⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

𝔼𝕍𝔼ℝ𝕃𝕐ℕ watched as the figure approached, his presence like a mirage shifting through the golden haze. The wind stirred gently around them, lifting grains of sand into the air, catching the sunlight in a dance of shimmering gold. Her breath was shallow, her limbs frozen, as if the very air between them held her captive. Every instinct screamed for her to move, to speak, but she remained still, caught in the gravity of his gaze.

Then, with the grace of a whisper, he raised his hand, his fingers barely brushing against her cheek. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine, anchoring her to the moment, making it more real than anything she had ever known. His dark eyes softened as his thumb traced her cheekbone, reverence in his every movement.

"You have set me free," he murmured, his voice deep and laced with something ancient, something eternal.

Everlyn's heart pounded against her ribs as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering as though memorizing the feeling. He leaned closer, the space between them vanishing, his breath mingling with hers. She inhaled sharply, the air suddenly too thick, too charged. A slow, knowing smile curled his lips at her reaction, a soft chuckle escaping him like silk on the wind.

"My desert flower," he whispered.

The words sent a warmth through her, something both foreign and familiar, as if she had heard them before in a dream, in another life. The sun flared behind him, casting his features in a golden glow, the outline of his form bathed in an ethereal light. He leaned in closer, the world narrowing to just the space between them, to the point where time itself seemed to still.

And then—

"Everlyn!"

The voice shattered the illusion like glass striking stone.

The desert vanished. The warmth, the wind, the light—all of it was gone. She was back in the tomb, the cold weight of reality settling over her. Her breath came in short gasps as her vision cleared, revealing the dim, flickering lights of the underground chamber. The musty air filled her lungs, replacing the sweet desert breeze that had felt so real just moments ago. Jenny stood before her, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in exasperation. "Tell Greenway he's gonna send a team to get this thing out of here, or he's gonna have to explain why he left me behind," she ordered before turning and walking away.

Everlyn blinked, her mind still reeling. The transition between worlds had been so seamless, so consuming, that she felt as though she had truly been there—with him. She barely registered Jenny's retreat before the woman turned back, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Do it," she repeated.

Everlyn swallowed hard, forcing a nod. "Okay," she managed, though her voice felt distant, as if she were speaking through a fog.

Jenny walked off, shaking her head as if Everlyn had lost her mind. And perhaps she had.

Everlyn stood there, unmoving, the lingering sensation of his touch still burning on her skin. She pressed her fingers gently to her lips, her pulse thrumming in her ears. She could still feel the warmth of his breath, the ghost of his words wrapping around her like a whisper on the wind.

Ahmanis.

His face flashed in her mind like a painting or a dream she had long forgotten, a face buried beneath time and dust. Shaking herself, she tore her gaze from the coffin, pushing away the impossible thoughts clawing at the edges of her mind. Whatever had just happened—it wasn't real. It couldn't be.

And yet, as she moved to complete her task, she couldn't shake the lingering sensation that, somewhere in the depths of the desert, something had awoken. And it was calling to her.

𓋹𓂀

The heavy coffin, bound in thick ropes, was slowly hoisted from the depths of its ancient prison, rising into the air with an eerie weightlessness. The helicopter above roared against the desert wind, its powerful blades slicing through the sky as it lifted the relic from the tomb's grasp. Dust swirled violently around the excavation site, obscuring the figures of Jenny, Nick, Vail, and Everlyn as they climbed out of the pit, their boots crunching against the loose stones and shifting sand.

Jenny pressed the radio to her lips, her voice sharp and commanding. "Guidelines are manned!"

A crackling reply came through the earpiece. "Guideline is steady."

Jenny adjusted her stance, eyes locked on the hovering aircraft. "Move more to your nine o'clock!" she instructed, watching as the pilot corrected course, ensuring the coffin remained stable in the lift.

Everlyn, standing a few steps away, barely heard their exchange. Her gaze remained fixed on the coffin, that strange, lingering sensation creeping up her spine once more. It felt as though invisible threads were pulling at her, connecting her to the ancient artifact as it ascended toward the heavens.

Then, a sharp caw sliced through the air.

She turned her head sharply, her breath catching in her throat. A row of ravens perched along a crumbling stone wall, their black eyes gleaming as they stared at her—watching, waiting. More of them lined the rooftops of the nearby buildings, some tilting their heads toward the coffin as it dangled midair, others focusing solely on her. Their dark forms stood in stark contrast against the dusty ruins, their calls filling the silence between the whirring blades of the helicopter.

Everlyn's fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as an unsettling shiver ran through her.

Then she saw them—more ravens, dozens, perhaps hundreds, scattered across the town. They clung to ledges, rooftops, and the broken remnants of abandoned structures. Some remained eerily silent, their eyes locked on the coffin as it continued its ascent, while others shrieked and flapped their wings, their calls echoing through the empty streets. And above them, swirling like a black storm against the golden sky, an entire flock circled the helicopter, their wings beating in unison as they followed the coffin's path.

It was as if the entire town had been swallowed by an omen, a dark force that had lain dormant until now—until him.

Everlyn exhaled slowly, forcing herself to turn away. But as she did, she noticed something unsettling.

Some of the ravens hadn't followed the coffin.

They remained. Watching her.

Their beady black eyes followed her every movement, their bodies still, their presence unwavering. Swallowing hard, she hoisted her bag higher onto her shoulder and strode toward the waiting vehicles, her pulse a steady drum in her ears. The ravens lifted from their perches, their wings beating softly as they moved—silent shadows that followed in her wake, gliding through the air as if ensuring she made it to safety.

𓋹𓂀

The rhythmic thrum of the helicopter blades filled the cabin, a steady, pulsing heartbeat against the howling winds outside. Everlyn sat in silence, her gaze drifting toward the second helicopter flying alongside them, its steel frame cradling the ancient coffin. Beyond it, in the distance, a monstrous sandstorm loomed, its golden-brown tendrils writhing like a living thing, swallowing the horizon inch by inch.

Inside the cockpit, the pilots' voices crackled over the radio.

"Three-eight-Sierra-four-two-seven-niner-point-six-six-nine."

Their words blurred in Everlyn's ears, distant and hollow, like echoes through an empty cavern.

"Go to the MSR, grid two-five-seven-seven-eight-eight-four."

She barely registered them. Instead, her thoughts churned like the storm outside. Some things are buried for a reason. The words settled deep in her chest, twisting like an unseen force warning her to turn back. But it was too late for doubts now. Beside her, Vail sat hunched over, his skin pallid, his hands trembling against his lap. He shuddered, squeezing his eyes shut as if trying to escape whatever sickness had taken hold of him. Or maybe it wasn't just sickness. Maybe he felt it too—that unshakable sense of dread clawing at the edges of reason.

The convoy descended upon their destination, a makeshift military airstrip where the plane awaited them. As the helicopters carefully lowered the coffin onto the ground, a group of soldiers rushed forward, moving with precise, methodical efficiency to secure it for transport. Everlyn's boots hit the ground as she stepped out, the heat from the approaching storm pressing against her skin. Around her, the wind picked up, swirling sand in chaotic spirals. Jenny moved quickly, weaving through the cluster of men before raising her voice in protest.

"Hey! Wait, wait—please, be careful! This is five thousand years old."

Her plea barely cut through the commotion before the Colonel barked out his own orders.

"Sixty seconds! Let's go!"

The soldiers wasted no time, hauling the coffin onto the transport plane with swift precision. Jenny hovered anxiously beside them, issuing careful instructions as they secured the artifact in place. Everlyn, Nick, and Vail broke into a run, sand whipping against their faces as the storm closed in. Each breath tasted of dust, dry and suffocating. Their boots pounded against the tarmac, urgency driving them forward as the first gusts of the storm lashed against the plane's steel exterior.

The moment they were inside, the Colonel's voice boomed through the headset.

"Get us off the ground, now! Halsey, take a seat!"

Struggling against the turbulence, Everlyn helped Vail into his seat, his body heavy with exhaustion. She strapped him in before securing herself, her fingers tightening around the belt as the engines roared to life. Beside her, Nick sat next to Jenny, his usual smugness replaced by something more serious, more unnerved.

Everlyn stole one last glance at the coffin. It sat there, unmoving, its presence heavy despite the restraints that held it in place.

The doors sealed shut. The plane rumbled, vibrating beneath them as it lifted off the ground, rising through the storm's grasp. The ascent was rough, the aircraft shaking violently as the desert winds howled in protest, but soon, they were free soaring above the chaos.

Everlyn exhaled, a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

But the unease remained.

Because something told her... they weren't free at all.

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By: SilverMist707

Hoping you have a great day or night and remember to smile as you do have a beautiful smile. <3