Golden sheen

It was almost evening, with dusk enveloping the surroundings with its shadowy veil.

Drawing her lips between her teeth, Elestria tried to steady her trembling hands, her mind racing with a thousand questions. He didn't seem to be one of them, so it might be safe for her. Maybe he would help her escape. She tried to console herself, even though her mind was saying otherwise.

Reaching the window, she looked out curiously, her gaze flitting between the distance to the ground and the window. What was she thinking before she took down the guard? Perhaps escaping through the window. But now, as she gauged the height of the building she was in, it seemed impossible. Her eyes flickered towards him, the faint light from the window barely illuminating his features enough for her to discern his face.

The way he carried himself made her knees weak with fear. He had that kind of look that said, "You're going to die today."

A knowing smile crept onto his lips, as if he could read her thoughts.

Stepping back, she looked into his intense crimson eyes, trying to match the intensity in them with her gaze.

To her shock, he walked towards her, trapping her between the window sill and him. His hands rested on both sides of her waist, causing her heart to skip a beat.

Her senses went on high alert, her eyes widening with the proximity. What was he even trying to do? She thought to herself, her heart racing as she made sure not to fall out of the window while distancing herself from his looming presence.

His hands crawled on her thin waist over her dress, sending shivers down her spine with the sensation. Her breathing quickened when she noticed how his eyes seemed to bore into her soul. His eyes were turning darker, almost as if they were black instead of red.

Holding her waist in his firm grip, the man drew closer to her, filling the distance between them. She instinctively put her hands on his chest, hoping to create some space between them. But instead of warmth, she felt an icy chill emanating from his body beneath her palm, spreading throughout her body like electricity, stiffening her entire frame.

Without giving her time to protest, with a swift motion, he lifted her up and gently placed her on the windowsill. Her legs dangled in the air, and her hands trembled with the change in atmosphere. She bit her lip nervously, her teeth leaving her lips bruised.

As he leaned in closer, she instinctively recoiled, her head tilting back slightly. Her lips parted, wanting to speak, but it felt like something was choking her. She gulped down her fear, waiting anxiously for his next move.

His lips grazed her ear, his breath sending a chill down her spine as he whispered, "Feeling scared, little liar? You should be, considering what's coming next."

His dusk-like, husky voice sent shivers down her spine, his words echoing in her mind. Confusion clouded her thoughts as her lips parted, ready to question what he meant by that. 

Before she could voice her thoughts, he made a swift movement, pushing her body hard enough to lose her balance and fall towards the hard floor below.

Elestria was stupefied by the sudden change of events. One moment, she was sitting on the windowsill, and the next, she was airborne, the ground rushing up to meet her.

As her body plummeted towards the ground, a chilling scream tore through Elestria's lips, her instincts kicking in as her arms flailed in a desperate attempt to grab onto something, anything. The grim reality of the situation sank in like a stone in her stomach—she was airborne, with no means to protect herself.

As the ground rushed up to meet her, Elestria's mind went blank. She could feel the impending clash and pain that would follow, the sound of her impending impact ringing loudly in her ears even before her body made contact with the earth.

The fear of death gripped her tightly, squeezing the air from her lungs. She didn't want to die—not now, not like this. But in that moment, everything seemed futile, the overwhelming sense of helplessness washing over her like a tidal wave.

Just before her fragile frame could collide with the ground, Elestria's shocked, silvery eyes flashed up in a bright golden sheen. They looked extremely bright, but unusually so, emitting their own light.

Before Elestria could even process the change, her body crashed to the ground with an impact that emitted a resounding bang.

The tiles shattered upon impact, sending debris flying in all directions, alarming all the guards stationed in the distance. 

Elestria lay on the hard ground, eyes shut tight, anticipating the pain that should follow such a fall. Surprisingly, she felt nothing. Her eyes snapped open. The bright golden light emanating from her eyes slowly began to fade. She looked up towards the window from which she fell moments ago, searching for any sign of the person who seemed to be missing a few screws in his head.

"Interesting," a low, guttural voice sounded from above, causing her to panic at the sudden noise. Startled, she stood up and stumbled over the broken concrete floor, quickly moving away from the mess. Her eyes landed on the guards who were running towards her. 

Her first instinct was to walk backward, scanning her surroundings by turning her head left and right. Her eyes landed on the forest entrance, and she quickly decided it was her best option for now. With a sense of urgency, she ran towards the forest.

The man stood near the window, his eyes tracking her every move. He gently shook his head as if trying to disrupt the lingering echoes of Elestria's screams. Under his breath, he muttered, "I should have stuffed her mouth before pushing her." With that, he disappeared, leaving behind a lingering command in his absence: "Bring her to me."

The ground floor reverberated with the chattering of weapons and the shuffling of feet as the guards gathered at the crash site. 

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