296 : A Dark Connection

VERENA

I get up to place the gem back into the safe. Now that its work is done, I hope we’ll get to the other guardian celestial wolves sooner.

As I reach for the safe, a wave of dizziness washes over me. My head spins, and my vision blurs. A sharp pain lanced through my spine, intensifying with each passing second. I clutch at my chest, gasping for air.

Joshua and Irene rush to my side, their faces etched with concern. "Rena, are you okay?" Irene asks, her voice filled with worry.

I try to respond, but the pain is too intense. My vision darkens, and I collapse to the ground, unconscious.

In the depths of my mind, I find myself in a strange, unfamiliar place. It's a realm of darkness, a void where light cannot penetrate. The air is thick and heavy, filled with a suffocating sense of emptiness.

My feet are submerged in a black, tar-like substance, my movements hindered by its viscous grip. I look around, my eyes wide with fear. The place is barren, devoid of any signs of life.

And then