Story 347: The Mask of Deception

The forest opened into a clearing illuminated by an eerie green glow. Zara halted, her breath catching as she took in the sight before her. Towering above the treetops was a strange, otherworldly structure carved into a cliffside, its jagged towers glowing with faint orange light. It was as if the earth itself had grown a fortress of shadows.

"What is this place?" Callum asked, his voice tinged with awe and unease as he dragged Selena Rourke alongside him.

Selena smirked, despite her restraints. “You’re closer to the truth than you realize. This is where the game really begins.”

Ignoring her cryptic remark, Zara turned her attention to the structure. A chilling breeze carried whispers, faint and unintelligible, as though the air itself was alive. The closer they moved toward the fortress, the more Zara’s instincts screamed at her to turn back.