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Annie took a deep breath. “It was nice meeting you,” she said before leaping into the air with a gasp.
And just like that, she was gone. Aurora smiled to herself, proud of the courage that young girl had just displayed. If only she had been as brave in her youth, Aurora would never have ended up trapped as she was.
“It was nice meeting you, too,” she whispered into the wind, hoping that if nothing else, at least a faint sound of her voice would reach the real world.
TRISTAN
Tristan blinked his eyes open to find himself sprawled on the sandy beach. As he slowly rose to his feet, the gentle lull of the waves crashing against the shore filled his ears, blending harmoniously with the distant cry of seagulls soaring across the cerulean sky. The air carried a soft, salty tang, and a warm breeze whispered through his wavy hair, instantly refreshing his weary spirit.
His gaze swept across the horizon, taking in the vast expanse of the Dreamworld. The beach stretched out endlessly, its pristine sands meeting the sparkling sapphire waters that seemed to shimmer with a life of their own. A sense of tranquility washed over him as he realized that this place held no trace of the burdens he carried in the real world.
In this ephemeral paradise, he wasn’t king. The weight of his heavy crown was nonexistent. Here, he was liberated from the shackles of his regal lineage, no longer bound by the ceaseless expectations of a kingdom in turmoil.
The rhythmic sound of approaching hooves reached his ears. Tristan turned toward the forest that lay just beyond the beach. Emerging from a thick haze, a figure appeared. It was Aurora, mounted gracefully on her white stallion, her blonde braid draped over one shoulder, and her brown eyes alight as she watched him from a distance.
She drew close, then stopped next to him. “Took you long enough,” she said, a hint of impatience in her tone. But her eyes carried an irresistible allure.
“How long were you waiting for me?” he asked, curious as to how differently time moved in that world.
Her eyes shifted upward, and he followed her gaze to the lunar eclipse in the sky. “We don’t have much time,” she said, extending her hand toward him, her voice much gentler than before. “Come with me.”
Without hesitation, Tristan reached out and clasped her hand, feeling a surge of energy course through his veins as he swung himself onto the horse’s back. Nestling in behind Aurora, he gripped her waist.
Her back stiffened against his chest.
“Is this all right?” he asked, his lips so close to her ear, he could smell the floral scent of her hair.
“You might need to hold on tighter,” she said with a nervous gulp.
He wrapped his arms around her. “Like this?”
“Sure,” she said hastily, as though trying to keep from entertaining thoughts that might’ve been triggered by his touch. Or perhaps that was simply his own wishful thinking.
Without another word, she sprang the horse forward, its hooves pounding against the soft sand, propelling them toward a thick fog that enveloped the forest. Its tendrils caressed his skin like ghostly specters, concealing the path ahead of them. Tristan’s vision was momentarily obscured, then the fog lifted, and they emerged in the heart of the forest.
Towering trees stretched skyward, their branches interlocking like the hands of ancient giants, filtering the morning light that seeped through the verdant canopy above. Sunbeams danced amidst the gentle sway of the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor.
Despite having seen the darkness this world had to offer, there was still so much light. In that world, Tristan was unburdened by the weight of responsibility that plagued his waking hours. There was no throne to ascend, no crown to bear, and no wars to wage. It was a realm untouched by famine and destruction, where the suffering of his people was but a distant memory.
Here, Tristan was free. Free to be a regular person without a care in the world. In this realm, he could revel in the simplicity of existence, where the only obligation was to embrace the beauty that surrounded him. The warmth of the sun. The cool tickle of the breeze.
A profound sense of peace settled deep within him, and his heart swelled with gratitude for the temporary escape he was granted from the harsh realities of his waking life.
But then a dense fog manifested ahead of them, casting eerie shadows on the trees. A tolling bell began to resonate through the woods, its reverberations slicing through the thick silence like a spectral echo.
“What is that?” Tristan asked, his voice barely more than a hushed murmur.
“That’s what happens when someone enters the Dreamworld,” Aurora explained. “I’ll have to handle this before we continue. Hold on tight.”
He tightened his arms around her waist even more as Midnight galloped into the dark mist. The cold air tickled Tristan’s cheeks as they emerged from the shadowy veil, leaving him momentarily disoriented. The sun had vanished, plunging the Dreamworld into an eerie nocturnal state. Above them, a full moon cast its silvery glow on a moonlit clearing, painting everything in shades of silver and green.
Aurora’s head swiveled from side to side, scanning the surroundings in search of something. “Where is it?” she asked, her voice a soft murmur in the hushed stillness.
Tristan’s brows knitted together in confusion. “Where is what?”
But before he could receive an answer, a piercing scream split the tranquil night air, shattering the silence. His eyes darted toward the source of the sound, his heartbeat quickening.
A young man, clad in navy-blue armor emerged from the dark woods, his face contorted in fear. Gripping a gleaming sword, he fled from an ominous trio of guards in glistening gold armor.
