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“Emilia,” it hissed, drawing out my name in a sinister lilt.
I turned, searching for the source of the voice, but my once-familiar haven had transformed into a nightmarish maze.
The rows of bookshelves now towered above, their ends lost in darkness, and the usually inviting nooks were draped in menacing shadows.
Whispers multiplied, growing louder, converging from all directions.
I bolted to my feet. “Mayn?” I yelled. “Mayn? Are you there?”
He might have been a stranger but at least he wasn’t an open threat!
I began to run, but my feet felt glued to the floor, every step a laborious effort.
Shadowy figures lurked at the periphery of my vision.
It was them. The Vendikar!
Their long snouts were pinched in constant sneers, their yellow eyes shining like dirty gems.
They chased me, their elongated fingers reaching out, trying to grasp and pull me into their dark fold.
I ran down one corridor after another, hearing the scritch-scratch of their black claws as they scurried after me.
Finally, they seemed to abait and I slowed down to catch my breath.
How did I end up here, in this place?
I was with Mayn!
What’d happened?!
Gasping for breath, I spotted an ornate, antique mirror.
Drawn to it, I watched as my reflection wavered and shifted.
My familiar face, with its freckles and messy bun, started to transform.
My eyes grew larger, darker, my skin adopting an otherworldly hue.
I reached out, touching the cold surface, watching in horror as my human fingers elongated, taking on a distinctly alien form.
“No!” I screamed, backing away. “This isn’t real! It can’t be real!”
But the whispers grew louder, the shadows denser, and the alien version of myself in the mirror seemed to beckon, promising a transformation that was both terrifying and inevitable.
Suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain jolted through my body, yanking me from the nightmare.
My eyes flew open, my surroundings swimming into focus.
The oppressive weight of the dream still pressed heavily upon my chest, and I found myself gasping for air, sweat soaking my forehead and clothes.
“Emilia!” a voice called out, deep yet gentle, laced with concern.
It was far and distant like… like I was in a dream!
As I turned, the world shifted and morphed into another time, another place.
Mayn, my rescuer, stood at my side.
