Twilight of Realities: Worlds Collide

Chapter 12: The Shadows of the Forest

The moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the dense forest. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the stillness as Maya, Aria, and Lyra ran, their breaths ragged and desperate. The trees seemed to close in around them, creating an almost suffocating sense of urgency.

"Lyra, don't stop! Run!" Maya's voice was a desperate plea as she glanced back at Aria, who had stumbled and fallen.

Aria winced in pain, clutching her ankle. "Maya, I can't!" she cried out, struggling to get back on her feet.

Maya skidded to a halt, quickly running back to help her friend up. "Come on, Aria, we can't stay here," she urged, supporting her. Together, they urged each other forward.

Ahead of them, Lyra's vision blurred as a cacophony of strange voices echoed in her mind. The whispers grew louder, more insistent, filling her with an overwhelming sense of dread.

"Come to me, Lyra... Where are you, sis? You deserve to know the truth... You are wrong, we are humans... We can make evidence..."

The voices were disorienting, and everything around her grew darker. The forest seemed to shift, becoming more menacing. Lyra felt an overwhelming sense of solitude. She tried to block out the voices, pressing her hands to her ears.

"No, no, everything is wrong. Stop this! Someone help me!" she screamed, looking around frantically. The world spun around her, and she felt dizzy, barely able to keep her balance.

Suddenly, a huge eagle swooped down towards her, its talons outstretched, aiming to attack. Lyra screamed in terror, but before the eagle could reach her, it was struck down by a powerful force. She could barely comprehend what was happening as panic overtook her, and she fainted.

"Hey, hey, wake up! It's you again."

The familiar voice cut through the haze. Lyra's eyes fluttered open briefly, seeing a blurred image of the boy she had met before. "It's you," she whispered weakly before closing her eyes again.

The boy looked around for help, panic evident on his face. "Hey, Lysandra, wake up! Look at me. I'm sorry—wait, why am I even sorry? Anyway, Lysandra, can you hear me?" No response came from her limp form.

Before he could do anything further, a voice rang out from behind him. "Hey, you! Move away from her! What have you done to her?" Maya shouted, with Aria following closely behind, her eyes wide with fear.

The boy stood up, carefully placing Lyra on the ground. He turned to face them. "Well, long time no see, Maya, Aria."

Maya and Aria stared in shock. "Astrion Liam? Is it really you?" Maya cried out, disbelief and anger in her voice. "Why is she with you here? What happened to the eagle?"

Liam sighed. "I think you two know Lysandra, so take her back with you. This is not a safe place to stay. Nice to meet you again." He turned to leave, but Maya rushed to Lyra's side, her voice rising in desperation.

"No, we can't go back! They're chasing us. We came to find a place to escape," she shouted.

Hearing this, Liam paused and turned back to face them. "Chasing you? Are you all escaping?"

Aria nodded, her voice pleading. "Yes, we need your help, Liam. You're the only one here who can help us. Please."

Liam's expression softened slightly. "She's not... she's not a magical being, is she?" he asked, looking down at Lyra.

Aria hesitated. "Have you two met before?"

Liam looked away. "It's not quite interesting, and I have nothing to do with you all. We weren't friends before, but she helped me, so I'll try to help her."