Heartbroken words

The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the palace courtyard as Austin entered its grand gates. He had heard troubling rumors about Bloom's plight, and worry gnawed at his heart like a persistent, biting insect. With each step, the heaviness in his chest grew.

As he ventured further into the palace, the sights and sounds around him only deepened his unease. The grandeur of the place, once so captivating, now felt oppressive in the face of the suffering he feared Bloom was enduring.

Then, he saw her. Bloom, the vibrant and strong-willed friend he had come to know and admire, was a mere shadow of herself. Her skin bore the marks of violence, her eyes reflected pain, and her spirit seemed broken. His heart wrenched at the sight of her, and he rushed to her side.

"Bloom," Austin uttered her name with a mixture of sadness and anger. He knelt beside her, his eyes searching her face for some sign of hope, a flicker of the fierce spirit he knew so well.

Tears streaked down he