The glowing path snaked deeper into the forest, weaving through towering trees whose branches intertwined like a vast, living canopy. The air was cool and damp, carrying a faint hum that seemed to emanate from the woods themselves. Caspian followed Ellara closely, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"You're quiet," Ellara said, glancing back at him.
Caspian's brow furrowed. "I'm still trying to make sense of what happened back there. That shard—it felt alive, like it was showing me things I wasn't ready to see."
Ellara nodded, her expression somber. "The Fragment of Fate isn't just an object. It's a connection to something far greater than any of us. What it showed you might not make sense now, but it will. In time."
"I'm not sure I want to see more," Caspian admitted. "The visions were… unsettling."
Ellara stopped, turning to face him. "The truth often is. But hiding from it won't make it go away. Whatever the shard revealed to you, it chose you for a reason. You can't run from that."
Caspian opened his mouth to respond, but a faint rustling sound cut through the air, freezing them both in place.
"Did you hear that?" he whispered, his eyes scanning the trees.
Ellara nodded, her grip tightening on her staff. "We're not alone."
The hum in the air grew louder, and the forest seemed to shift around them. The trees creaked and groaned as if alive, their shadows stretching unnaturally. From the corner of his eye, Caspian thought he saw a figure dart between the trunks, but when he turned, there was nothing there.
"Stay close," Ellara said, her voice low.
They moved cautiously, their steps barely making a sound on the mossy ground. The rustling grew louder, joined by faint whispers that seemed to come from everywhere at once.
"Caspian…"
He froze, his blood running cold. The voice was soft and familiar—too familiar.
"Anya?" he whispered, his heart pounding.
Ellara grabbed his arm. "Don't," she warned. "It's the forest. It's trying to deceive you."
But the whispers grew more insistent, and Caspian could swear he saw a figure just ahead—a small, delicate figure with dark hair, standing in the shadows.
"Caspian, please," the voice called again, tinged with desperation.
"I have to see," he said, pulling away from Ellara.
"No!" she hissed, but it was too late. Caspian pushed through the trees, his breath quickening as he chased the figure deeper into the forest.
The trees grew denser, their branches clawing at him as he ran. The whispers surrounded him, merging into a cacophony of voices that echoed in his mind.
"You left me."
"You failed."
"You will never be enough."
"Stop!" he shouted, clutching his head.
Suddenly, the voices ceased, replaced by an eerie silence. Caspian found himself in a small clearing bathed in pale light. At its center stood a girl—Anya.
She turned to face him, her eyes wide and filled with tears. "Why didn't you save me?"
Caspian's chest tightened. "I tried," he said, his voice trembling. "I wanted to, but—"
"You didn't try hard enough," she interrupted, her voice cold.
He took a step toward her, his hand outstretched. "Anya, please, let me—"
"Stop!" Ellara's voice rang out, breaking through the silence. She burst into the clearing, her staff blazing with light. The figure of Anya recoiled, her form flickering like a shadow caught in the wind.
"She's not real, Caspian!" Ellara shouted. "It's the forest playing tricks on you!"
Caspian hesitated, his gaze flickering between Ellara and the figure of Anya.
"She's lying," Anya said, her voice sweet and sad. "I'm real. Don't you recognize me, Caspian? Don't you miss me?"
His heart ached, the weight of guilt pressing down on him. But then he remembered the Arbiter's words: The lake shows you what you fear most.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped back, his eyes narrowing. "You're not her," he said firmly.
The figure froze, its expression twisting into something cruel. "Foolish boy," it hissed, its voice distorting.
Ellara raised her staff, and the clearing erupted in light. The figure let out a guttural scream before dissolving into a swirl of black mist, which disappeared into the shadows.
Caspian staggered, the weight of the encounter leaving him shaken.
Ellara caught his arm, her expression grim. "I told you not to follow it."
"I thought—" He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "It felt so real."
"That's what the forest does," she said. "It preys on your mind, your memories. You can't let it control you."
He nodded, his jaw tightening. "I won't let it happen again."
Ellara studied him for a moment before turning back toward the path. "Come on," she said. "We need to keep moving. The forest isn't done testing you yet."
Caspian followed her, his resolve hardening with each step. Whatever the forest had in store, he would face it. For Anya, for himself, and for the truth he sought.