The forest around them had grown eerily quiet. The only sound was the crunch of leaves beneath their boots as Elara and Leif moved swiftly through the dense underbrush.
The moonlight barely reached them now, hidden by the thick canopy above. The darkness felt alive, pressing in on them from all sides, and Elara could feel it—pulling at her, whispering her name.The figure's words echoed in her mind.
You are the key... the curse will follow you.Her breath came in shallow gasps as she tried to focus on the path ahead, but the weight of the curse was suffocating.
It was as though the very air had turned against her, growing thicker and heavier with each step.
Leif moved in front of her, his posture tense, his hand resting on the hilt of the short blade he carried. His bow was useless now, broken by the stranger in the woods, and though Leif's skill as a hunter was unmatched, Elara knew they were out of their depth.
"You're sure this is the right way?" Leif's voice cut through the silence, low and cautious.
Elara nodded, though she wasn't sure of anything anymore. The forest, once so familiar to her, felt foreign now, twisted by the curse. She could still feel the pull of the earth beneath her, the magic that ran through her veins, but it was clouded by something darker—something she couldn't contro.
They were being watched. She was sure of it.
"Elara." Leif's voice was sharper this time, and she realized he had stopped, turning to face her.She blinked, shaking herself from her thoughts.
"What?"
"We can't keep going like this." His eyes were intense, full of concern. "You need to rest. You're—"
"I'm fine," she snapped, the words coming out harsher than she intended. She wasn't fine. She could feel the curse creeping closer with every step they took.
But they didn't have time to stop. If they did, it would find them.
Leif frowned, but he didn't argue. He turned back toward the path, moving forward once more, but the tension between them lingered.Elara followed, her mind racing.
She had to keep moving, had to outrun the curse—but how long could she keep this up? Her body was exhausted, her powers drained. The earth's magic, which had always been her strength, now felt distant and unreliable, like trying to grasp smoke with her fingers.
You can't run forever. The figure's voice echoed in her mind, taunting her.They continued in silence, the forest growing darker and more oppressive around them.
The trees seemed to close in, their twisted branches clawing at the sky, casting long shadows that danced in the faint light. Elara's steps slowed as the weight of the curse pressed down on her, pulling at her heart, her mind.She stopped, her breath catching in her throat.
"Leif," she whispered, but her voice barely carried in the stillness.
Leif turned, his expression tense.
"What is it?"Elara couldn't explain it—couldn't put into words the sensation that gripped her now. It was as though the curse had sunk its claws into her, dragging her down into the depths of something dark and terrible. Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe.
The forest around her seemed to shift, the shadows lengthening, the air growing colder. Elara stumbled back, her vision blurring as the pull of the curse grew stronger, more insistent.
She felt her knees buckle, and she reached out, grabbing onto a nearby tree for support.
"Elara!" Leif rushed to her side, his hand gripping her arm, steadying her.She gasped for breath, her fingers digging into the rough bark of the tree. The earth beneath her seemed to pulse with an unnatural rhythm, the magic twisting and writhing in her veins.
"I... I can't..." Her voice was barely a whisper.Leif's grip tightened, his eyes wide with concern.
"What's happening?"Elara shook her head, unable to speak. The curse was too close now, too strong. She could feel it inside her, suffocating her, pulling her down into darkness.For a brief, terrifying moment, she saw it—a vision, flashing before her eyes.
A kingdom in ruins, consumed by shadows. A prince with silver hair standing alone, his eyes cold and empty. And at the center of it all... her.
She was the key. The curse would not stop until it had her.
"Elara, stay with me." Leif's voice was desperate, but it felt distant, muffled by the weight of the curse pressing down on her.
"We have to keep moving."But Elara couldn't move. She couldn't breathe.The darkness closed in around her, and in the distance, she heard the faint sound of laughter—low, mocking, and all too familiar.Suddenly, the weight lifted, and Elara gasped, her body trembling as the air rushed back into her lungs.
She collapsed against the tree, her heart racing, her mind spinning.Leif knelt beside her, his face pale, his eyes full of fear.
"What just happened?"Elara shook her head, unable to find the words. The vision still lingered in her mind, the prince's cold eyes staring back at her. She was tied to the curse—bound to it in a way she didn't fully understand.
And it was coming for her."We can't run from this," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"I can feel it... the curse... it's inside me."Leif's expression darkened. "Then we'll fight it."Elara looked up at him, her heart heavy with the weight of the truth.
"How? How do we fight something like this?"Leif didn't answer. He didn't have to. They both knew the truth.This was no ordinary curse. It wasn't something they could outrun—or defeat.
It was something they would have to face head-on.
Author's Note:
The curse is closing in, and Elara is beginning to realize just how deep her connection to it runs. What do you think of the vision she saw? Could this be a glimpse of her future, or something more? As we move forward, we'll uncover more about the cursed kingdom and the mysterious power that ties Elara to it.