In the dim glow of a fading sun, the remnants of civilization lay sprawled beneath the heavy clouds that seemed to weep, their tears turning into a fine, misty rain.
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The room once vibrant with life now crumbled in the shadows of fear and oppression. Tall, crumbling ugly looking men towered like metallic skeletons, their glass eyes shattered, reflecting the hopelessness that had befallen humanity.
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A Startled Annabelle gasp for breath, her heart pounding so loud that she could hear the beats thumping, where am I she thinks to herself, pulling the tattered coat tightly wrapped on her off as she trudged away weakly but quickly from the smelly bed she woke up in, her mind a whirlpool of thoughts about the Resistance she had just dreamt of.
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They were the last bastion of hope against the authoritarian regime known only as The Collective. in her dream a voice told her she had joined them the same day she was born, believing that a glimmer of freedom could be birthed from the ashes, she was part of a prophecy, her powers was a combination of hope and destruction.
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Meeting the right guardian, she could use her powers to save the world but in the wrong hands, she could lose her soul to the underworld.
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Today felt different. Perhaps it was the weather, or perhaps it was the oppressive weight of uncertainty in the air, why couldn't she remember what happened before and how she got into this dirty room? She walked out and thankfully no one stooped her until she approached a gathering of rebels, her heart pounding with anticipation.
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Among them stood Liam, the man known for his stoic resolve, his piercing gaze a beacon of strength for the insurgents.
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However, as Annabelle neared him, something flickered in his expression—an abrupt shift from unwavering determination to an unmistakable fear. It pierced through her, an invisible blade of dread. Before she could comprehend, the sudden change reflected in his eyes, darkness pooled around her vision. The world spun and then collapsed.
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“Help her, Liam!” a voice echoed from the distance, sharp enough to slice through the veil enveloping her mind. It was Elijah, ringing out in a cry that reverberated through the remains of the urban jungle.
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"Help her, Liam," he repeated, and though the words were lost amidst the chaotic sounds of the city, they surged with urgency.
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With a jolt, Annabelle's consciousness flickered back to life. She blinked against the dull twilight, her breath quickening as she found herself lying on the cold, damp concrete, surrounded by a haze of darkened figures. Liam hovered nearby, his visage now etched with a hidden mix of regret and fear, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out, but not toward her—toward something behind.
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“What’s happening?” she stammered, trying to rise but finding herself weak and disoriented. Every forgotten memory of the events in the garden came back to her, how Elijah had refused to save her from Curtlers men.
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“Annabelle,” Elijah's ’s voice broke under the weight of his distress. “You need to get out of here. Now!” Go back to your room he whispered, not wanting to get caught by Liam.
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The world sharpened around her as Curtler — brave and unyielding self— stepped forward out of nowhere, determination etched across his face. He turned to Liam, his son, whose expression was grim as shadows danced around the edges of their crumbling sanctuary.
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“We can’t let them take her before the ritual is completed,” Curtler asserted, conviction igniting the words that poured from his lips. The air seemed to vibrate with an intensity only he could see.
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Walk with me son...
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Behind them, the rumble of mystical laughter grew louder, a beast has awakened. They are coming, she could sense it—its advanced darkness, sleek and ominous, cutting through the thick clouds like harbingers of despair, searching for any remnants of defiance. They had a smell for rebellion, and it was closing in rapidly.
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“Annabelle, go back now!” her brain urged, pulling Annabelle to her feet. “you can’t hold them off all by yourself in this state. You are too weak.
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From a short distance, Annabelle looked into Liam's eyes; they were cold but filled with emotions she couldn't read. She could taste the salt of fear mingling with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. “You can ignore me,” she suggested weakly, glancing desperately around their hidden enclave, the crumbling remains of a once-bustling city square hidden in the underworld but one thing she didn't know was, he heard her clearly.
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“There’s no time,” the voice said in her head gritted its teeth, urgency propelling its next words. I will draw their attention away from you. We’ll regroup at the safe zone by dawn.”
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Safe zone, a familiar word Liam had once said to her before he deceived and betrayed her.
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As recognition washed over Annabelle, a pang of desperation clawed at her heart. The potency of their friendship, the unbreakable bonds forged in the fires of their struggle, rallied within. “I won’t leave him behind !” she shouted silently to the voice, breaking as the weight of the past decision she had made crashed down on her like a tidal wave.
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But the voice shook his head, his jaw set in determination. even after all he has done to you? He asked in mockery, yes she answered sounding so unsure.
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“You have to survive. If we fall here, the whole Resistance falls. Trust me, Annabelle.”
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Behind her, the myriad of voices—Liam, Cutler, and the others—was drowned out by the sinister whir of the mystical chants. Panic surged through her like wildfire, and for a moment, she felt the sinister dark side of her fighting to take control, the voice is right, she has to go back to the room but the love she has for Liam is forcing her to stay.
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With no time to hesitate, she surged forward, closer enough to touch Liam but suddenly bursting through the foliage into another world. Around her, the air sparkled with radiant energy—an ethereal forest glowed under the silver light of twin moons. Trees twisted high above, their trunks entwined like lovers, and bioluminescent flowers illuminated a path that beckoned her closer. This was the realm of Aetheria, known to only a few as a sanctuary for those in desperate need.
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“Where am I?” she whispered, the beauty overwhelming her senses.
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“Welcome, brave soul,” a melodic voice floated through the glade. To her shock, a figure materialized, clad in flowing robes spun from twilight and dawn. A being of pure light, shimmering with an iridescent glow stepped forward.
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“I am Kael, Guardian of Aetheria. You seek to escape, yet your heart calls for those you leave behind. This world opens its arms but asks a price,” the guardian intoned solemnly.
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Annabelle clenched her fists, determination igniting anew within her. “I can’t abandon them. They are my family. What must I do?”
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Kael’s luminous form flickered as a gentle breeze rustled the leaves. “You will face a trial, one that will test your spirit and resolve. Only by embracing your fear can you reclaim your friends.”
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A surge of fortitude filled her. Annabelle stepped forward, ready to face whatever challenge lay ahead. Gripping a mysterious crystal that glowed at her side, she felt its power resonate with her heartbeats. “I’m not afraid,” she declared fiercely. “I’ll fight for them.”
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The guardian nodded, acknowledging her bravery. “Then let the trial begin.”
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Annabelle came back to her senses panting, only this time Elijah grabbed her quickly and pulled her away while covering her mouth before cutler and Liam could find her missing. She bit his hand, thrashing to be set free, Elijah swallowed the pain of being bitten and even though he had her mouth covered, he could clearly hear her soft plead for Liam.
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