Ghostly Figure

Chapter 16: Nightmares

-3rd Person-

 Yui's heart pounds in her chest as she stands in the middle of her village, the sky above a swirl of dark, ominous clouds. The once vibrant and lively streets are now filled with chaos, the air thick with smoke and the acrid scent of burning wood. People scream and run in all directions, their faces twisted in terror. Yui's small frame trembles as she watches the devastation unfold, her mind unable to comprehend the horror that surrounds her.

The peaceful village she once knew has become a nightmare. Houses are ablaze, their wooden structures collapsing under the intense heat. Shadows dart through the smoke, figures moving too quickly for her to identify. Her neighbors, people she had known her entire life, are now strangers in the chaos, their eyes wide with fear as they flee from an unseen enemy.

Yui's eyes are drawn to the figure of her mother, desperately trying to shield her from the surrounding danger. Her mother's face is etched with panic, her voice a frantic plea as she urges Yui to run, to find safety. But Yui's feet feel rooted to the ground, her body paralyzed by fear. The world around her feels surreal, like a nightmare from which she can't wake up.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her shakes violently, a deafening roar filling the air. The shockwave sends her stumbling, her mother's hand slipping from her grasp. Yui tries to reach out, to call for her mother, but her voice is lost in the cacophony of destruction. A wall of fire rises before her, the heat scorching her skin and blurring her vision.

"Mom!" Yui's voice finally breaks free, a desperate scream that echoes through the chaos. But her mother is gone, lost in the smoke and flames. Panic seizes her, her heart racing as she struggles to breathe, the thick smoke choking her lungs. The village around her is collapsing, consumed by the disaster, and Yui is left alone, surrounded by destruction.

A figure emerges from the smoke, dark and menacing. It moves toward her with a deliberate, terrifying calm. Yui's instincts scream at her to run, to escape, but her body refuses to move. The figure draws closer, its face obscured by shadows, and Yui's fear reaches a breaking point. She can't see its eyes, but she feels its gaze, cold and unyielding, as it looms over her.

The world around Yui begins to spin, the sounds of destruction growing distant as darkness closes in. She feels herself falling, her body giving in to the overwhelming fear. The last thing she sees is the shadowy figure reaching out toward her, its presence suffocating her as she slips into unconsciousness.

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Yui wakes up with a start, her body drenched in cold sweat. Her heart is racing, and her breath comes in ragged gasps as the vivid nightmare releases its grip on her. The terror of that day lingers, the memories of her village's destruction etched deeply into her mind. Even in the safety of her room, the fear feels all too real, the ghost of the past refusing to fade.

For a moment, Yui remains in bed, her hands clutching the blanket as she tries to steady her breathing. The nightmare had felt so real, dragging her back to that fateful day in her village. The bright rays of sunlight filtering through the curtains offer little comfort, their warmth unable to chase away the coldness in her heart.

With a shiver, Yui pushes off the covers and forces herself out of bed. The nightmare's grip on her slowly loosens, but the unsettling feeling remains. She moves quickly to the window, drawing back the curtains to let the sunlight flood the room. The warmth of the sun provides small comfort, but her mind is still clouded by the night's troubling visions.

Outside her room, the sound of familiar, cheerful voices reaches her ears. She hears Naruto's distinct, exuberant laughter mingling with another voice she recognizes as Kurenai's. Curious and eager for the distraction, Yui takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of her dream, and makes her way to the living area.