"You become what you discover" were the words that, like an ancient echo, sealed my fate.
In the marble heart of Catros Castle, the great hall bustled with the splendor of the queen's birthday, an unbreakable protocol that demanded its entire royal family. But the rule crumbled somewhere in the tangled labyrinth of the gardens, where a young figure ran, panting, the breath of the guards at her heels. Her feet, however, knew the path, every twist and turn in the greenery that hid a dimensional scar, a small, trembling opening between this world and another. Without hesitation, with the faith of one leaping into the void, the girl launched herself, and the air rent, carrying her far away.
From a realm where magic whispered in the wind, she emerged into a world of thunder and asphalt. Vehicles, metallic monsters, glided in a rhythm that was alien to her; The chaos of the city rose in a constant roar, and the tiny, hurried people dissolved into an incomprehensible rush. The echo of her heels joined the diffuse symphony as she ascended the stairs with deliberate slowness. Suddenly, the bustle dissolved into an expectant silence, broken only by whispered murmurs: "The snake has arrived."
"The Snake." A perfect name for one who, like the cunning reptile, entered and left her burrow unseen; whose scales were armor as impenetrable as her camouflage; whose fangs were deadly weapons for hunting and defense. A perfect name for one who was already underground, but at the same time, alongside those who breathe.