense forest. Towering trees, their branches heavy with leaves, seemed to loom over her tiny frame.
The rustling of leaves sent shivers down her spine, her heart pounding against her chest like a drum. She tilted her head back to look up at the sky, but the darkening clouds only fueled her fear with each passing second. If she didn't find a way out soon, she could be stuck here or, worse, get caught up by the guards all over again.
But she couldn't run anymore; the excruciating pain was shooting through her feet. The burning ache in her muscles only added to her agony.
She paused, tears welling up in her silvery eyes, reflecting the overwhelming emotions washing over her. Could she go on like this?
Biting down on her lip, she took deep breaths, trying to steady herself. Her body stiffened when she felt a familiar sensation crawl up her spine—the feeling of being watched, just like in the room from which she fell.
She tried to shake off the feeling, focusing instead on finding her way out of the forest. She hurried forward, her heart pounding in her chest, refusing to look back.
She closed her eyes tightly, whispering to herself, "Don't look back. Don't look back. Just keep walking," her voice trembling with fear.
After taking a few more deep breaths, she reluctantly opened her eyes and spotted a dark figure standing in front of her. Instead of retreating, she felt captivated by the sudden appearance of this person.
She cautiously raised her hands to touch the figure in front of her, only to have her hands pass right through it. Confusion clouded her thoughts. "What is this?" she questioned herself. "Why does it seem like smoke?"
The shadow stood there unfazed, as if it were formed when an object blocks the past of light, much like the shadow casts when one walks under the sun.
Elestria struggled to make out any discernible features, causing her to stumble backward in fear. "Who... who are you?" She voiced her thoughts, trying to regain her senses. Is this even a human? She muttered in disbelief. She felt a cold breeze brush against her skin. Staring at her hands, her eyes widen, seeing black smoke engulfing her fingertips. A chill ran down her spine, causing the hair on her neck to stand up.
Panic surged through her veins, and her mind went on high alert. She moved her hand harshly, as if trying to get rid of the smoke that had now reached her upper arm. "No!" she screamed, looking ahead to find no one standing there.
Her eyes darting left and right as she clenched her fist to stop her hands from shaking. She stumbled backward in fear, only to collide with someone. Before she could discern what it was and speak, she felt someone's hand clamp over her mouth.
In instinct, she raised her hands and tried to move his hand, but in a swift movement, he caught both of her hands in his grip, making it harder for her to even move.
"You got a kind of voice I would like to hear all night long, but for now, let's lower the volume before we attract unwanted attention. We wouldn't want to be caught red-handed, would we?" He whispered, his tone laced with a hint of amusement, causing her body to turn cold.
Is it him again? What's wrong with this person? He was again toying with her as if she were a pawn in his psychopathic game. She wanted to speak, but her voice was muffled by his hand.
"You want to speak?" He asked, his voice barely audible above her head.
"Yes, but only if you remove your hand from my mouth," her muffled voice sounded, causing him to chuckle against her head. His lips brushed against her hair.
"You've got beautiful hair; we'll put it to better use," he murmured. As he spoke, he removed his hand from her mouth and gripped her neck firmly, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. When her eyes met his, her heart stuttered against her chest. The intensity of his gaze made her body tremble with fear.
"Your heart is too loud for my ears," he muttered just above her lips. His gaze shifted momentarily to her soft, parted lips.
Meeting her eyes again, he instructed, "Part your lips." Uncertain of what to do, she complied with his demand, parting her lips slightly. Her head spun with the unfolding events, one after another.
With that, he blew a cold gust of air against her lips, causing Elestria to instinctively close her eyes. His sudden action left her no time to react or formulate her next move.
And just as quickly as he had appeared, he vanished into thin air, taking Elestria with him.