The Escape

The cold night air burns my lungs as I sprint through the dense forest, my legs aching with every step. The sound of snapping branches behind me sends a chill through my spine. They're close. Too close. I press a hand against my ribs where pain lances through me—my side is bleeding, though I don't have time to check how badly.

 Branches whip against my skin, leaving thin cuts along my arms, but I don't slow down. Stopping means death. Or worse.

 A sharp whistle pierces the air, and my heart clenches. They've found me.

 I duck behind a fallen tree, pressing myself into the damp earth as footsteps rush past. Shadows flicker between the trees, their torches casting an eerie glow against the darkness.

 "Search the area. She couldn't have gotten far."

 Their voices are too familiar, too close. I clench my jaw, forcing my breaths to slow. These men—bounty hunters, traitors to the kingdom—were once subjects of my father. Now, they hunt me like an animal.

 I squeeze my eyes shut, and for a brief moment, the forest fades away…

 ---

 Flashback – The Castle Attack

 Smoke and blood choke the air. The throne room, once a place of power, is in ruins—torn banners, shattered marble, bodies of loyal guards scattered like broken dolls. The golden crest of my father's reign lies in pieces at the foot of the throne.

 And my father—

 He kneels before them.

 His crown is gone, his once-proud posture beaten down by blood and exhaustion. His robes are torn, his hands bound behind his back like a common criminal. Yet, even on his knees, he does not bow.

 The enemy leader stands before him—a man whose face is hidden beneath a dark hood. I don't know him, but I recognize the sigil on his chest. A rival kingdom. One that has waited for this moment.

 "The throne does not belong to you," the hooded man says, voice calm, almost mocking.

 My father lifts his chin, even as a sword presses against his throat. His eyes find mine.

 I freeze behind a crumbling pillar, my breath lodged in my throat. He sees me. He knows I'm here.

 "Elaris."

 It's barely a whisper, but I hear it like a scream.

 Tears burn in my eyes. I should move. I should do something. But my legs won't obey. I am frozen. Trapped between fear and the weight of betrayal.

 "You have lost," the hooded man says.

 My father doesn't beg. Doesn't plead. Instead, he smiles.

 "Then take it."

 A sword flashes.

 The world stops.

 I don't realize I've screamed until the walls tremble with the sound. The last thing I see before the general grabs me—before the hidden passage swallows me into darkness—is my father's body collapsing onto the steps of the throne he swore to protect.

 And the whispers begin.

 "Run."

 "Live to take it back."

 ---

 Back to the Present...

 A twig snaps near my hiding place, dragging me back to the present. My hands curl into fists as I peek over the log. One of the bounty hunters stands just a few feet away, his torchlight barely missing me.

 I can't keep running forever.

 I grab a small dagger from my belt, adjusting my grip. One strike. Quick and silent.

 I wait until he turns. Then I move.

 The blade slices across his throat before he can make a sound. He gurgles, dropping the torch as he stumbles forward, his eyes wide with shock. I catch his body before it hits the ground, lowering him gently into the dirt.

 More voices call out in the distance. Damn it.

 I take off before they find the body. The forest ends abruptly, opening to a rocky path leading to an abandoned temple—one I recognize from my childhood.

 A place of safety. Or at least, it used to be.

 With no other choice, I slip inside.

 The air is thick with dust and silence. Moonlight filters through the cracks in the stone walls, illuminating old carvings of the kingdom's forgotten gods. I press a hand against the wall, steadying myself.

 "You're bleeding."

 I spin, dagger raised. A man steps out of the shadows, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. He's older, his hair streaked with gray, but there's a hardness in his gaze that speaks of years on the battlefield.

 Recognition flickers in my mind. General Kael. My father's old friend.

 I lower the blade slightly, though my guard remains up. "And you're hiding in a temple that should be abandoned," I counter.

 A slow smirk tugs at his lips. "Seems we both have secrets."

 I don't trust him. I can't. But right now, I need help.

 I take a shaky breath. "I need shelter."

 He studies me for a long moment, then nods toward the temple's inner chambers. "Then you'd better come inside before they find you."

 I hesitate only for a second before following him.

 As we sit by a dim fire in the back of the temple, I press a cloth against my wound, feeling the sting of the blood drying on my skin. The silence feels heavy, but not in the peaceful way I had hoped.

 I close my eyes, trying to block out the whispers around me—the low hum that seems to vibrate through the ground beneath me.

 It's not just the wind. I know it. The whispers sound… different, too close, too real. Like ancient voices clawing their way to the surface, speaking words I can't quite understand.

 "It's not over," one voice murmurs, barely audible.

 Another whispers, "You will return."

 I shake my head, trying to focus on the present, but the whispers only grow louder. The air feels thick, like something heavy is pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe.

 "You alright?" Kael's voice breaks through my thoughts. His hand rests on my shoulder, a grounding touch that pulls me from the strange, suffocating energy swirling around me.

 I blink, shaking my head. "I'm fine."

 But my skin feels too tight, my thoughts too scattered. The whispers fade as Kael shifts, but I know what I felt—the presence.

 I look at him, trying to hide the unease. "Why this temple?"

 Kael meets my gaze, his expression unreadable. "Because, sometimes, the past doesn't stay buried."

 And in that moment, I wonder if the throne is watching, if it has always been watching me, even from the shadows of this forgotten temple.