BLOODLINES LEGACY OF SHADOWS

I find myself in a dense, foggy forest. The air is thick with an unnatural chill, and I shiver as it seeps into my bones.

  Clutching my hands together, I try to make out what I am seeing. Shadows envelop everything, and the tall trees stand like silent sentinels. Suddenly, I hear footsteps rumbling from the shadows.

  I freeze, my heart beating loudly, drowning out all other sounds. My hands tremble as I cling tightly to myself, not moving an inch. The footsteps grow louder as I reach out to steady myself against a gnarled tree trunk, its bark rough and cold under my fingertips.

  The footsteps grow louder, crushing the dry leaves on the forest floor, forcing me to turn my head slowly. There, just beyond the reach of the moonlight, I see her. Silver hair glowing, shimmering with the intensity of her fury. She holds up a staff with a large purple diamond sitting gallantly on it, her blue eyes blazing as she approaches me.

  My mind races as I try to process what I am seeing as my legs buckle and I fall against the cold root of one of the trees. She looks exactly like me—or rather, an older version of me. I try to scream, but no sound comes out. My mouth moves silently, and my throat constricts with terror.

  She approaches me, a lump forming in my throat as she kneels to face me. Her hair is no longer blazing; it is calm, just like mine. She stretches out her hand, brushing the hair from my face and tucking it behind my ear, planting a kiss on my forehead. I hear her whisper, “Welcome," her voice sharp as the edge of a knife yet soothing to my ears.

  Staring in shock, I remain silent. Her slender fingers take mine, and I realize there is no difference between us.

  “We are the same. She is me, and I am her,” I think to myself, staring into her calm eyes.

  “You are wrong," she says in a hushed tone. “You are me," she continues with a sly smile, sending fear deep down my spine.

  “Did I say that out loud," I ask myself but there's no response from her this time.

  “I have something to show you. Follow me," she says in a low voice that I can barely hear as she helps me to my feet.

  Without thinking twice, adrenaline courses through my veins, propelling me forward. I run, branches tearing at my skin and clothes, but survival is my priority. The icy wind bites at my face, my lungs burn, and my legs feel like lead, but I don't dare to stop.

  Ahead, a clearing opens, bathed in an eerie dim light. I dash into it, only to find myself looking directly at her. Using my knees for support, I try to regain my breath, wondering what is going on.

  Feeling her gaze on me, her blue eyes are no longer calm; they blaze with fury as she walks towards me and slaps me hard.

  “You are such a hard nut to crack, aren't you?" she says, twisting my hair in her fingers. "You must follow the rules, sweetheart. No one is saving you from my grip," her voice echoes through the abyss.

  Pushing her away, I plunge toward the opposite direction with no ray of light. A manly figure appears in front of me. As I struggle to free myself from his grip, I notice that we are standing on the edge of a cliff. I compose myself immediately.

  Realizing I have calmed down, he frees me, and suddenly a shrill sound erupts everywhere, causing the forest to shrink. Clutching my ears, the figure pushes me off the cliff, and I fall forward into the abyss, the wind rushing past as I plummet into darkness.

  With a jolt, I wake up drenched in sweat as if I have just taken a bath, my mind racing as I try to catch my breath. My hands clutch the bedsheets, knuckles white.

  The moon, a solemn sentinel, casts its ethereal glow upon the night looking no different from where I had just been, veiling my surroundings and my humble abode in a shroud of silence. I look over my body for any scars or wounds but find none.

  It takes a moment for the reality of my bedroom to replace the terror of the dream. But even as I sit on my bed, I can still see the woman in her purple gown with her staff; it feels like she is with me.

  Waving off the thought and fear from my mind, I move to my standing mirror. After looking at myself for a while, I whisper, “It's just a nightmare," before moving back to my bed.