Chapter Three :
Chapter Title : For ELiora
Before Damien could stop her...
Annalisa stepped through the broken gates.
The night was eerily silent.
Then—
Click.
Dozens of rifles were raised in unison.
Red laser sights crawled across her body.
"Don't move!"
"Hands where we can see them!"
"On your knees!"
The commands rang out one after another.
Annalisa offered no resistance.
She slowly raised both hands.
Then...
She knelt.
The rough gravel dug into her knees, yet her expression remained unchanged.
Without hesitation, she lowered herself onto the cold ground and placed both hands behind her head.
Her obedience caught even the soldiers off guard.
"...Clear."
One of them approached cautiously, never lowering his weapon. Another stepped forward and snapped a pair of handcuffs around her wrists.
Click.
The metallic sound echoed through the silent night.
Still, not a single rifle was lowered.
It was as though they feared that if they blinked...
She would slaughter them all.
Annalisa closed her eyes.
A lone tear escaped the corner of her eye.
Barely above a whisper, she murmured,
"This is for you..."
A pause.
"...Eliora."
Moments later, she felt the sting of a needle against her neck.
A sedative.
She didn't resist.
Her vision slowly blurred.
Before darkness claimed her, she turned her head just enough to meet Damien's gaze.
Their eyes locked.
Then...
She smiled.
A small, reassuring smile.
As if to say...
"Trust me."
Darkness swallowed her whole.
The doors of the black van slammed shut.
Its engine roared to life.
Within seconds, the convoy disappeared into the darkness.
Damien stood motionless.
His eyes never left the road.
Gone.
The word echoed endlessly inside his head.
His hands slowly curled into fists.
"So..."
His voice was barely a whisper.
"This was your plan."
He remembered the smile she had given him.
It wasn't the smile of someone defeated.
It was the smile of someone who had stepped willingly into the lion's den.
"But why...?"
He looked back at the ruined Laurel Estate.
The once-proud mansion had become nothing more than a graveyard.
His gaze finally settled on the figure lying peacefully beneath the grand staircase.
Eliora.
Silently, Damien walked toward her.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
When he reached her side, he slowly knelt.
A strand of silver hair had fallen across her face.
With trembling fingers, he gently brushed it aside.
Her face looked peaceful.
As if she were merely asleep.
He reached out and gently closed her eyes.
"You can rest now..."
His voice trembled.
"I'm sorry."
"I came too late."
For a long moment, he remained there, saying nothing.
Then his eyes landed on the torn Laurel family cloak draped over the body of one of the fallen guards.
He picked it up carefully.
Shook the dust from it.
And gently covered Eliora's body.
A final act of respect.
A final farewell to a daughter of House Laurel.
Damien lowered his head.
"I swear to you..."
"I'll bring her home."
"And I'll bring Anna back."
No matter the cost.
He rose to his feet.
His sorrow had not disappeared.
It had simply become resolve.
Without another word, he turned toward the shattered window.
In one fluid motion, he vaulted through it and disappeared into the darkness beyond.
The forest swallowed him whole.
Only silence remained within the fallen halls of House Laurel.
...
Darkness.
It stretched endlessly around her. There was no sound, no light and no pain.
Then...
A sharp scent invaded her senses. Antiseptic some sort of medicine or bleach.
Her eyelids fluttered open a white ceiling greeted her, she stared at it in silence.
One minute.
Two.
Five.
She never moved yhe room was unnaturally quiet.
White walls, a steel door, narrow bed.A single window protected by thick iron bars. Asurveillance camera blinked silently from the corner it looked less like a hospital but look more closer then it looks more like a prison disguised as one.
The faint sound of a lock echoed outside.he door opened, a young nurse stepped inside carrying a tray. She smiled politely.
"Good morning."
No response, he nurse walked closer.
"Can you hear me?"
Still silence, she placed the tray on the bedside table. The tray was filled with what seemed to be her breakfast, water and medication.
Annalisa didn't even look at it.The nurse frowned slightly, she waved a hand in front of Annalisa's face.
Nothing, not even a blink. Concern crept across her face.
"I'll get the doctor."
She hurried out.
Minutes later...
The room filled with people. The doctor, two nurses and four armed guards.
The doctor crouched in front of Annalisa.
"Miss Laurel..."
Still nothing, he shined a small flashlight into her eyes.
Her pupils reacted.
Perfectly her pulse was normal, breathing was normal, her bood pressure was also normal.Everything was exactly as it should be.
Except her eyes, they were empty. As though whoever lived behind them, had already left.
The doctor slowly lowered the flashlight.
"When was the last time she spoke?"
One of the soldiers answered.
"During the transport."
"What did she say?"
The soldier hesitated.
"...'This is for Eliora.'"
Silence settled over the room.g0The doctor scribbled something onto his clipboard.
Then quietly said,
"Leave her for now."
"We'll observe."
The guards exchanged uneasy glances.
For some reason...
Standing in that room made every instinct tell them to leave.
None of them knew why.
One by one...
They walked out the heavy steel door closed behind them.
Silence returned.
Annalisa remained motionless.
Then...
So slowly it was almost impossible to notice...
One finger twitched.
******
The room remained silent.
Minutes passed, then hours.
Annalisa never moved, she sat exactly where they had left her, her empty eyes fixed on the window as sunlight slowly faded into evening.
Outside the room...
A pair of guards watched through the reinforced glass.
"Has she moved?"
The other guard shook his head.
"Not once."
"...Creepy."
One of them unlocked the door.
"I'll check."
The guard stepped inside carefully, his hand resting on the pistol holstered at his waist.
He stopped a few feet away.
"Miss Laurel?"
Still mo response. He frowned.
"...Can you hear me?"
Still nothing. After a moment, he turned to leave.
Then
A quiet voice stopped him.
"...Is it raining?"
The guard froze, he looked back. Annalisa hadn't moved her eyes were still fixed on the window.
"...No."
She nodded faintly.
"I see..."
Silence.
The guard waited but nothing else came.
He slowly backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Later that afternoon...
The nurse returned.
This time, she carried a small chocolate bar in her pocket, she had read only that chocolate was a mood cooler so.
It wasn't much but perhaps it would get a response.
She smiled warmly.
"I brought you something."
Still no reaction but the nurse unwrapped the chocolate.
The sweet aroma drifted through the room.
For the first time...
Annalisa blinked.
The nurse noticed immediately.
"So you do like chocolate."
Slowly almost cautiously...Annalisa turned her head her empty eyes settled on the chocolate.
The nurse extended it toward her.
"You can have it."
A long silence followed.
Then...
Annalisa reached out with both hands not like an adult butike a child accepting a precious gift.
"...Thank you."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
The nurse smiled.
"You're welcome."
She quietly left the room watching through the observation window.
Annalisa carefully peeled back the wrapper, she broke off a tiny piece and placed it into her mouth.
Then...
For the first time since arriving...
She smiled it was small pure and almost innocent.
The nurse felt a flicker of hope.
"Maybe..."
"She's getting better."
Far across the room...
Hidden beneath strands of tangled hair...
Annalisa's smile disappeared.
Her eyes became unreadable once more.