The fluorescent lights above flickered incessantly, each pulse setting Henry’s nerves further on edge. It felt like the glow itself was in cahoots with his own frantically pounding heart, matching the shaky cadence of his every breath.

He rested against a wall, exhausted, his vision blurring around the edges. The smooth, cold tile pressed against his spine, anchoring him to the reality—or unreality—of this place. The hallway seemed to stretch unnaturally, as if it wanted him to believe he’d never find an exit. A pungent antiseptic smell lingered in the still air, mingling with a faint metallic odor he couldn’t place. His legs trembled, and a dull ache throbbed at his temples.

Was any of this real?

A distant scuff of shoes against tile drew his gaze. His head shot up, and his heart jolted. At the far end of the hallway, he saw her—Nurse Langley. Or, as he was guessing her to be Elara. She stood with another nurse, their murmured conversation too hushed to hear in the vaulted corridor. Henry’s breath caught in his throat. His chest tightened with hope and terror in equal measure. He had spent so many hours—days?—in this endless hospital, and he was no closer to understanding how or why he was here.

He hesitated, wrestling with a surge of conflicting feelings. What if she wasn’t who he thought she was? What if this was a trick, just another cruel twist of this nightmare? His logical mind told him to be cautious, but desperation nudged him forward.

As the other nurse turned away, Elara glanced over her shoulder. Their eyes met. The weight of her gaze sent a warm jolt through him—recognition, empathy, something powerful that momentarily dispelled his doubts. She gave a small nod, before opening a door and going inside.

Henry stared after her for a second before he peeled himself away from the wall, almost stumbling as his weak legs tried to support his weight. Each step felt monumental, like walking through molasses.

When he finally reached the door, she pulled him inside and slammed the door shut, her untamed curls bouncing as she did so. “Henrikins! Finally alone so I can speak at you!” she hissed, her wide eyes glinting with manic energy. “Why in all the shiny shards of shattered moons did you even listen to her? You should have just let me…”

She flashed a crooked grin, completely unbothered, as though their earlier ordeal was little more than a game.

Henry glared at her, his grip on the carved key tightening. “You don’t get to act like everything’s fine, Elara.” His voice was sharp, trembling with pent-up frustration. “You took control of my body without asking. Do you even get how wrong that was?”

Elara blinked, the gleam in her eyes dimming for a fraction of a second. Then she let out a loud, exaggerated sigh and flopped against the wall, her limbs splayed dramatically. “Oh, here we go. Henrikins and the Moral High Ground, starring the boy who couldn’t figure out which way to point a wand.”

“This isn’t a joke!” Henry snapped, stepping toward her. “You used me like a puppet! How am I supposed to trust you after that?”

Her grin faded, replaced by something sharper. “Trust?” she repeated, her voice low and dangerous now. “Trust isn’t exactly a two-way street here, kiddo. I had to act because you were about to walk into her trap, and guess what? You sttumbled right in .”

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Henry frowned, taken aback by the sudden shift in her tone. “What trap? What are you talking about?”

Elara’s gaze softened, but only slightly, as if she was trying to decide whether to pity him or throttle him. “The red-robed woman, Henrikins. She’s not just keeping you here to toy with you. She’s after Sarah.”

The name hit him like a thunderclap. “Sarah? What do you mean?”

Elara stepped closer, her movements more deliberate, her usual theatrical flair dimmed by urgency. “She’s using Sarah, Henry. For her ritual. That’s why she needs you here, tied up in her little illusion-prison. You’re the bait, the distraction, and if you don’t wake up to that fact soon, your sister’s going to be gone.”

The floor seemed to drop out from under him. “No. No, she didn’t—she didn’t even mention Sarah. She doesn’t even know where—”

“Oh, she knew,” Elara cut him off, her voice sharp. “She knew exactly where Sarah was, and now she’s got her locked up tighter than a fairy in a bottle. Why do you think she’s been keeping you here, Henrikins? It’s the big distraction. And if you don’t stop her, Sarah’s going to—” She stopped herself, her eyes darting away.

Henry felt his breath quicken. “What? She’s going to what?”

Elara hesitated, then met his gaze, her usual manic grin replaced by grim determination. “She’s going to die, Henry. And she’ll take a lot more than her life with her when it’s done.”

His legs wobbled, and he grabbed the wall for support. “How do I stop her?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

Elara reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden key, pressing it into his hand. It thrummed faintly against his palm, alive with an unsettling warmth. “This. It’s your way out. Use it to find Sarah before the ritual’s complete. Smash the altar. Break her stupid, shiny artifacts. And then…” Her grin returned, sharp and unhinged. “You laugh in her face while I set her hair on fire.”

Henry nodded shakily, gripping the key so hard his knuckles turned white. “Okay. But we’re not done, Elara. After this, we’re going to talk about what you did to me.”

Her grin widened, her voice mockingly sweet. “Oh, can’t wait for that heart-to-heart, Henrikins. Now go save your sister before it’s too late. And remember—” She leaned in close, her eyes glinting. “If you mess this up, I’m haunting you forever. And trust me, I’m going to be a very annoying ghost. I’ll hold off the monsters. You escape!”

Before he could speak, she slipped out into the corridor. The door clicked shut, and Henry was alone again, the narrow closet walls pressing in on him like an unspoken warning. He stood there, trembling, the wooden key humming in his palm.

For a moment, he could only stare at the key. Emotions struggling forth in his chest— anger, grief, fear.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden shriek of an alarm echoing down the hallway. The fluorescent lights outside the closet door seemed to flicker in rapid succession, as if the hospital itself were panicking. Shadows stretched and distorted, shifting with each flash of light. Henry’s knees nearly buckled under a fresh wave of dread.

Slowly, he turned the doorknob. A long, identical corridor greeted him, but something had changed—the atmosphere felt charged with urgency, the air thick with an electric tension.

He caught sight of a vacant wheelchair, toppled over near the wall. Just minutes ago—was it minutes?—he would have welcomed a chance to rest his shaking legs. Now, he could feel a surge of renewed energy in his limbs, a faint echo of the magic that belonged to Arraiza.

“I can do this,” he whispered.

Stepping into the corridor, he kept his head low and moved carefully, clinging to the shadows. Each step brought a mix of terror and determination. He didn’t know exactly what waited for him beyond these endless corridors, or who watched from hidden corners, but he had a mission, a purpose.

He was done playing their game.

Clutching the wooden key in one hand, he pushed forward, the fluorescent lights overhead sputtering in protest. He knew now. He knew the truth. There was no turning back. He had to escape. He had to return to Arraiza.