SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
"Catch her! Don't let her escape!" a voice barked from the shadows, its sharp tone echoing with impatience and command.
In the forest, the dim light filtering through the dense canopy barely illuminated the shadowy figures dashing through the trees.
Those Swift, shadowy figures darted between the towering trunks, their forms barely distinguishable as they sped through the trees, moving with inhuman speed, relentlessly pursuing a figure ahead
Ahead of them, a lone figure darted through the underbrush, her every step driven by sheer desperation. Her silver-white hair caught faint glimmers of the scant light, stark against the suffocating darkness that pressed in around her.
Her ragged breath was the only sound in the oppressive silence. She didn't dare slow, though her muscles burned with fatigue. There was no room for weakness—not now.
At last, she burst through the thick trees and stumbled into a small clearing.
But her heart faltered as she saw the steep cliff's edge looming before her, its sheer drop disappearing into a churning sea of dark fog below. A chill wind whipped around her, carrying with it the scent of danger and the cold grip of the unknown.
Her wide eyes scanned the ground below—there was no escape.
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The ground beneath her feet trembled as she turned, her breath quickening again as she realized her pursuers had closed in.
The blue-clad figures emerged from the darkness of the forest like wolves, surrounding her in a tightening circle. Their eyes gleamed with cruel intent, hunger flickering in every gaze as they watched her like predators.
"You've run long enough," an older man among them said as he stepped forward, his voice carrying a sinister edge. His face was weathered with age, but his eyes gleamed with the cold light. "There's no escape now. Hand over the artifact, and we might let you go."
The words were hollow, his smirk cruel. Around him, his companions sneered, their expressions filled with malice. Mercy was not something they offered—not truly. There would be no escape, no quick end.
The silver-white-haired woman's breath steadied, a fierce determination burning in her chest. Despite the odds, she held her ground. She met the gaze of the leader with a sharp, defiant glare.
"Over my dead body," she spat, her voice sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
The old man chuckled, stepping closer as if savoring her defiance. "You're alone. No allies, no one to protect you. And that precious artifact of yours? It's worthless in your hands. Surrender, and maybe we'll make it quick."
His words were a mockery, dripping with disdain. The others advanced a step closer, their movements slow. They were sure of themselves, confident in their victory. To them, she was already defeated.
The memory was vivid, the shame still raw. It had been one mission, one grave mistake. And that was all it took. The moment she returned from that mission, everything had changed.
The looks in their eyes were no longer of admiration but of disdain, of quiet judgment. Her supporters vanished like morning mist, their loyalty proving as thin as paper. Overnight, she had gone from the clan's golden child to its disgrace. No longer was she the revered genius; she had become a pariah.
The biting cold of the miasma made her chest tighten as her breath came in short, shallow gasps. Yet, through the haze of exhaustion, she held onto a flicker of hope. The rumors of a ruin hidden deep in Grimhold had been her last chance, her desperate gamble to reclaim her former glory.
She had ventured inside alone, determined to find any relic, artifact, or treasure that might grant her the power to return the position she once had and silence her critics once and for all.
In that ruin, She had found the treasured artifact. But just as quickly, her victory was torn from her grasp.
A group of ruthless pursuers had seen her as she emerged from the ruins, their greed and hunger for power driving them to pursue her relentlessly.
She had fought back, fought with everything she had, but she had been outnumbered, and her body had already been battered from the battles inside the ruin.
Forced to flee, she raced through the forest, her energy waning with every passing second.
Now, in the present, her vision blurred as she pressed forward through the miasma. She could feel it creeping into her, gnawing at the edges of her mind, and for a moment, her resolve faltered. Her legs trembled beneath her weight, and her body cried out for rest, for an end to this torment.
'No... I cannot fall here,' she reminded herself sternly, gritting her teeth. Every muscle in her body screamed in agony, but she forced herself to continue. Her feet dragged through the undergrowth, each step becoming slower and heavier.
Suddenly, the sound of thudding footsteps echoed through the mist. The ground beneath her feet shook ever so slightly, the tremors growing stronger with each passing second.
Her heart faltered as she turned slowly, her body too weak to move with any sense of urgency.
Through her blurred vision, a massive silhouette loomed above her, blocking out what little light remained in this forsaken forest.
The figure was enormous, its presence exuding raw power. As her eyes focused, the shape of a giant beast emerged from the swirling miasma, its eyes glowing with a ferocious glint. Its skin bristled, dark, and mottled, its huge jaw revealing razor-sharp teeth. It looked down at her with an almost predatory hunger.
Fear flashed in her mind, but her body was too exhausted to react.
She staggered backward, trying to summon even the smallest spark of energy to defend herself. But it was futile. The world spun around her as the last residues of her strength faded away.
Before she could even raise a hand, her legs gave out beneath her. Darkness began to close in as her body crumpled to the ground, her silver hair splaying across the dirt like a broken halo.
The beast let out a low growl, its eyes never leaving her prone form. But for her, everything faded into blackness.
Her last thought was a desperate whisper in her mind. "I've to return..."
But she could no longer fight. She slipped into unconsciousness, the cold darkness of the forest swallowing her whole.