The forest hummed with life.
In the early morning light, Elara moved quietly through the thick green undergrowth, her bare feet brushing against soft moss and ferns.
The air was fresh with the scent of dew and earth, and birds sang a melodic tune above her, flitting between the canopy of towering trees. She breathed in deeply, her pulse slowing to match the rhythmic flow of the forest around her.
It had been years since she felt so at peace, so connected to the life coursing through the land.
As she crouched beside a patch of blossoming herbs, her fingers moved instinctively over the plants, plucking the leaves she needed. Each leaf was selected with care—some to treat fevers, others to mend wounds or calm the nerves of anxious villagers.
Healing was her life, her calling, passed down through generations of her family.Yet, today, something felt wrong.
Elara's emerald eyes, bright and keen, lifted toward the edge of the forest, where the trees thinned and the village lay just beyond. A deep sense of unease settled in her chest, a faint, unfamiliar pressure that had been growing over the past week. She couldn't place it, but it was there—a shadow in the back of her mind, whispering.She stood up, her hands brushing the soil off her simple green cloak.
Her dark hair, usually wild and unbound, shifted slightly in the morning breeze. As she stared out into the forest, she couldn't shake the feeling that something—someone—was coming.
Her grandmother had always warned her: "Listen to the earth, child. It speaks louder than words. When it falls silent, that's when you worry."
Elara pressed her fingers into the earth, closing her eyes to listen. But the forest, usually so full of life and vibrant energy, was quiet. Too quiet.
Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps approached from the village path. Elara turned just as a young boy, breathless and wide-eyed, emerged from the trees.
"Elara!" he gasped, skidding to a stop in front of her. "It's my mother… she's worse. Please, you have to come quickly!" Her stomach tightened, and without hesitation, she grabbed her satchel of herbs and nodded.
"Lead the way," she said softly, following him as they hurried back to the village.By the time they reached the modest house, a small crowd had gathered outside, their faces etched with worry. Elara pushed through them and entered the dimly lit room where the boy's mother lay.
Her skin was pale, slick with sweat, and her breathing was shallow.Elara knelt beside her and touched her forehead, her fingers brushing the damp skin.
Fever.
The same mysterious illness that had been creeping through the village for weeks now.No one knew where it came from.
Some of the villagers whispered that it was a curse, though Elara dismissed such rumors. Illnesses were a part of life, natural and explainable. But this sickness—there was something different about it. Something... wrong.
As Elara prepared a poultice, crushing herbs together in a small bowl, she felt that shadow again. It hovered at the edge of her mind, unsettling and persistent. She ignored it, focusing on the task at hand.
"Breathe slowly," she murmured to the woman, her voice calm and soothing.The woman's labored breaths continued, shallow and uneven. Elara placed the poultice on her forehead, hoping it would lower the fever.
But even as she worked, she couldn't shake the feeling that this illness was no ordinary sickness. Something else was at play.
Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Elara stood alone at the edge of the village, her eyes fixed on the distant mountains.
Dark clouds had gathered, casting long shadows over the land. The air was thick with tension, as if the earth itself was holding its breath.
The rumors that had been circulating for months echoed in her mind: The cursed prince.
The dark kingdom. The sickness that followed in its wake.
She'd heard the tales since she was a child, about the once-great kingdom that had fallen under a terrible curse. The prince who ruled there, twisted by dark magic, was said to be a man of cruelty and power, his silver hair shining like a beacon in the dark.
But those were just stories... weren't they?A sudden gust of wind rustled the trees, and for the briefest moment, Elara thought she saw a figure in the distance, standing at the edge of the forest. Tall, cloaked in shadow.Her heart raced, and she blinked, but when she looked again, the figure was gone.
Elara's pulse quickened, and a chill ran down her spine. The shadow she had felt all day—it was here. The darkness was approaching, and it was no longer just a whisper.It was real.
And it was coming for her.