Once Betrayed Never Forgotten

Chapter 120: The Hidden Path–1.

The dream begins in a landscape of swirling greness, an endless expanse of nothingness that stretches in all directions, I feel an overwhelming sense of emptiness and isolation as I wander through this desolate realm. The sky is a featureless grey, and there is no sound except for the faint whisper of

wind.

Each step I take seems to echo in the silence, and I shiver despite the lack of cold. The grey fog clings to my skin, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. I feel as if I’m the only living being in this vast, empty space, and the weight of the solitude presses heavily on my chest.

My mind races with questions. Where am I? How did I get here? The loneliness grows at me, a relentless ache. I want to call trapped in my throat, the oppressive silence swallowing any sound I might make.

but my voice feels

Then, in the distance, I notice a faint, dickering light. It’s the only thing that stands out in this endless grey, and 1 feel an inexplicable pull towards it. As I walk, the light grows brighter, more distinct, and I quicken my pace, driven by a surge of hope and curiosity,

The light reveals itself to be a glowing figure–a gandian angel trapped within a cage of shimmering, ethereal bars, chained to an altar. Verde. Her green wings are tattered and torn, her eyes and mouth sewn shut, a sight that fills me with both sorrow and anger. How could anyone do this to such a pure being?

I approach the cage, my heart pounding. “Verde,” I whisper, reaching out to touch the bars. But the moment my fingers make contact, I’m repelled by a powerful force that sends me stumbling backward. A low hum vibrates through the air, and the ground beneath my feet begins to tremble Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Shadows swirl around me, dark and menacing shapes forming from the mist. I instinctively step back, my heart racing. The shadows coalesce into Égures, and I recognize Tatiana in a blood red dress, a malicious smile playing on her lips. Around her, a small army of enslaved blood wraiths and fire wraiths materializes, their eyes vacant, their movements mechanical.

“No,“1

understanding

will of their own.

that these wraiths must be Tatiana’s slaves, just as Bloodbane once was. They’re her puppets, bound to her will with no free

Tatiana steps forward, her eyes gleaming with malevolence. “You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?” she taunts, her voice echoing ominously.

This angel is mine, just like your precious Bloodhone was.”

Anger flares within me, but before I can respond, the ground splits open, and a path begins to form on the ground. It’s faint and almost invisible, made of delicate, glowing lines silver as moonlight. The lines twist and turn, leading away from the cage and into the grey nothingness,

Instinctively, I know that this path is the key to reaching the angel. But as I try to follow it, the path begins to face, becoming increasingly difficult to see. Panic sets in, and I feel lost and helpless. My breaths come in short, frantic gasps, and I fight the urge to scream in frustration.

Just then, a distant howl pierces the silence – a sound that resonates with power and authority, I turn toward the source of the howl and see the silhouette of a great silver wolf standing at the edge of the pathway. Its eyes glow with a Serce, silver light, and as it steps onto the path, the lines become brighter and more distinct.

The wolf strides forward confidently, its presence making the path visible and stable. I follow, feeling a surge of relief and hope. The shadows and wraiths hiss and retreat as the wolf approaches, unable to withstand its power.

As we near the cage, the force repelling me dissipates, and the wall bowls once more, its voice echoing through the realm. The ethereal bars of the cage

Bonus shimmer and weaken, and I watch in awe as the woll’s presence stabilizes the path and overcomes the realm’s defenses.

1 recognize the wolf now it’s Luka, transformed and more powerful than ever before. He’s the alpha of his pack, his connection to the natural wor06:05 allowing him to reveal and stabilize the path.

“Luka,” I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. “You’re the key.”

He turns his glowing eyes toward me, a silent promise of protection and strength in his gaze. At that moment, I understand the message of the dream: the vampire armies alone cannot navigate the hidden path or overcome the guardian forces of the Nowhere realm. We need the Alpha wolf, whose connection to the natural world allows him to reveal and stabilize the path, making it possible to reach and rescue the guardian angel.

Verdes voice suddenly fills my mind, a desperate, anguished cry. “Arianna, hurry!”

I gasp, the urgency of her plea echoing in my head. The dream begins to fade, the grey landscape dissolving into darkness, and moments before wake. I’m pulled back into the dream- as if there is more I must see, more I must witness.

“Watch Verde’s voice cries out. “Ser what awaits.”