Ella

The wind whispered through the bones of the ancient cliffs, carrying the scent of moss and stagnant rainwater. Ella's boots crunched over loose gravel as she ventured deeper into the cavern's throat, her breath shallow, her heart emitting vibrations through the chamber. The walls shimmered faintly, brushed by the glowing veins that pulsed in slow rhythm.

"What is this place? Why does it feel like I've been here before?" The thought slipped through her mind unbidden, a thread of familiarity tugging at the edges of her memory, though she knew she had never walked this path before.

A light bloomed at the far end of the tunnel. Each step forward felt destined, guided not by choice but by a gravity rooted deeper than memory. Her pulse quickened. "Maybe this was meant for someone else." Every instinct screamed to turn back.

But wonder has a will stronger than fear.

The ground gave way before hesitation could catch her. "No- wait!" A breathless gasp echoed in the darkness as she tumbled, limbs flailing, until the world was devoured by a flash of brilliant, blinding blue. And in that endless moment between falling and becoming, she felt something ancient awaken inside her.