Held by the Past

Whispers

side lamp illuminated the hurried scrawl of her mother's handwriting. Each word felt lik

his arms crossed. "You've been at t

ryptic warnings and half-finished rituals, but nothi

sit across from her. "Then we pick up whe

ed to love-love that was betrayed. My mother mentioned something about a '

ould be an artifact or a ritual. Did she leave a

k. She had worn it for as long as she could remem

always told me to keep it close, but I never

e intricate design of a rose entwined with thorns seemed a

as a child, but it wouldn't budge.

ng when he felt a faint click. The locket spran

The paper was old, its edges yellowed with age. Writt

t where love was first betrayed. Beware th

owed. "Where love was first betraye

and the history of the curse. One place stood out-a secluded

legend says the curse began. Two lovers met there in se

ination clear. "Then tha

rnal. "If the shadows are after this

"Then we prepare. Whatever co

-

y still under the light of the crescent moon. The path twisted and tur

heart pounding with every step. "This

g on the hilt of a knife tucke

lder, the moonlight casting an otherworldly g

lena said, her

ach step. Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the glade, and shadows be

ng himself in front of Elena. "L

but the warmth turned searing, forcing her to drop it. The locket h

altar!" Ad

eps. The shadows closed in, but Adrian foug

haped indentation. The ground shook, and the air filled with a

forms dissolving into the lig

er side, breathing h

tainty etched on her face. "I don't know. But

their breaths visible in the chill that clung to the clearing. The locke

ned the glade for any sign of movement, any lingering threat. "I

of the altar. The inscription beneath the locket caught her eye

murmured, tracing the

eering over her should

ther's journal came to mind. "The journal! T

hrough its pages, she found a diagram of similar markings. The script

barely above a whisper. "What does that m

be it's not literal. What if it's tied to the place

ays a woman named Seraphina was betrayed by her lover here. He used her love to ga

urse is rooted in that betrayal, then healing it might m

ena reached out, hesitating for a moment before touching it. The war

ina, her tear-streaked face twisted in anguish, the betra

, pulling he

ian asked, his voice

aking. "Her spirit, or something like it. She's tied

e need to find her. If she's th

-

ees seemed to close in around them, their twisted branches blocking out t

faint glow guiding their way.

ds, carrying a sorrow so profound

o a faint figure, barely

image of a woman in a tattered gown. Her hair flowed like

" Elena cal

lena. "Why have you come?" Her voice was l

, her voice steady despite the fe

rs of pain. "Free? There is no freedom from bet

closer. "Your pain has bound this land for c

ble. "You speak of forgiveness as if it is so simple.

ing before her eyes. She glanced at Adrian, who watc

ng onto that pain has only caused more s

ing way to uncertainty. "And what would you know

ts pressing down on her. She thought of the

to know that love is worth fighting for,

rowing fainter. "Perhaps... you are right. But the ch

the locket flared with lig

-

ulsed with a steady rhythm. Adrian placed a hand o

the locket back into the indentation on

d, and the altar split open, re

nto the darknes

o the unknown, the weight of the curse-and

the walls, the sound swallowed by the darkness below. Elena gripped Adr

nd her again?" Adrian

e to try. If the Binding Heart is down here

d through the walls, as if the cavern itself was alive. The locket's light gr

his eyes scanning the shadow

ver the intricate carvings on the pedestal. "It's been

n, its edges lined with the same glowin

e locket. The light from it seemed to respond,

is dagger. "Are you sure abou

Elena said firmly. "If we don

hum growing louder as the pedestal began to glow. Symbols lit up alo

ough the chamber,

et know not its weight. The choi

, her heart pounding.

ing pool of light. From it emerged Seraphina's spirit, more solid

object, but a choice," Seraph

forward. "What

t your own truth," Seraphina said. "Reveal

one. Adrian was gone, as was Seraphina. The c

ce called, sof

man with dark hair and piercing ey

" she wh

smile filled with sorrow

flooded her mind-their laughter, their stolen mome

?" she asked, her

pping closer. "Of what you've

g," she snapped, anger

he said softly. "Becau

ns a storm inside her. "You don't

teady. "And you've carried that wound ever since. It's

ision. "I don't kno

hat's worth holding onto more: t

-

erself back in the chamber. Seraphina watc

e spirit said. "But

eady. "I did. I forgave hi

room. Seraphina's form began to dissolve,

, her voice fading. "

d back into Elena's hands. The glow dimmed

his face filled with relief.

said, holding up the locket

and resting on her s

d, meeting his

emed lighter, the air less oppressive. The curse h

ier was now replaced by an odd stillness, as if the forest were holding its breath. Every step brough

er a long silence, his voice barely

d vivid. "It was... a test. I had to confront my past,

teps faltering for a

ier than she felt. "But it's not someth

a's hand. The once-ominous woods now seemed almost serene,

on the locket. "Do you

o. The locket might have unbound her spirit, but

low growl echoed

agger, positioning himself in f

lesce into the forms of wolves. Their eyes g

gnizing the dark energy that radiated fr

countered, his grip ti

treaked with silver. It snarled, revealing sharp fangs, but

eside Adrian. "They're not a

olf l

e air. The blade met flesh, but the wolf barely flinched.

ess. Adrian fought with precision, his strikes aimed to disable r

pulsating like a heartbeat. The wolves h

ruggling to fend off two wo

osed her eyes, letting the power flow through her. The glow intensifie

autious step forward, but then stopped, sniffing the ai

an asked, panting as he wi

r," Elena said, her voice trembling. "It's li

o the trees, leaving the t

. "If those things are out here, guarding the l

tightening. "We need answers. And I t

-

s were little more than crumbling ruins, overgrown with vines and moss. Yet th

village. Its stained glass windows were cracked but in

amiliar," she said, he

yebrow. "Have you

her head. "But it's like

ick with dust and the faint scent of incense. At the altar stood a wea

asked, his voice echo

s features. "I think it's Seraphina," she

casting light across the chapel. The statue's

the room, soft

h, but the truth d

an exchanged a

ice?" Elena asked al

illuminating the entire chapel. Shadows dance

a man holding the locket. The vision shifted to a battlefield, where magic and blood int

ice re

hope and despair. To wield its power, you must under

leaving Elena and

ot more complicate

e. "We have to uncover the locket's full