The figure stepped into the clearing, barely visible in the pale light filtering through the trees. Cloaked in shadow, he moved with an unnatural grace, the kind that sent a chill down Elara's spine.
His presence felt different from the prince's men—calmer, more calculated. There was no rush in his movements, no urgency. As though he had been waiting for this exact moment.
Leif's hand tightened around his bow, but he didn't move. Something about the figure froze them both in place.
"Elara," the figure said softly, his voice a low whisper that somehow cut through the silence of the forest. "You have strayed far from your path."
Elara's heart raced. How did he know her name?She swallowed hard, her eyes flicking to Leif, whose grip on his bow remained tense. The figure didn't seem to notice—or care. His attention was entirely focused on her.
"Who are you?" she demanded, though her voice trembled slightly.The man stepped closer, his dark cloak shifting like smoke around him.
His face was still obscured, but she could see the faint outline of a sharp jaw and eyes that gleamed with a strange, otherworldly light.
"I am someone who has been watching you for a long time," he replied, his tone unsettlingly calm. "I have waited for this moment—for the curse to call you."
Elara's breath caught in her throat. The curse. It had been calling her, she realized. Pulling her toward something dark, something inevitable. But how did he know?
"You're... part of the curse, aren't you?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.The figure tilted his head slightly, as though considering her words.
"I am bound to it," he said. "As you soon will be."Leif's bow creaked as he pulled it taut, his eyes narrowing at the stranger.
"If you mean to harm her, I won't hesitate—"The figure's hand flicked upward with blinding speed, and suddenly, Leif's bow snapped in two, the pieces falling uselessly to the forest floor.
Elara gasped, stumbling back in shock, while Leif stared at his broken weapon in stunned silence.
"I have no need to harm her," the figure said, his voice cold and unfeeling. "But you—hunter—are not part of this."
Leif's eyes flashed with anger, but before he could respond, Elara stepped forward, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Stop!" she cried, holding out her hand. "Don't hurt him."The figure paused, his gaze shifting back to her.
"Hurt him? I do not wish to waste time with mortals. My purpose is singular, Elara. It always has been."
Her mind raced, trying to make sense of his words. "What do you mean?"The figure's expression softened slightly, though his eyes remained sharp.
"You are the key," he said simply. "The one who will break the curse, or..." He trailed off, his voice lowering to a near-whisper. "...be consumed by it."
The weight of his words pressed down on her, and for a moment, Elara couldn't breathe. She had always known she was different, that her connection to the earth's magic was stronger than others'.
But this—this was something else entirely."I didn't ask for this," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"I don't want any part of it."The figure's eyes softened, but there was no pity in his gaze.
"The curse does not care what you want," he said. "It only cares that you exist."
The wind stirred around them, rustling the leaves and sending a shiver down Elara's spine. She felt the pull of the curse again, stronger this time, like a hand wrapping around her heart and squeezing. It was relentless, unyielding.
Leif stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Elara, we need to leave. Now."But Elara couldn't move. Her gaze remained locked on the figure, her mind swirling with questions she couldn't voice. She knew, deep down, that this moment was a turning point—something she couldn't escape from, no matter how hard she tried.
The figure's voice broke through her thoughts, soft but firm. "You have a choice, Elara. You can run, and the curse will follow you, devour you piece by piece... or you can face it, and take control of your fate."
Elara's heart pounded in her chest. The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating her. A choice. But it wasn't a real choice, was it? Either way, the curse was coming for her.Her mind screamed at her to run, to escape while she still could.
But something else—something deeper, quieter—told her to stay. To face whatever was coming.
"I'll give you two days," the figure said softly. "Decide wisely."With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, his form dissolving into the darkness as though he had never been there at all.
Elara stood frozen, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The forest around her felt suddenly colder, the weight of the curse pressing in on all sides. Two days.
The same deadline the prince's emissary had given her.Leif's hand tightened on her shoulder, pulling her back to the present.
"Elara," he said, his voice urgent. "We need to go."She nodded numbly, though her mind was still racing. The figure's words echoed in her head. The curse will follow you... or you can face it.
She didn't want to face it. She didn't want any of this. But deep down, she knew she couldn't run forever. The curse would find her, no matter where she went. And when it did, she needed to be ready.Taking a deep breath, Elara straightened her shoulders and turned to Leif.
"Let's go."They moved quickly through the forest, the darkness closing in behind them. But even as they fled, Elara couldn't shake the feeling that the shadows were watching her, waiting for the moment when she would no longer be able to run.
And when that moment came, she would have to make a choice.
Author Note:
This Chapter brings in an entirely new layer of mystery, as we introduce a powerful and unsettling figure tied to the curse. What do you think of his cryptic warnings? Elara is being forced to make impossible choices, and we're only just scratching the surface of the secrets behind the curse.