Whispers Beyond The Shore

The sky above the forest was veiled in thin clouds, hinting at light showers without a storm. The earth beneath her feet had grown familiar—as if she had begun to memorize the breaths of the trees and the language of the wind rustling through their leaves. Ever since she'd left the burned-down cabin, she hadn't stopped. Time was no ally, and the forest held no pity for the lost. Yet something within her kept pushing forward.

She had been training. Each time she was alone, she whispered to the heart beating in her chest, pressed her fingers to the pendant, begging it to give her something… even just a spark.

One cold night, with frost kissing her skin, she extended a trembling hand toward the darkness, closed her eyes, and focused. Then—

a faint flicker. A small flame, like a piece of her frozen soul igniting for a moment. It lasted mere seconds, but it was enough to make her eyes gleam with wonder.

Days passed. Each day the flame burned longer than the last, as if returning to her the confidence she'd lost.

She slept beneath trees, drank from shallow streams, and learned to listen. The forest was an open book to those who knew how to read it. On the fourth day of her journey, she woke to the faint crunch of footsteps.

Her body froze. She slipped behind a dense bush, hand clenched around the pendant, heart pounding in a frantic rhythm. Was it Sarenya? Had she followed her?

But when the figure emerged, her tension eased. A young man. Tall, with dark brown hair fluttering in the breeze, and a calm face she hadn't seen in what felt like ages.

She watched him for a moment, then stepped forward slowly—like someone walking through a dream.

"Hello…?"

He looked up quickly, then smiled. A simple smile, carrying no threat.

"Oh… I didn't see you there. Are you lost?"

She nodded slowly.

"I'm looking for a way out of this forest… do you know where we are?"

"I know a few paths," he said, pointing eastward. "If we keep walking, we'll reach the forest's edge in a day or two."

She nearly teared up. A human… finally, another person. No betrayal. No hidden magic.

They walked side by side and spoke along the way. His name was Fayren. He was kind, laughed softly, and listened with genuine interest. With every step, the walls she had built around her heart began to crack.

"My name's Fayren," he told her. "I was just out looking for some medicinal herbs. Didn't expect to run into anyone here."

She gave him a shy smile. "I'm… Eirlyn."

"Eirlyn… that's a beautiful name."

A strange warmth brushed her cheeks—like, just for a moment, she had forgotten all the pain.

But she didn't notice the faint red glow that began to seep from the pendant… soft, subtle—as if shyly warning her.

As the sun dipped low, Fayren pointed to a small cave at the base of a rocky hill.

"Night's coming. That cave should make a good shelter."

She hesitated but was exhausted. Catching her breath, she followed.

Inside, Fayren lit a small fire, and they shared some dried fruit. Night fell, and only the soft crackle of flames remained.

She drifted into sleep.

But sleep was anything but merciful.

She saw faces… places from her past world. A classroom. Cold corners. Eyes that never saw her. That voice—

his voice. Her friend, or so she thought, just before he pushed her off that cliff. The stolen breath. The void that swallowed her.

She woke up screaming, breath ragged, cold sweat clinging to her skin.

But as her eyes flew open—

the nightmare hadn't ended.

She was trapped… inside a cage.

A cage? No bars in sight. But invisible walls pressed in, locking her in place.

"Fayren? Fayren, where are you?!"

His voice echoed from the shadows. But when he stepped into the light… it wasn't him.

Same face. But a twisted, crooked smile.

"What… what is this?! Why are you doing this?!"

He laughed. A sound far from human.

"You're easy, Eirlyn…"

Her eyes widened.

Then his face began to shift—skin burned away, features twisting, revealing a creature with golden eyes and ash-gray skin.

"I was hungry. And you came to me willingly."

She smacked her forehead. "Stupid… stupid!"

He stepped closer, slow and deliberate. "I want something from you. Something… precious."

"I have nothing."

Then he saw it—the pendant. His eyes lit up.

"That… give it to me!"

"Never!"

"Then you'll stay here… until the beast devours you."

He laughed—deep and low, enough to make the cave walls tremble.

"Damn you," she muttered.

He lunged, reaching through the barrier to grab the pendant. She kicked his hand, shoved him back, but he kept coming. His hands clawed forward again—

Then…

a sound.

A roar.

Something… from deep within the cave.

The creature froze. He glanced at her with mocking amusement.

"I should go. Good luck," he whispered… and vanished.

Trapped.

She was alone.

The air grew colder. Her breath turned visible. The dark thickened.

"I'm… not afraid," she whispered.

But the wind mocked her.

Then… it emerged.

Shadows drawing closer. Yellow eyes. Fangs. Black fur.

A tiger.

A massive tiger.

Her heart thundered. She gripped the pendant.

"Help me… please…"

No response.

"Not the time to play games!"

She banged against the barrier, screaming, pushing, shoving. The tiger drew nearer.

Then, with one final shove—

crack! The cage shattered, melting into damp, sticky muck.

"Miserable demon…" she hissed.

Another roar ripped through the cave.

"Mommyyyyy!" she shrieked, bolting into the forest, eyes wide with panic.

She leapt over roots, weaved between trees, jumped off rocks. The tiger pursued—drooling, hungry.

She looked at the pendant, panting. "You useless piece of junk! Why won't you help me?! I'm throwing you away!"

Suddenly, it pulsed with a faint red glow… then went dark—

as if saying: Figure it out yourself.

Her foot caught in a muddy pit. She fell hard.

The tiger loomed closer, its fangs gleaming.

She clutched the pendant. "I'm sorry! I take it back! You're not junk, I swear! Please!"

"Pleaaaaaase!!"

The moment the tiger leapt—

Time stopped.

Its claws froze mid-air, its body suspended in a deathly pounce.

Eirlyn stared in shock. Then she glanced at the pendant, glowing quietly in her palm.

She smiled, breathless with relief. Pulled her leg free—

and ran.

Ran like her life depended on it—because it did.

Once she was far enough…

she let the pendant resume time.

BOOM.

The tiger's roar exploded behind her.

But she didn't look back.

She kept running… until her legs gave out—

and she fell off a cliff.

"Aaaaaah!"

Thud.

A haystack broke her fall.

She rolled out of it, gasping, coughing straw.

Then looked up… and saw them.

Endless fields. Wide, open plains.

She smiled through exhaustion.

At last—

she had escaped the

forest.

In the distance, beyond a gentle rise… a village.

She had crossed the forest.

And now, the road to Nemora lay wide before her.

Or so she thought…

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