Chapter 97: Unyielding Faith

Loneliness has wrapped its cold arms around me, encasing me in a shroud of desolation. No longer do the comforting smiles of friends and family warm my heart; their belief in my sanity seems to have eroded like the sands beneath a crashing wave. I find myself lost in a sea of doubt, desperately clutching at the fragile tendrils of hope that refuse to leave me.

It was in the bustling halls of the mall that I first laid eyes upon her. Amidst the throng of strangers, my heart recognized her, my beloved Athara. Her radiant smile and flowing auburn locks cascading over her shoulders remained vivid in my memory, etched there from the countless nights spent together. How could I have imagined her as anything but?

But the world around me disputes my version of reality. They say she is gone, her soul severed from this earthly realm and thrust into a realm beyond our reach. They claim to have buried her, whispering hushed condolences and offering sympathetic glances. Yet, my heart fights agains