Elara's mind raced as she walked back through the forest, her thoughts tangled in confusion. The memory of the cabin and the strange figure still lingered in her mind, their unsettling whispers echoing in her ears. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, the air around her thick with anticipation. It had been hours since she left the cabin, but the shadows still felt close, pressing in from every side.

Her heart pounded in her chest, a strange mix of fear and determination making her every step feel like a choice. She hadn't found answers yet—only more questions. Alistair's name still burned in her mind, the pull to understand what had happened to him growing stronger with each passing moment.

The wind howled through the trees, tugging at her hair and clothes, but she barely noticed it. Her thoughts were too consumed by the man she had seen in the cabin, the one who had warned her to leave, to stay away. Who was he really? Why had he looked so much like Alistair? Was he him, or was it someone—or something—else?

As Elara reached the edge of the clearing, a shadow moved from the corner of her eye. She froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her pulse quickened, and she spun toward the movement, her eyes searching the darkness. The trees were thick here, the fog hanging low to the ground, and the clearing was bathed in an eerie light. The figure in the distance didn't seem to move at first, but there was no mistaking it. It was the same figure from the cabin—the man who had haunted her dreams and now her waking thoughts.

"Elara..." The voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, but it was unmistakable.

Her heart skipped a beat. She knew that voice, even if she didn't understand it. It called to her, pulled her in, even though every instinct in her screamed to turn away, to run. She couldn't. Not now, not when she was so close.

"Alistair?" Her voice trembled, though she fought to keep it steady. She had to know. She had to understand what was happening.

The figure stepped forward, the fog swirling around him like a living thing. His eyes glowed faintly, silver like the moonlight that filtered through the trees. Elara's breath hitched in her throat. There was no mistaking it. This was him.

"Alistair," she whispered again, almost to herself. "You're here."

He stopped just a few feet away from her, the space between them thick with tension. His gaze never left hers, and for a moment, Elara could have sworn she saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by something far darker.

"You shouldn't have come here," Alistair said, his voice low, tinged with sadness and warning.

The words hit her like a wave, crashing over her with a weight she hadn't expected. A chill ran down her spine, the cold biting at her skin. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words stuck in her throat. She wanted to ask him what he meant, why he had appeared to her, but the fear that gripped her held her silent.

"Why are you here?" Elara finally managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. "What do you want from me?"

Alistair's expression was unreadable, but there was something in the way he looked at her, something that made Elara's chest tighten. He stepped closer, the fog swirling around them, his presence growing heavier by the second.

"You need to leave, Elara," he said, his tone urgent, almost desperate. "This place... this curse... it's more dangerous than you know. The truth you're searching for will destroy you if you're not careful. Please, just turn back."

Elara's stomach churned with confusion, a sense of dread creeping over her. She had to know more. She couldn't walk away now—not when she was so close. "I can't," she replied, her voice firm despite the fear creeping in. "I can't walk away from this. Not after everything I've learned. I need to know the truth. I need to know what happened to your family, why you disappeared."

Alistair's gaze softened for just a moment, and Elara could see the conflict in his eyes. But the moment passed, and he took a step back, shaking his head slowly.

"You don't understand," he murmured, almost to himself. "You think you can stop it, but you can't. The curse isn't just about me. It's about everything connected to it. Everyone who's ever been tied to this place. It will devour you if you're not careful."

Elara's mind was spinning, the words almost too much to process. She had to press him, had to know more. "Then tell me," she demanded, her voice shaking but determined. "Tell me what happened. Tell me about the curse, about the fire. About what's going to happen to me if I keep going."

Alistair took another step back, his eyes distant. "You won't understand," he whispered, his voice full of regret. "The curse isn't just a story—it's a force, something ancient. It's been buried for so long, but it's waking up. You're already tied to it. It's already inside you."

Elara's breath hitched as the words sank in. She was tied to the curse? How? Why?

Before she could ask, a sudden rush of energy filled the air, and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. It was as though something had pierced her very soul. Her vision blurred, the world around her seeming to waver. The ground beneath her feet felt unsteady, and she gripped her head as the images flooded in—flashes of fire, shadows moving through the smoke, her own face staring back at her in an unfamiliar place.

"Elara!" The voice broke through the vision, pulling her back to the present. Alistair's face was right in front of her now, his hand gripping her arm, but his expression was more desperate than ever. "You have to listen to me. You need to leave. There's no going back."

Elara's breath came in sharp gasps, her body trembling, but she managed to meet his eyes. She wanted to scream at him to tell her everything, but the words stuck in her throat. The visions, the curse—it was all too much, too overwhelming.

"I can't..." she whispered, the uncertainty in her voice like a tremor running through the air itself. "I can't leave without knowing the truth."

Alistair's expression faltered, his eyes narrowing with something that could have been fear, but before he could speak again, a sudden, deafening crack split the air.