72 - The Sanctuary IV: Fighting Darkness

Chloe Jane

As soon as my foot crosses the threshold back into the Sanctuary, a veil seems to fall over my eyes, plunging me back into darkness. My heart races, panic clawing at its edges. It’s been weeks since I’ve been blind, weeks since I felt this vulnerable, this helpless.

The sounds around me are amplified—a slithering that seems too close, a low growling that sends shivers down my spine. I freeze, not knowing which way to turn, my recent training forgotten in the face of sudden fear.

“What’s happening?” I whisper into the darkness, my voice quivering with fear.

“You’ve forgotten so soon, Chloe Jane?” Diantha’s voice echoes through me. “The darkness is where fate hides its deepest secrets, where your true test begins.”

I swallow hard, trying to steady my racing heart. “I... I thought I was ready,” I manage to say, the admission tasting bitter on my tongue.

Diantha’s laugh is a cold whisper in the dark. “Readiness is an illusion, child. Here, in the shadows, is where you’ll confro