Why did I trust him!
The blackness twisted and churned, like a living thing, swallowing Elara whole. She stumbled forward, her body feeling weightless as the ground beneath her feet vanished. Her breath came shallow, panic rising in her throat, but then, with a sudden jolt, she was standing on solid ground again.
The shadows retreated, revealing a vast, moonlit forest. The trees were ancient, their gnarled branches twisted toward the sky like hands reaching for salvation. The air was cold, biting into her skin, and yet… there was something familiar about this place.
She turned, heart pounding, and there he was, watching her from a distance, his black eyes gleaming with something dark and unreadable.
"Where... where are we?" she demanded, her voice shaky.
"This," he said, spreading his arm wide, "is a fragment of your past. A place buried deep in your memories. Do you recognize it?"
