The forest was dense, the sky barely visible through the thick canopy. Every sound was amplified: the snap of a twig, the distant call of a creature, the soft crunch of leaves beneath her boots. Her heart thrummed in rhythm with the wild symphony, every beat a reminder that she was far from home, far from everything she once knew.
As the moonlight filtered through the branches, she spotted it—a clearing bathed in silvery light, the ruins rising from the earth like ancient bones.
Stone pillars, cracked and worn by time, reached toward the sky. Moss and ivy crawled over broken archways, and strange symbols, glowing faintly in blue, were etched into the weathered stone.
Lena stepped closer, her breath catching. The air was different here—thick with magic, ancient and powerful.
"Here," the voice whispered again, soft but urgent. "Find her."
Her eyes scanned the ruins, searching for movement.
The chill air bit gently at Lena's skin as she stepped cautiously into the ancient ruins. The crumbling stones and tangled vines whispered forgotten tales, and the cold seemed to seep into her very bones. Her heartbeat quickened—not from fear, but from a strange pull she couldn't explain. This was where she had been guided, the place the voice in her head had pointed her to, the secret place where Winter waited.
She moved deeper between the shattered columns and moss-covered walls, her eyes scanning for any sign of life. A flicker of movement caught her attention, a pale figure standing silently beside a half-collapsed archway. Her breath caught. The girl—no, woman—had hair the color of freshly fallen snow and eyes like icy pools, glinting with an unspoken power.
"Are you Winter?" Lena's voice was barely more than a whisper, but it seemed to echo in the stillness.
Winter turned, a slow smile curling her lips. "You're brave to come here alone. Most would turn back at the sight of these ruins."
Then, from the shadows beneath a collapsed archway, a figure emerged.
Her skin was pale as fresh snow, and her hair fell in waves of shimmering white. She wore a cloak of deep blue embroidered with silver runes, and her eyes, icy and piercing, locked onto Lena's with an intensity that made her shiver.
"but you shouldn't be here,"winter said, her voice clear and cold like winter air.
Lena hesitated but met the gaze. "I don't have a choice. I'm marked. The Others are coming."
Winter's expression softened just slightly. "I know."
Lena's heart jumped. "You do?"
Winter stepped forward, her footsteps silent on the moss-covered stones. "The mark you bear is rare, dangerous. It connects you to this realm in ways you don't understand yet."
"Then help me," Lena whispered, desperation threading through her voice.
Winter studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "You're brave to come here alone. Most would have turned back."
"Brave or foolish," Lena replied, then glanced nervously at the mark. "What is it? Why me?"
Winter pulled her cloak tighter. "Long ago, a pact was made between our worlds. The mark is a key, a sign that you are tied to both. But it also makes you a target."
"Targets?"
Winter's eyes darkened. "The Others. Creatures born from shadow and malice. They hunt those who carry the mark, seeking to use your power for their own ends."
Lena swallowed hard. "What power?"
"The power to change the balance," Winter said. "You hold a thread that could unravel everything—or weave it anew."The weight of those words settled over Lena like a winter storm. She looked down at her hands, trembling.
"I don't want this," she said softly. "I just want my life back."
Winter's gaze was fierce. "Life here isn't simple. But you are stronger than you know."
Suddenly, Winter raised her hand, and frost spread like a slow bloom across the ruins, sparkling under the moonlight. "Come. You need to learn how to protect yourself. The mark is more than a curse—it's a gift. But only if you can wield it."
Lena followed as Winter led her through the ruins to a small stone chamber, half-buried beneath twisted roots. Inside, the air was cold but alive with magic.
Winter motioned for Lena to sit on a stone bench. "First, you must hide your mark in a way no darkness can find."
Lena pulled back the silk wrap slowly, revealing the glowing symbol pulsing softly on her palm.
Winter's eyes narrowed. "It's more vibrant than I imagined."
"Can you hide it?" Lena asked.
Winter nodded. She extended her hands, palms up. Blue flames flickered, cold as ice, swirling like mist. Slowly, they drifted toward Lena's mark, wrapping it in a shimmering veil of frost.
The glow dimmed beneath the icy veil, now invisible to the naked eye."But this won't last forever," Winter warned. "You'll need to renew the spell every night, and always keep the mark covered."
Lena flexed her fingers, feeling the chill, but relieved.
"Good," Winter said. "Now, we move to control. The mark is tied to your emotions. Fear, anger, hope—they all feed its power."
Lena's eyes widened. "Control my emotions? How?"
Winter smiled faintly. "You're a model, aren't you? You've learned to hide how you feel behind masks and smiles. Now, you'll learn to use that strength to command the mark."
Lena's mind flashed back to the endless photoshoots, the glittering parties, the hollow compliments.
"Use my mask to protect me?" she whispered.
Winter nodded. "Exactly. But it's more than that. Your mark responds to your will."
The weight of this truth settled on Lena. She wasn't just a victim anymore. She had a choice.
Winter stood and walked to the chamber's center. Raising her arms, she summoned a flurry of icy wind that danced like a living thing.
"Try," Winter urged. "Focus on your calm. Push away the fear."
Lena closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and pictured herself—calm, steady, in control. The icy veil around her mark pulsed faintly in response.
She opened her eyes, surprised.
"Good," Winter said. "You've taken the first step."Lena smiled, a small flicker of hope warming her chest despite the cold.
Winter moved closer, her voice softer now. "There's much you don't know, and the Others grow restless. But you're not alone."
Lena looked up, eyes meeting Winter's.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "For believing in me."
Winter's smile was slight, but genuine. "This is only the beginning."
Outside, the wind howled softly through the ruins, carrying the promise of battles yet to come—and a destiny Lena could no longer deny.
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