Yuming's POV

The forest seemed alive, its shadows twisting and shifting as the lantern's light flickered. I stayed curled beneath the tree, my heart pounding in my ears, every sound amplified in the oppressive silence. Somewhere in the distance, the same ear-numbing screech echoed again, sending chills down my spine.

I couldn't stay here. Whatever that was—it wasn't human.

Forcing myself to stand, I wiped my face with trembling hands and lifted the lantern. Its dim light barely pierced the darkness, but it was better than nothing. My legs wobbled, exhaustion and fear threatening to drag me down, but I couldn't give up now.

As I stumbled deeper into the woods, the air grew colder and denser, as though the forest itself was watching me. Vines and branches clawed at my cloak, and the path beneath my feet turned uneven, forcing me to slow down. Suddenly, I felt the faint sensation of warmth against my skin—so out of place in the chill of the night that I froze.

A glow, faint but golden, flickered ahead through the trees. My heart jumped in my chest. Was it a fire? People?

I approached cautiously, my pulse racing with equal parts hope and dread. As I drew closer, the glow grew brighter, spilling through the gaps between the trees like liquid sunlight. Then I saw it—a small clearing illuminated by the red light of a strange orb, hovering in the air.

I couldn't take my eyes off the glowing orb. Its light pulsed faintly, almost like a heartbeat, and despite the warning bells ringing in my mind I felt an irresistible pull toward it. Slowly, I reached out, my fingers trembling as they neared its surface. The air around it was warm, humming with energy that sent shivers up my arm.

Just as my fingertips were about to brush the orb's surface, a rustling noise cut through the stillness, sharp and sudden. My heart leaped into my throat as something darted between the trees, quick and fluid, too fast for me to fully see. My chest tightened as panic set in.

They're here.

The stories weren't just tales to frighten children. The creatures they whispered about, the ones that claimed this forest as their domain—they were real.

Before I could think, my legs moved on instinct. Dropping the lantern, I turned and bolted, crashing through the thicket with no sense of direction. Thorns tore at my skin and tangled in my hair, but I didn't stop. The rustling grew louder, closer, and I felt the unmistakable sensation of being followed.

I pushed through a dense patch of shrubs, stumbling into a small clearing bathed in pale moonlight. My breaths came in ragged gasps, and my eyes darted wildly, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.

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Then I saw them—eyes. Luminous and unblinking, scattered in the darkness like stars in the night sky. They watched me from every direction, their silence far more unnerving than any sound.

"Stay back," I choked out, though my voice was weak and unconvincing.

The eyes blinked in unison, and one of the creatures stepped forward. Its form was half-hidden by the shadows, but the faint glimmer of its body revealed something impossibly sleek and alien. My knees buckled as a low growl rumbled through the air, reverberating in my chest like a warning.

I turned and ran again, my feet barely touching the ground as I sprinted through the forest. The glowing orb and the curiosity it had stirred within me were forgotten. All that mattered now was getting away—away from the eyes, the growls, and the unknown that lurked in the darkness.

Branches snapped underfoot, and my lungs burned as I pushed myself harder, faster, desperate to put as much distance as possible between me and whatever was out there.

And yet, no matter how far I ran, I couldn't shake the feeling that the forest itself was alive, closing in around me, its unseen inhabitants watching my every move.

I pushed forward, each step a battle against my screaming lungs and trembling legs. The woods began to thin ahead, the oppressive darkness giving way to faint patches of moonlight. This must be the way out!

Hope flared inside me, a fragile flame against the cold dread that had gripped me since I entered this accursed forest. Just a little further, I told myself. Just a few more steps, and I'd escape this nightmare.

Ignoring the ache in my chest and the sting of scratches on my skin, I pushed myself harder, faster. My feet pounded against the ground, and the thought of open skies and freedom filled me with a desperate kind of energy.

The moonlight grew brighter, illuminating a wide, open space ahead. Relief washed over me, and I dared to believe I could make it out of this hell untouched. But as I surged forward, my footing faltered, and the ground beneath me gave way to nothingness.

Too late, I saw the truth. There was no clearing, no open field of safety waiting for me. Instead, a deep canyon yawned before me, its jagged edges swallowing the moonlight, a churning river glimmering far below.

I tried to stop, my feet skidding on the loose earth, but my momentum carried me forward. I teetered at the edge for a heart-stopping moment, my arms flailing as if I could somehow catch myself.

And then I fell.

The air rushed past me, cold and unrelenting, carrying with it a gut-wrenching sense of finality. My thoughts raced, jumbling together in a chaotic swirl. This is it?

Maybe my father was right. The memory of his stern warnings about the dangers beyond the palace walls stabbed at me. The outside world is dangerous. I should have stayed safe, protected.

The roar of the river below drowned out everything, the sound growing louder as I plummeted. I closed my eyes, surrendering to the inevitability of what awaited me. The air turned icy, and my skin prickled with the spray of the water below.

When I hit the river, the impact was like a hammer blow. The frigid water closed over me, stealing the breath from my lungs and pulling me under. Darkness consumed me, deeper and more suffocating than anything I had ever known.

I fought to surface, my body thrashing against the current, but it was no use. The river's relentless pull dragged me further into its icy depths, its cold claws seeping into my very bones.

My strength ebbed, and my thoughts began to blur. My body grew heavier, my movements sluggish. The fight left me as the cold numbed every sensation.

And then, mercifully, everything went still. My mind quieted, and the darkness claimed me once again.