Alyssane glanced at Nora, her mouth opening to ask a question, but a sudden dizziness overwhelmed her. She swayed, the world around her tilting alarmingly. Nora's eyes flickered with concern and confusion as everything dissolved into a hazy mist. The transition was so rapid that Alyssane was left disoriented, struggling to breathe.
"What the hell?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her legs gave out, and she fell to her knees, a wave of panic surging through her. She fought to stay conscious, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.
Steps echoed through the mist, growing closer, the sound resonating like a drumbeat in her ears. Alyssane managed to lift her head, and her heart pounded as she saw a stranger from her past. He was still cloaked in a hooded robe, his face half-covered. He knelt in front of her, his presence both chilling and familiar.
