Entwined Fates: A Love written in Stars

Alina moved through the dense underbrush, her body trembling from the cold. The soaked fabric of her cloak clung to her skin, making every step feel heavier than the last. The stream had carried her far from the battle, but now she was lost, disoriented, and alone.

She paused, glancing up at the night sky. The stars, her oldest companions, twinkled above. Even now, they guided her. She adjusted her direction, using the constellations to orient herself toward the Ruins of Eldryn.

Her fingers brushed over the parchment beneath her cloak. *I still have it.* That was the only reassurance she had. But without Kael—

No. She couldn't think like that. Kael had survived worse. He would find her.

But first, she had to make it to the ruins.

###

Hours passed.

The forest stretched endlessly around her, every shadow shifting with unseen threats. More than once, she thought she heard something moving beyond the trees—a rustle, a breath of wind that didn't belong.

She wasn't alone.

The thought sent a chill down her spine, but she pressed on, forcing her exhaustion aside.

Then, in the distance, she spotted something—faint but unmistakable. A glow.

Torchlight.

Hope flickered in her chest. If there were people ahead, perhaps she could find shelter. Maybe even news of Kael.

But as she moved closer, her steps slowed.

The torches lined a path leading toward an old structure, barely visible through the trees. Stone pillars stood like sentinels, worn down by time. The air was thick, heavy with an unspoken presence.

Alina's breath caught.

The Ruins of Eldryn.

She had found them.

Or, perhaps, they had found her.

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