Kaveri slumped against Arjun, her breath shallow, the aftermath of the shaman's attack leaving her trembling in his arms.
The chasm loomed nearby, its dark maw silent but threatening, the sapling teetering on its edge, its leaves fluttering weakly in the damp breeze.
Her green aura pulsed faintly, a dim glow against the thickening mist, her arm burning where the tendril had grazed her, the pain a constant throb.
Arjun held her close, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his blood-streaked shoulder pressed against her, the warmth of his skin a stark contrast to the chill.
We survived, but at what cost to our souls?
He adjusted his grip, his dagger still in hand, the blade slick with the shaman's dark essence, its edge glinting faintly in the gloom.
The mist thickened, hiding the shaman's retreat, but his laughter lingered, a haunting echo that chilled her bones and lingered in the air like a curse.
Kaveri's head spun, the whisper in her ear growing louder, a frantic hum that pulled at her mind with insistent urgency.
"Are you hurt badly?" Arjun asked, his voice rough but tender, his eyes searching hers with a concern that softened his rugged features.
She shook her head, wincing as she touched her arm, the burn throbbing beneath her skin, her lie masked by a weak smile.
"It's manageable," she murmured, her voice frail, her heart aching for the blood he'd shed for her.
He's bleeding for me, risking everything, she thought, her gaze lingering on the crimson stain spreading across his cloak.
Arjun frowned, tearing a strip from his cloak to bind his shoulder, his movements careful but determined, his jaw tight with pain.
"We need to move before he returns," he said, helping her to her feet, his hand warm and steady in hers, a lifeline in the chaos.
The ground felt unsteady, the cracks from the chasm spiderwebbing outward, a fragile web that mirrored her fragile hope.
Kaveri leaned on him, her aura flickering as the whisper intensified, its melody pulling her deeper into its embrace.
What is it trying to show me now?
They stumbled toward a cluster of trees, their branches drooping with wilted leaves, the grove's decay more pronounced, the air heavy with the scent of rot.
Arjun guided her to a hollow beneath a gnarled root, a makeshift shelter from the mist's biting chill, its shadows offering a fleeting refuge.
"Rest here," he said, his charm softening, his hand brushing her cheek as he settled beside her, his touch a gentle caress.
She nodded, closing her eyes, the whisper pulling her into a vision, her mind spiraling into a kaleidoscope of memory and dread.
The world shifted—blood stained the roots, a woman with eyes like hers knelt, weeping over a fallen warrior, her sobs a melody of loss.
Was this our fate, written in blood?
The warrior's face blurred, then sharpened into Arjun's, his scar prominent, his eyes lifeless, a dagger protruding from his chest.
Kaveri's heart clenched, a sob escaping her lips as the woman's cry pierced the air, a sound that echoed her own fear.
The vision shifted—a love blossomed, tender and fierce, their hands clasped beneath the same trees, only to end in betrayal, a shadowed blade striking true from a lover's hand.
Is this my path with him, a love doomed to ruin?
The whisper faded, leaving her trembling, the vision's weight pressing on her chest, her tears falling onto Arjun's hand.
Arjun's hand tightened on hers, grounding her as she gasped back to reality, her breath hitching.
"What did you see?" he asked, his voice low, his concern deepening the lines etched into his face by grief and battle.
"Blood… a woman… and you," she stammered, her tears tracing paths down her cheeks.
"Betrayal ended it all—a lover's blade."
His eyes widened, the scar twitching, a flicker of fear crossing his features, his hand trembling slightly.
"My family's end was betrayal too," he said, his voice heavy with the weight of memory.
"Could this place be repeating itself, cursing us to the same fate?"
The shaman's voice taunted from afar, a hiss carried on the wind, sharp and cutting.
"He betrayed her, just as you will," it sneered, the words dripping with malice, designed to sow discord.
Kaveri's aura pulsed with anger, the green light flaring, her hands clenching into fists as she fought the doubt.
He's lying to break us, to turn my heart against him, she thought, her resolve hardening like steel.
Arjun stood, drawing his bow, his charm turning fierce, his wound ignored as he faced the mist.
"He won't turn us against each other," he said, his voice steel, his eyes locked on the unseen threat, a vow in his stance.
The whisper returned, a warning now, its tone urgent, and Kaveri rose, her aura steadying, her pain pushed aside by determination.
A shadowy figure watched from the trees, its cloak blending with the mist, its presence a cold weight that pressed on her chest.
Who holds the truth of the past—friend or foe?
The shaman emerged, his arm bleeding from Arjun's dagger, his sneer undimmed, his cold beauty a mask for his cruelty.
"Your visions weaken you," he said, raising a hand, dark energy crackling like storm clouds along his fingers.
Tendrils shot from the ground, thinner but swift, their tips barbed, aiming for Kaveri's aura with malicious intent.
She dodged, her heart racing, the vision haunting her steps, the woman's cry echoing in her mind like a ghost.
Arjun loosed an arrow, the twang sharp and precise, but the shaman deflected it with a wave, the projectile splintering against an invisible shield.
"Fight me, and your love dies," the shaman hissed, his eyes gleaming, his charm a deadly lure that pulled at her doubts.
Kaveri's aura flared, burning a tendril that grazed her leg, but her energy waned, the vision draining her strength.
Can I trust him through this shadow of doubt?
Arjun pulled her behind him, his bow ready, his body a shield against the shaman's wrath.
"We stand together," he said, his voice a vow, his hand finding hers, their fingers interlocking.
The tendrils struck again, grazing her leg with a burning touch, and she cried out, the pain sharp and searing.
Arjun caught her, his strength holding her up, his dagger flashing as he cut a tendril, the blade slicing through with a wet snap.
The shaman laughed, raising both hands, the ground trembling, the chasm widening with a groan that shook the trees.
Kaveri focused, the whisper guiding her, her aura surging to meet the attack, the green light clashing with the dark.
The vision returned—blood pooling around the warrior, love turning to betrayal, the woman's face now hers, Arjun's hand wielding the blade.
Is this my destiny to lose him to my own fear?
She pushed harder, her light clashing with the tendrils, a burst of energy illuminating the grove, the mist swirling with the impact.
Arjun fought beside her, his dagger slicing, his blood mixing with hers on the ground, a shared sacrifice.
The shaman staggered, his charm faltering, but he summoned more tendrils, the chasm roaring, its edge crumbling closer.
Kaveri's knees buckled, the vision overwhelming, the woman's cry merging with her own, a duet of despair.
Arjun lifted her, cradling her against his chest, his heartbeat a steady drum against her ear, his warmth a refuge.
"Stay with me," he whispered, his voice a lifeline, his eyes fierce with determination, a promise in his gaze.
The tendrils lashed out, the shadowy figure advancing, its cloak billowing, and the shaman's laughter grew, a cacophony of malice.
Kaveri's aura flared, the whisper screaming, and she saw the betrayal unfold—the lover's hand was not Arjun's, but a stranger's, a twist in the tale.
Was I wrong to doubt him?
She clung to him, their auras merging, the light pushing back the dark, a brilliant flare that forced the tendrils to recoil.
The shaman recoiled, his wound bleeding freely, but he raised a final wave of energy, the air crackling with power.
The ground split, the sapling teetering, and the shadowy figure drew closer, its intent masked by the mist.
Arjun held her tighter, his dagger ready, their bond a shield against the storm.
The wave struck, the impact throwing them back, the vision fading but the doubt lingering, a shadow on her heart…
The fall left them breathless, Kaveri landing against Arjun, his arms cushioning her, the ground hard beneath them.
She gasped, her aura dimming, the whisper a faint echo, and she looked into his eyes, searching for truth.
"Was it you?" she whispered, her voice breaking, the vision's doubt clawing at her.
Arjun's face softened, pain and confusion mingling.
"Never," he said, his voice firm, his hand cupping her face.
"I'd die before betraying you."
Tears fell, her heart torn, and she leaned into him, the warmth of his touch a balm.
The shaman's voice cut through, a distant taunt.
"Your doubt is my victory," he called, the tendrils reforming, weaker but persistent.
Kaveri stood, her aura reigniting, the whisper guiding her to trust.
Arjun rose, his dagger ready, their hands clasping, the light flaring anew.
The shadowy figure paused, its cloak shifting, and the shaman's energy wavered, a new threat emerging.
The ground trembled, the chasm widening, and the figure advanced, its presence a cold promise…