The Withering

Threnody

You found yourself standing in a place that was utterly foreign yet strangely familiar.

Gone were the signs of decay and illness. 

You were in a paradise-like space, bathed in golden light. The air was warm and fragrant, filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the sweet, earthy aroma of healthy, thriving plants. 

Everywhere you looked, life flourished, trees with vibrant green leaves, rivers that sparkled like liquid crystal, and fields of wildflowers that stretched out endlessly under a sky that was impossibly blue.

It was as if you had stepped into a vision of Jorvik as it was meant to be. It was untainted, untouched by darkness.

As you marveled at the beauty surrounding you, a soft, glowing warmth began to gather at the edge of your vision. 

Turning, you saw a figure approaching, its form a radiant beam of light. The figure's presence was both awe-inspiring and deeply comforting, and you recognized it instantly.

Aideen.

She was neither fully human nor entirely spirit, her features indistinct yet comforting. The light she emanated was gentle but powerful, filling you with a sense of profound peace.

Aideen moved closer, her light illuminating everything in her path. She didn't speak, but you could feel her presence, as if it were communicating directly with your heart.

Hesitantly, you took a small step toward her, your voice barely a whisper as you spoke, "Why am I here?"

The question hung in the air, filled with your confusion and uncertainty. 

"What does this mean?" You asked, your voice trembling with the weight of everything you didn't understand, "What am I supposed to do?"

Aideen did not respond with words, but her gaze softened, filled with a compassion so profound that it seemed to envelop you. Her light pulsed gently, as if in response to your questions, though no direct answers came.

You tried again, your voice shaking as you asked once more. 

"Is there hope?" 

The fear and doubt that had been clawing at you since the illness began to spread seeped into your words. You needed to know, needed some sign that this battle wasn't already lost.

Aideen's form shimmered with a soft, radiant glow. For a moment, the world seemed to still, her light wrapping around you like a protective embrace. When she finally spoke, her voice was like the whisper of the wind, gentle yet filled with an ancient power.

"Hope," She began, her tone carrying a wisdom that spanned ages, "Is woven into the very fabric of this world. And so are you,"

You blinked, trying to understand her words, but before you could ask more, she continued, her words more cryptic now.

"The light that heals is not always found in the sky. Sometimes, it is born from within, hidden until the moment it is needed most," Aideen's gaze grew more intense as if urging you to listen closely, "But beware," She added, her voice taking on a more somber tone, "For not all shadows come from darkness,"

As her words resonated, a sudden shift in the atmosphere drew your attention. From the edge of your vision, a figure began to materialize, as if summoned by Aideen's warning.

The figure was shrouded in darkness, its form barely distinguishable, as though it were more shadow than substance. It appeared drained of life, its very essence seeped away, leaving only a husk of what it once was. Blackness clung to it like a second skin, obscuring its identity. You couldn't see who or what it was, but the sight of it sent a chill down your spine, a deep unease settling in your gut.