The gentle breeze that once danced among the trees of Elandor now carried with it a sense of melancholy. Elysiel walked through the royal gardens, her steps hesitant as she observed what remained of the once vibrant nature that had flourished there. The trees, once majestic, were now pale and dry, and the flowers, once colorful and alive, were now fading into grayish hues. Elysiel's connection to nature, a vital part of her magic as both fairy and queen, was weakening. Something was very wrong.
She stopped beside a lake, the surface of the water reflecting her pale, tired face. Her eyes, which once shone with a warm and serene light, now appeared clouded, as though a shadow was growing within them. She had broken the bond with Seraphis, but the darkness he left behind had not abandoned her. It was still there, persistent, growing stronger each day.
