The forest was alive with shadows. Elara could feel them pressing in on her from all sides, their dark tendrils creeping along the ground, wrapping around her ankles, pulling her closer to something she couldn't fully see—but could feel.
Every step was harder than the last, the weight of the curse bearing down on her like a physical force.Leif led the way, his footsteps silent as he navigated the thick underbrush, but even he seemed unsettled by the growing darkness.
His shoulders were tense, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade, ready for any threat that might emerge from the trees. But the true danger wasn't something they could fight with weapons.
"Elara," he said quietly, not turning to look at her. "We're running out of time."She knew he was right.
The curse was closing in, and every moment they spent running only brought them closer to the inevitable. The visions had returned with increasing frequency, each one more vivid, more terrifying than the last.
The prince's face haunted her thoughts, his cold eyes watching her even when she was awake.
"We can't keep going like this," Leif continued, his voice strained. "We need to stop. We need a plan."Elara wanted to argue, to tell him that they had to keep moving, but her body was betraying her.
She was exhausted, her legs trembling with fatigue, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The earth's magic, once so strong beneath her feet, felt distant now, as though the curse had drained it of life.
She could feel the pulse of the forest, but it was weak, erratic, like a dying heartbeat.
"I don't... I don't know what to do," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Leif finally turned to face her, his expression softening. "You don't have to do this alone," he said quietly. "We'll figure this out. Together."Elara looked into his eyes, searching for something—hope, perhaps, or reassurance.
But all she saw was the same fear that gnawed at her own heart. The curse was too strong. It was already inside her, twisting her power, pulling her toward something dark and terrible
. She couldn't outrun it. She couldn't fight it. And yet, she didn't know how to face it.
"What if I can't break it?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "What if I'm not strong enough?"Leif stepped closer, his hand resting gently on her shoulder.
"You are stronger than you know," he said softly. "You've faced things most people couldn't even imagine. Whatever happens, you won't face it alone."Elara wanted to believe him.
She wanted to believe that she could somehow find a way to break the curse, to free herself from the darkness that was suffocating her.
But deep down, she knew the truth. The visions had shown her what was coming.
A kingdom in ruins. A prince consumed by shadows. And her, standing at the center of it all.The night grew colder as they continued their journey.
The wind howled through the trees, rattling the branches and sending leaves spiraling through the air like ghosts. The forest was alive with movement, but it wasn't the natural rhythm of the earth—it was something else, something darker.
Elara shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders as they pressed on. The path was narrowing now, the trees growing closer together, their gnarled branches reaching out like twisted hands. The curse was close.
She could feel it in her bones, a cold, gnawing sensation that refused to let her go.
Suddenly, Leif stopped, his hand shooting up to signal silence. Elara froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She strained to listen, but the wind drowned out all other sounds. Then she saw it—a flicker of light in the distance, barely visible through the thick trees.
"The prince's men," Leif whispered, his voice tight with tension.Elara's stomach twisted with fear. They were close—too close. If they found her now, there would be no escape.
The prince had already made his intentions clear. He would use her power to break the curse, or he would take it by force.
"We have to move," Leif said, his voice urgent. "Now."But Elara didn't move. Her feet felt rooted to the ground, the weight of the curse pressing down on her like a heavy fog.
She could feel the pull of the darkness, stronger now, more insistent. It wasn't just the prince's men she feared—it was the curse itself, the force that was drawing her deeper into its grasp.
"Elara," Leif whispered, his hand gripping her arm. "We have to go."But Elara shook her head.
"It's too late," she whispered, her voice trembling. "It's already here."The shadows around them deepened, the air growing colder with each passing second. Elara could feel the curse wrapping around her, pulling her toward something she couldn't see but could feel in the pit of her soul.
Her breath came in short, panicked gasps as the darkness closed in, suffocating her.She fell to her knees, her hands digging into the cold earth. The forest seemed to spin around her, the trees twisting and bending, their branches reaching out like claws.
She could hear the prince's voice in her mind, his cold, cruel words echoing in the darkness.You are the key. You cannot escape.
"Elara!" Leif's voice was distant now, muffled by the growing roar of the curse. "Elara, stay with me!" But Elara couldn't hear him.
The darkness was too thick, too all-encompassing. It pressed down on her, crushing her, pulling her into the depths of the curse. She could feel it inside her, twisting her power, turning it against her.And then, everything went black.
Author Note:
I'm excited to hear your feedback as we wrap up Chapter 10! Let me know if you're ready to dive into Chapter 11, where things will escalate even further!