"Caelora!!"

A woman in a black dress, trimmed with delicate hints of white, shouted into the empty air. She had searched everywhere—room to room, corner to corner—yet Caelora was nowhere to be found. This wasn’t the first time the girl had vanished like this. No, far from it.

“No... no... no, please,” the woman muttered under her breath, her voice tight with rising panic. She quickened her steps, eyes darting, hands trembling. “Little Miss, please... I can’t afford to lose this job!” she pleaded into the silence.

But still—

Caelora did not appear.

The grand hall stood silent, its tall windows casting pale streaks of moonlight across the marble floor. Dust danced in the beams like fading memories. The woman pressed a trembling hand against one of the pillars to steady herself, her breath shallow and quick.

"Think, Elira... think..." she whispered to herself, her fingers tightening around the folds of her skirt.

Caelora couldn’t have gone far—at least, not on foot. But that girl was clever. Too clever. Always sneaking off, always vanishing when eyes weren’t watching. And each time, it was as though she stepped into another world entirely.

Elira pushed open a heavy wooden door at the end of the corridor, revealing a forgotten library cloaked in shadow. The air was musty, filled with the scent of parchment and old secrets.

“Caelora?” she called again, softer now. “Please, little one. I won’t be mad—just come out.”

Silence.

Then—a creak. Behind the farthest bookshelf.

Elira’s heart jumped into her throat. She moved cautiously, heels clicking softly on the worn floorboards. As she approached, she could hear something—whispers. Not Caelora’s voice, no. These were lower... layered, like many voices speaking at once, yet none fully formed.

Her skin prickled.

“Caelora?” she repeated, slower this time, pushing the shelf aside with effort. Dust exploded into the air. Behind it, nestled between the back wall and a toppled bookcase, was a narrow gap in the stone—a hidden passage.

Elira’s breath hitched.

She had worked at the manor for nearly five years. She knew every hall, every stairwell, every broom closet. But this… this wasn’t supposed to exist.

The whispers grew louder. They seemed to pull at her thoughts, warping them—like fingers tapping the edges of her mind.

She should leave. She should run. She should call for help.

But instead, she stepped forward.

Into the dark.

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AUTHOR AREA !!!

HEYYYA, SYLVIE HERE ^^

Hope ya enjoyed how this turned out, cuz well me ... I'm not quite satisfied with my work, it needs improvement and of course I have to improve my imagination to create more amazing and well, pretty scenarios. This is my first ever novel, a story even I myself, don't know the ending. But yahhh new things...^^

Let's get along^^

Ohh, btw feel free to suggest what could happen next... I'm really open for new thoughts and ideas I could put in this piece! ><

The corridor opened into a small circular chamber. And there—at the center of the room—was a table.

A wooden one, child-sized, with tiny legs carved in the shape of lilies. Upon it sat a porcelain tea set, complete with mismatched cups and a pot that steamed gently, as though freshly brewed.

And sitting before it, legs swinging above the floor, was Caelora.

She wore a soft blue nightgown, her long dark hair brushed and pinned with a single silver clasp. Her tiny hands cradled a teacup no larger than a thimble, and her cheeks were flushed from the warmth of the tea.

She looked up as Elira stepped into the chamber—eyes wide, innocently looking.

“Oh… you found me.”

But something in the way she said it made Elira pause. It wasn’t surprise in Caelora’s tone—it was certainty. Expectation. Like the girl had known this moment would come and had only been waiting for it to happen.

Elira’s breath caught. “Caelora—what is this place? What’s going on?”

Caelora simply smiled. A quiet, almost pleased little thing.

“You weren’t supposed to find me easily.”

The air in the chamber shifted—just slightly. The walls didn’t move, but they felt closer. More alert. The whispers, which had been circling like passive winds, now hummed with interest.

Elira blinked, trying to piece her thoughts together. The panic she'd felt moments ago—the gut-deep dread—it was already slipping away, like smoke through her fingers. In its place was... confusion. Not fear. Just the sensation that she had missed something important.

“I don’t understand,” she said, stepping closer. “Why did you hide? Why make me—”

“Because I had to know,” Caelora said, gently setting her cup down. “If you’d come after me. If you’d reach me.”

Elira stared.

“I... of course I would. You're a child. You're my responsibility.”

Caelora tilted her head again. “That’s what most people say. At first.”

The whispers echoed that phrase, almost mockingly—at first… at first…

The room dimmed, ever so slightly, as if the stone itself was holding its breath.

Caelora gestured to the empty seat across from her. “Sit. Please. You passed, after all.”

“Passed?” Elira asked, clearly confused by what Caelora meant.

“The test.” Little Caelora answered blankly.

Elira hesitated—but her legs moved on their own. Her knees folded, and before she knew it, she was sitting. The porcelain teacup was already in front of her, filled. She hadn’t seen Caelora pour it.

She stared down into the steaming liquid, its surface smooth as glass, reflecting her own uncertain face.

“I didn’t know I was being tested, I thought--,” she murmured.

“Most don’t.” Little Caelora cut her off.

Caelora’s voice was soft—sympathetic, almost. But there was something deeper beneath it. Something ageless. Something far too calm for a five-year-old.

“But you came. Even when it was dark. Even when you were afraid. And you didn’t run, even when the door opened to something you didn’t understand.”

She leaned forward just slightly, hands folded beneath her chin.

“That’s enough for now. Congratulations Miss Elira, for passing my test!" Caelora said with a smile, as if a few minutes ago she wasn't so cold and indifferent.

Elira looked up at her, heart thudding slowly in her chest.

“What is this place?” Elira couldn't help but ask.

Caelora’s smile returned, but this time it was tinged with something knowing.

Instead of an answer, Caelora offered Elira some tea.

"Take some rest and have some tea with me, Miss Elira. I'm sure you're tired."

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AUTHOR AREA!!!

AHHHHHHH Goodness 😭😭 I'm losing interest in continuing this, I know... I've just started...but idk, my brain speaks to quit yet my heart won't let it be.... I'ma settle this...BUT YEAHHHH I HOPE YA ENJOY THE NEW CHAP!!!!