Eveline felt the weight of the figure's presence before her, as if the air around them had become dense and suffocating. Each step the shadow took toward her made her heart race, her body tense with the anticipation of an imminent confrontation. Isolde, beside her, remained silent, but Eveline could sense the mage's tension, ready to act at the slightest hint of danger.
The hooded figure stopped a few meters from Eveline, the disturbing smile still etched on its pale face. Its dark cloak seemed to blend with the mist surrounding the clearing, making it part of the environment, almost ethereal.
"You can feel it, can't you?" the shadow said, its voice echoing like a reverberation. "The truth is near, Eveline. The past and the present are converging. There is no more escaping."
Eveline swallowed hard, but her resolve did not waver. "Who are you really? What do you want from me?"
The figure's smile widened, and beneath the hood, its empty eyes stared at Eveline with an intensity that made her shiver. "I am the reflection of everything you left behind. I am the memories, the regrets, the unfulfilled promises. And now, I want you to fulfill your role."
Isolde stepped forward, her voice firm and controlled. "She owes you nothing. The past was left behind for a reason."
The figure ignored the mage and continued speaking directly to Eveline, as if Isolde were an insignificant shadow at that moment. "Do you believe you can escape who you were? Do you think this new life will save you from what is to come? There is a price to be paid, Eveline. And your destiny is still at stake."
Eveline felt a chill run down her spine at those words. She knew the shadow wasn't merely threatening but revealing something true about her situation. But she also knew that, no matter what happened, she could not go back.
"If there is something I must face, let it be now," Eveline said, her voice firm despite the fear. "I am no longer who I was in the past. I am Eveline, daughter of a count in this world. And whatever you are, I will not flee."
The shadow let out a low, ominous laugh. "Courage... Let's see how long it lasts."
Suddenly, the figure dissolved into the mist, as if it had never been there. For a moment, silence filled the clearing, and Eveline felt a sense of relief. But soon the ground began to tremble, and the mist thickened, forming a whirlwind around them.
Isolde reacted quickly, raising her hands and murmuring protective words. A translucent magical shield enveloped Eveline and her, pushing some of the mist away, but Eveline still felt an increasing pressure in her mind.
The sensation was strange and unsettling. It was as if something was trying to invade her thoughts, reliving memories she wished to forget. Images of her past life as Suzume began to surface: moments of loneliness, isolation, choices now seen as regrets. All these memories were trying to overshadow her experiences as Eveline, creating internal confusion.
"Don't fight it, Eveline," the shadow's voice echoed again, now coming from all directions. "Accept what you truly are."
Eveline clenched her eyes shut, trying to resist the mental pain it caused. But deep down, part of her knew that fleeing was not the answer. Isolde had said that true liberation came from acceptance.
With effort, Eveline opened her eyes and faced the mist around her. "If you want me to confront my past, so be it," she said, her voice trembling slightly but resolute. "I was Suzume. I lived a life full of mistakes but also of learning. I will not ignore that."
The mist around them seemed to tremble with her words. The images of her past life became clearer, but instead of being suffocating, they began to organize. She saw Suzume, sitting alone in a dark room, but this time, loneliness did not consume her. Eveline understood that Suzume had sought a new chance to live, and that chance was the life Eveline now had.
"I accept who I was," Eveline continued, feeling the pain in her head diminish. "But I am also Eveline. And I will move forward."
The mist began to slowly dissipate, and the whirlwind around them diminished until it completely disappeared. The ground stopped trembling, and the air around them returned to calm. Eveline took a deep breath, feeling an enormous relief, as if an invisible burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
When the mist finally vanished, the hooded figure reappeared, this time from a distance, almost ethereal. It still stared at her, but something was different now. There was no longer any threat in its empty eyes.
"You've taken the first step," the shadow said, its voice weaker. "But the path ahead is still filled with choices. The true test is yet to come."
Eveline lifted her chin, facing the figure without fear. "I will be ready."
With one last look, the shadow vanished completely, dissolving into the air as if it had never existed. The clearing fell silent, and for a moment, everything seemed incredibly calm.
Isolde relaxed her shoulders, lowering her hands. "You were brave, Eveline. Many would have succumbed to the pressures of the past."
Eveline looked at the mage, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion. "I couldn't have done it without your help. But... what does all this mean?"
Isolde sighed lightly, as if she too were still trying to understand. "It means that your journey is far from over. What we saw here today was only a small part of something greater. The connection between your past lives and this world still needs to be unraveled."
Eveline nodded, feeling more determined than ever. "I will face whatever is necessary. I cannot run from my destiny."
The mage smiled slightly. "Then you are on the right path."
Eveline looked up at the sky, where the clouds were beginning to part, revealing the sunlight. She knew there was still much to discover, many secrets to uncover. But for the first time since starting her new life, she felt she was in control.
And no matter what challenges lay ahead, Eveline knew she was ready to face them head-on.