Chapter 1: The Forgotten Forest
Elara had always felt like an outsider in the village of Thornebrook, where superstitions ran deep and the whispers of the elders shaped daily life. The people spoke of the ancient forest that bordered the village, a dark and forbidden place that no one dared enter. At night, strange sounds could be heard from the woods—howls, rustling leaves, and whispers on the wind. Elara, restless and curious, found herself drawn to it. One evening, she stood at the forest's edge, gazing at the twisted trees that seemed to beckon her closer. Something in her soul stirred—a feeling of both fear and longing.
The next morning, as the village gathered for the annual harvest festival, Elara couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. The whispers were louder now, as though they were calling to her directly. She decided to venture into the forest alone, despite her mother's warnings. As she walked deeper, the shadows seemed to stretch and shift around her. The air grew heavy with an unnatural silence. Just as she was about to turn back, she encountered a figure—a man cloaked in shadows, his face hidden behind a hood. His voice echoed like a distant thunderclap. "The curse has awakened. You are the key."