And The Shadows May Follow

Mariah stared blankly at the stony beach before her, the crashing of the waves against the rocks an echoing reflection of the turmoil in her mind. She had come to the rock garden seeking solace, hoping the vast expanse of stone and sea would grant her the peace that sleep would not. But even here, in this place of primal beauty, the nightmare followed her like a shadow.

She could still feel Moros' claws raking through her flesh, peeling back skin and sinew to reveal the glittering crystals nested within her viscera. The pain had been unimaginable, a searing agony that transcended the boundary between dream and reality. And yet, it was the revelation of the crystals that haunted her most.

Mariah shuddered, curling into herself. She couldn't shake the feeling that the nightmare held some terrible truth, a glimpse into the twisted workings of her own body. The thought made her stomach churn and her head spin. Was she truly going mad? That was the most concerning part. That she believed that there could possibly be a shred of truth to what she had dreamed up.

She gazed out at the ocean, watching the sun's rays dance across the waves in a shimmering kaleidoscope of color. The beauty of it all seemed to mock her, a cruel reminder of the ugliness that festered in her mind. Mariah closed her eyes, willing the tears not to fall. She was so tired, so desperately in need of rest. But the fear of what awaited her in the realm of dreams kept her clinging to the waking world, even as exhaustion threatened to drag her under.

With a heavy sigh, Mariah turned away from the sea and began to pick her way across the rocky terrain, her steps unsteady and her vision blurred. She had no answers, no way to untangle the knot of fear and confusion that gripped her heart. All she could do was keep moving forward, one painful step at a time, and pray that somewhere along the way, she would find the strength to face whatever demons lurked within her, real or imagined.

"Mariah Mendacium"