C142 THE VILLAGE THAT DOESN'T BELONG

The world snapped back into Elara’s lungs like a punch.

Cold air.

Wet soil.

A smell like rain soaked in ancient stone.

She gasped, staggering as she landed on her knees, gripping at the soil with quivering fingers. Her vision spun—dark sky swirling with streaks of silver lightning, mountains rising jagged and unfamiliar, shadows crawling along the borders of the horizon