The landscape around them had changed. Gone were the twisted, nightmarish trees of the dark forest; instead, the terrain stretched out in an endless, desolate plain, bathed in the cold light of a sun that never seemed to set nor move. The ground was a patchwork of jagged rocks and strange, pulsing veins of dark energy running beneath the surface, casting eerie shadows that seemed to move on their own.

Sarina and Lira walked in silence, their steps slow and weary. The chase through the forest had left them exhausted, but neither of them dared to suggest stopping. The memory of those glowing eyes, those strange figures from the clearing, was still fresh in their minds. Sarina couldn’t help but glance back occasionally, half-expecting to see them standing at the edge of the horizon, watching.

But they had made it out—for now.

The wind here was sharp, biting at their exposed skin and carrying with it a faint whisper, like distant voices murmuring in a language Sarina couldn’t understand. It made her uneasy, but after everything they had faced, the whispering wind felt like a small concern.

“We should rest soon,” Lira said, breaking the long stretch of silence.

Sarina didn’t respond immediately. Her mind was still churning with thoughts of what had happened in the forest. The more she replayed it, the more the strange connection between those figures and the demon queen nagged at her. What had they been? And why did they seem to share a presence with the power Azrathis had left inside her?

Finally, she nodded. “Yeah. We need to keep our strength up. But we can’t stay in one place for long. We don’t know what else is out here.”

Lira looked over at her, a flicker of concern crossing her features. “Are you... all right?” The question was layered with unspoken worries. It wasn’t just about Sarina’s physical exhaustion; it was about what was inside her.

Sarina swallowed hard, her gaze drifting to the ground. “I’m fine,” she said, though she wasn’t sure how true that was. The power Azrathis had given her had saved them, but it had also left something behind—a lingering darkness that was becoming harder to ignore.

Lira didn’t press further, but the silence that followed was heavy with doubt.

They finally found a small overhang of rock where they could rest. The shelter provided some protection from the wind, though the biting cold was still present. Sarina sank down onto the ground, letting out a long, weary breath as her body finally relaxed.

Lira sat down next to her, her back against the rough stone. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

“We’re running out of time,” Lira said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. “The demon queen’s influence is spreading faster than we can keep up with. Every day, more villages fall, more people are enslaved or worse. We can’t keep running like this.”

Sarina felt a pang of guilt at Lira’s words. She knew her friend was right. They had been on the move for weeks, always a step behind Azrathis’s growing forces. Every time they got close to striking back, something went wrong—an ambush, a betrayal, or a new wave of demons descending on them. It was starting to feel like a losing battle.

“We’ll figure something out,” Sarina said, though the words felt hollow even to her.

Lira didn’t respond, but the look she gave Sarina was one of doubt. They both knew the odds were stacked against them. And with Sarina’s growing reliance on Azrathis’s power, the line between ally and enemy was beginning to blur.

As the wind howled outside their shelter, Sarina felt a familiar chill creeping up her spine. The darkness that lingered inside her stirred, like a shadow stretching out in the corners of her mind. And then, as if on cue, Azrathis’s voice slithered into her thoughts.

You’re growing weaker, child, the demon queen’s voice purred. You cannot run forever. Let me help you...

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Sarina clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She had been trying to ignore the voice, trying to push it away. But it was becoming harder with each passing day.

You know you cannot defeat me, Azrathis continued, her tone almost soothing, like a mother comforting a wayward child. But you can still be mine. You don’t have to fight anymore.

“Get out of my head,” Sarina hissed under her breath, her eyes shut tight as she tried to force the demon’s presence away.

Lira glanced over at her, worry flickering in her eyes. “Sarina?”

Sarina forced a strained smile, shaking her head. “I’m fine. Just... tired.”

But Lira wasn’t convinced. “You’re not fine. Ever since the fight in the forest, you’ve been... different. I don’t know how much longer you can hold out against her.”

Sarina looked away, her chest tightening with the weight of Lira’s words. She knew her friend was right. Azrathis’s influence was growing stronger, and no matter how hard Sarina tried to resist, there was a part of her that was tempted. The power was intoxicating—dark, yes, but undeniably powerful. And with every battle, with every brush with death, that power felt more and more necessary.

But what terrified Sarina most wasn’t the power itself. It was the voice in the back of her mind that whispered that maybe, just maybe, giving in wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

It doesn’t have to be painful, Azrathis whispered again, her voice dripping with false kindness. Let me in, and I can make the pain stop. I can give you the strength to protect those you care about. Isn’t that what you want?

Sarina’s heart pounded in her chest as she fought against the temptation. She couldn’t let Azrathis win. She couldn’t.

“We need a plan,” Sarina said abruptly, pushing the thoughts away. She couldn’t afford to dwell on them now. “We need to find a way to stop Azrathis before it’s too late.”

Lira nodded, though her expression remained grim. “But how? Every time we get close, she’s one step ahead. She knows where we are, what we’re planning. It’s like she can read our minds.”

Sarina stiffened at that. Could Azrathis really see into her thoughts? Was that why she was always one step ahead? The idea sent a cold shiver down her spine.

“I think she’s connected to me somehow,” Sarina admitted, her voice low. “Ever since that night in the palace, when I first used her power... she’s been inside my head. Watching. Waiting.”

Lira’s eyes widened, and for a moment, there was fear there—fear of Sarina herself.

“You mean... she can hear us now?”

Sarina shook her head. “No. I don’t think it’s that simple. She’s... close, but she’s not fully in control. Not yet.”

Lira’s fear was quickly replaced by determination. “Then we need to use that against her. If she’s connected to you, we can find a way to sever that connection. Maybe that will weaken her.”

Sarina frowned, unsure. “But how? We don’t know how deep the connection goes. And if we’re wrong, she could take control completely.”

Lira’s jaw tightened. “We don’t have many options left. We can’t keep running forever. We need to fight back, and this might be our only chance.”

Sarina looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers as she felt the faint hum of Azrathis’s power lingering beneath her skin. Could she really use that connection against the demon queen? Or was she playing right into her hands?

“I’ll think about it,” Sarina said finally, though doubt gnawed at her.

They sat in silence for a while longer, the weight of their conversation hanging heavy between them. Outside, the wind howled, carrying with it the whispers of the unknown.

Eventually, exhaustion took over, and Sarina found herself drifting into an uneasy sleep. But even in her dreams, there was no escape from Azrathis.

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Sarina was standing in a vast, empty hall, the stone floor cold beneath her bare feet. The walls were lined with towering columns, each one draped in thick shadows. In the distance, she could see a figure sitting on a throne, watching her with cold, piercing eyes.

Azrathis.

The demon queen smiled, her dark, ethereal form barely distinguishable from the shadows that surrounded her. “You can’t hide from me, child,” she said, her voice echoing through the hall like a sinister melody. “You are mine. You always have been.”

Sarina clenched her fists, stepping forward despite the fear that gnawed at her. “I won’t let you control me.”

Azrathis laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. “You already do, my dear. Every time you use my power, you let me in a little more. And soon, you won’t be able to resist.”

Sarina shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest. “I’ll find a way to stop you.”

The demon queen’s smile widened, her eyes glinting with dark amusement. “We shall see.”

With a wave of her hand, the shadows around her surged forward, engulfing Sarina in darkness. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. The darkness wrapped around her, suffocating, consuming, until there was nothing left but Azrathis’s voice.

You cannot escape me.

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Sarina jolted awake, her heart racing, her body covered in cold sweat. She looked around, disoriented, but Lira was still beside her, fast asleep. The fire they had started had long since gone out, leaving their small shelter in darkness.

Sarina’s hands trembled as she wiped her face. The dream had felt so real—too real. And the worst part was, deep down, she knew Azrathis was right.

She was running out of time.