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*Part 6 — The Voice in the Mist*
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The voice was faint, barely more than a whisper carried by the wind. But it was unmistakable—Aria's voice.
"…help me… please…"
The words echoed in Arinthal's mind, drowning out the deafening roar of the creature as it turned its bloodshot eyes toward her. For a moment, everything seemed to slow down. The fog seemed to thicken, as if it were drawing closer, wrapping around them like an impenetrable wall. The creature, though still a threat, now seemed almost secondary—its movements less important compared to the urgency of the voice.
Lyrien's hand gripped her shoulder, shaking her from her thoughts. His breath was heavy, his face pale from the exertion of the battle, but his eyes were sharp, focused.
"Arinthal," he said, his voice low but urgent, "what's happening? We need to move—now."
But she couldn't tear her eyes away from the fog, from the direction where the voice had come from. There was something pulling at her, something deep and insistent, beckoning her into the mist.
"I—I heard her," Arinthal gasped, barely able to speak. "I heard Aria's voice. She's out there… somewhere. We have to find her."
Lyrien looked at her with a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Aria?" His brow furrowed, and he glanced toward the creature that was still circling them. "Arinthal, there's no time for this! We're not—"
But before he could finish, the creature lunged again, its claws swiping through the air with terrifying precision. Lyrien barely managed to dodge, pulling Arinthal with him as they moved to the side. The creature's jaws snapped shut with an ear-splitting crunch, but Arinthal didn't flinch. Her mind was still consumed by the faint sound of Aria's voice.
The world around her seemed to fade as the mist grew thicker, its cold tendrils creeping closer, curling around their feet like serpents. Her heart pounded in her chest, and with every passing moment, she felt herself being drawn toward it.
"Arinthal!" Lyrien barked, his voice sharp. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back, his face hard with resolve. "We'll find her, but not like this. We need to focus. That thing is still out there."
But Arinthal shook her head, her voice frantic. "Lyrien, it's her! I heard her! She's in the mist!"
His eyes softened for a brief moment, the concern in them unmistakable. But the urgency in his voice returned just as quickly. "Listen to me," he said, his grip tightening. "We can't afford to lose focus. We have no idea what's out there in that mist. We don't even know if it's really her."
The words hit Arinthal harder than she expected. A cold shiver ran down her spine, the realization that she might be chasing an illusion gnawing at her. What if it wasn't Aria's voice? What if it was something else—something darker, something the creature had manipulated to drive them forward?
The air around them seemed to hum with an unspoken promise of something terrible. The creature's growls grew louder, and Arinthal felt the weight of the moment crash down on her. They had no time. They had to move.
With a final, desperate glance toward the swirling fog, Arinthal nodded reluctantly. "You're right," she whispered, though every instinct screamed at her to turn and follow the voice. "Let's go."
Lyrien didn't waste a second. He turned, sprinting deeper into the forest, pulling Arinthal along with him. The sound of the creature's pursuit followed them like a thunderstorm—fast, relentless, and unforgiving.
They ran for what felt like hours, twisting and turning through the dense woods, weaving between trees, trying to outrun the beast that refused to give up. It was a brutal chase, and exhaustion soon started to take hold of Arinthal's limbs. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her side burning where the creature's claws had raked across her skin earlier.
Lyrien, however, seemed unscathed. His eyes were constantly scanning the path ahead, his focus unwavering. But even he couldn't outrun the feeling of dread that hung heavy in the air.
"We need to find shelter," he said, his voice tense as they pushed through a thicket of trees. "Somewhere high, somewhere the creature can't reach."
But just as he spoke, the sound of a terrible crash echoed behind them, followed by a deafening roar. The creature was close—closer than before.
Lyrien spun around, his face set in a grim expression. "This isn't going to work. We're running out of time."
Suddenly, the fog around them shifted, swirling violently in a way that felt almost intentional. The very air seemed to warp and twist, as if the world itself were rearranging. It was a sickening sensation, and Arinthal felt a surge of panic. Something was coming, something far worse than they had already faced.
Before they could react, the mist parted. And there, standing in the center of the clearing, was a figure—a woman.
Arinthal's heart stopped. The woman was draped in flowing robes, her features shrouded in an ethereal glow. Her hair was silver, almost translucent, and her eyes were glowing with an unnatural light. The moment their gazes met, Arinthal felt a sudden pull, an overwhelming force drawing her toward the mysterious woman.
"She's…" Arinthal breathed, her voice trembling. "She's like… Aria."
Lyrien's hand shot out to stop her from stepping forward. "No. Don't go near her."
But it was too late. Arinthal couldn't fight the pull. She took a step closer, then another, and before she knew it, she was standing before the woman. The figure's eyes softened, and her lips parted in a whisper.
"Arinthal…" she said, her voice like the wind itself. "You've come so far… but the path you take now will lead to only one truth."
Arinthal's breath caught in her throat. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice shaking with uncertainty. "What is this place? And what do you know of Aria?"
The woman's smile was sad, distant. "The King Star has risen, and with it, so has the shadow of the past. The one you seek… is not as she seems. But do not fear. The answers you seek are closer than you realize."
Before Arinthal could ask another question, the figure raised her hand, and a gust of wind knocked Arinthal off her feet. The force sent her sprawling to the ground, her body aching as she hit the cold earth.
The last thing she saw before everything went black was the woman's fading silhouette, disappearing into the mist as though she had never been there at all.
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**To be continued…**
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