Worst Nightmare

Chapter 12

Author's Pov

Faye moved cautiously through the dimly lit forest, the only sound the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath her feet. Her heart pounded as she searched desperately for the Princess, the weight of fear and urgency pressing down on her. She wiped the moisture from her eyes, pushing back the damp strands of hair clinging to her forehead. The night air was cold, and her clothes still clung to her from the plunge into the water.

Then she heard it—a voice, soft and ethereal, cutting through the silence. Woman's voice. The same woman that's haunting her from past days.

Faye's heart skipped a beat as she looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief. That woman stood atop the highest peak of the mountain, her dark hair whipping wildly in the wind, her eyes blazing with secrets yet to be revealed. Faye felt as though she had been transported to the base of that mountain, shivering in the frigid air, her breath catching in her throat.

"Find Yoko!" Woman's voice echoed through the night, a challenge wrapped in an order. "She's out there, somewhere. But beware, King. Not even I know what awaits you when you find her."

Faye swallowed hard, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear, excitement, and desperate hope. Would she find Yoko? What dangers lay in wait along the path? She could only press forward, trusting that Marissa's guidance would lead her true.

"Faye," Woman's voice softened, though it carried an unmistakable urgency. "Your love is the only force that can rescue Yoko from the darkness threatening to consume her. She needs you now more than ever. Cross to the other side and save her before it's too late."

Faye nodded, determination filling her chest. She had to save Yoko—there was no other option. Just as she steeled herself to move forward, Woman suddenly appeared before her, her forceful presence colliding with Faye and sending her sprawling in a new direction.

Faye hit the ground hard, pain shooting through her arm as she clutched it instinctively, feeling the sharp, unmistakable agony of a broken bone. She groaned, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to push herself up.

As she glanced up from the ground, she froze. A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, a man whose face she recognized despite the years that had passed. His gaze was intense, and Faye quickly averted her eyes, her heart pounding harder with each passing second.

She had known this man in her youth—a strange, quiet figure who had always lingered on the edges, watching but rarely speaking. She had once considered him harmless, but now, standing here in the darkness, she wasn't so sure.

Faye began to back away slowly, her eyes never leaving the man's shadowed form. He didn't move, but his gaze remained fixed on her, sending chills down her spine. Her breath quickened, and her mind screamed for her to run, but her feet were rooted to the spot, paralyzed by fear.

She wanted to flee, but the sight of Yoko, lying unconscious near a tree, stopped her in her tracks. Her heart clenched at the sight—there was no way she could leave Yoko here, alone and vulnerable, with this man lurking so close. Tremors ran through her body as she waited for the man to make a move. When he didn't, she dared to take a cautious step forward.

But before she could make it far, the man moved with terrifying speed, his foot connecting with her side and sending her crashing to the ground. Pain exploded through her body as she gasped, her mind reeling.

"Too fast," Faye muttered through clenched teeth. "I knew I couldn't beat him..."

But she had no choice. Gathering what little strength she had left, she pushed herself up, determined to fight again. Over and over, she attacked, but each time she was met with the same outcome—the man didn't budge, and she was left sprawled on the forest floor, bruised and battered.