Imagine there's no heaven.

Mariah needed to get away for a while. The recurring nightmare was still fresh in her mind, the haunting image of Moros' oppressive void still imprinted on her thoughts. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the icy grip of fear clutching at her heart, the dread unyielding. It was maddening, the way it wormed its way into her consciousness even when she was awake. In the beginning, it hadn’t bothered her- not like this. But the more often they happened … well, Mariah was beginning to fear sleep itself. The mundane tasks of the day brought her little relief, but they served as a distraction – a bandage over the wound of her terror. She had always been an independent spirit, which is why she sought out solace now. Away from home. Away from her family. Away from Caedes- who she had already told of the horrors she faced … but couldn’t stand to burden him with a threat he could not help her face.

She hadn’t really paid attention to where she was going, but the air had become thicker and more humid. A forested wetland that was vaguely familiar to her. As she moved deeper into the gloom, the familiar scent of the mangroves wafted in the air, bringing with her a strange comfort. The trees stood tall and silent around her, their gnarled roots winding through the diminishing light like a labyrinth. The forest held an eerie stillness that was both unsettling and calming, a paradox that mirrored her turmoil. Overhead, the dense canopy blocked out most of the daylight, casting long shadows that danced around her. The silence was broken only by the distant calls of unseen creatures and the soft rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

She didn’t notice the obsidian brute before she was nearly on top of him- his coat blending into the shadows of the forest. His eyes, wide and scared. His form was ragged, unsteady- afraid. Instantly, she tensed, ready for a fight or flight. But as she looked at him, her silver gaze falling over his vulnerable figure. He clutched a satchel as if his life depended on it. “Hello?” She called out, curious as to what had this man in coiled knots.

"Mariah Mendacium"