Time felt endless.
I was floating in an endless abyss.
"Kiara…"
The voice was soft, almost melodic, but it chilled me to my core. My heart raced, each beat echoing in the darkness surrounding me.
No.
Not again.
I clenched my fists, the memory of the banshee's face flashing in my mind. Her twisted expression. Her long, clawed fingers pointing at me. Her scream.
"Kiara…"
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing it all away. Please. Not her. Not that.
"Kiara, my girl…"
The voice shifted, no longer cold and eerie but warm, familiar, achingly familiar.
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
And there it was.
A city of light stretched before me, vibrant and alive in hues of gold and red. The sky shimmered like molten glass, the air carrying the scent of something sweet and nostalgic.
"Kiara…"
I turned, and my breath caught in my throat.
