Once upon a time, the realms of Chance and Men lived in peace and harmony. The balance of the worlds was perfect. Unfortunately, the thirst for power and magic is an inevitable poison, as insatiable as the noble families of chance. Their thirst led...
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Chapter 5
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I crossed the gate and stepped to the other side.
Nature is the master here, and I have to be careful with my legs, amidst the brambles that litter the ground. The cat brushes past them and darts forward, seemingly knowing the exact route to follow, and I venture after it. The air feels different, the cool late summer breeze is replaced by a heavy heat, as if I'm getting closer to a source of warmth. Nevertheless, I can't help but shiver. I progress quickly, almost running, ignoring the fact that the hem of my dress tears with each step I take. With my candle still lit, shielding the flame with my hand, I focus on the cat ahead of me, oblivious to the fact that darkness surrounds us.
This forest has been condemned for years. How many secrets hide within it?
I now run, whispering to the cat to slow down, but it doesn't seem to decrease its pace. My instinct screams at me to turn back, warning me of the danger that surrounds us. I can't divert my gaze from my four-legged friend, convinced that it knows where it's guiding me.
Suddenly, it stops, and I nearly step on its tail. Raising my eyes and extending the flame before me, I catch sight of him. The stranger. He has his back turned and appears to be crouching, looking at something beneath his feet. At this point, I have little left to lose, so I silently approach him, my hand trembling. He will soon notice my light, notice me. I swallow hard, leaving my cat behind.
I'm just a few steps away from him. If I reach out my arm and take a few more steps, I could touch him.
I'm about to speak, to make myself known when suddenly, he disappears. More precisely, he falls into the ground. I cry out and follow after him, trying to catch him, to grasp his leather hood that brushes the tips of my fingers, but it's too late. He vanishes before my eyes.
And too late, I realize my mistake,
For I fall too.
My foot gets caught in a root, and I try to grab hold, in vain, of the brambles and roots in the ground. I'm sucked into the hole.
And I fall,
Fall,
Fall,
Into a rabbit hole.
I feel like I've been falling for an eternity. At first, only darkness surrounded me, but the more I fall, the more the surroundings seem to change. A gentle bluish glow envelops me, and I realize the width of the rabbit hole. But that's not all. The earth, initially all around, is gradually replaced by what appears to be fluorescent stones. They look like sapphires. The blue of the stones turns amber, then red, then green, and I am mesmerized by the different colors accompanying my fall. The descent is dizzying, and tears well up in my eyes, forcing me to close them. I almost feel like I'm flying, the wind whipping my face. I reach out my hands, hoping they will grab onto something, anything, but it's futile, and I continue to fall endlessly. Is this how I die?
