Chapter 7: The Keeper’s Curse

Eliza gasped as the darkness enveloped her, the whispers growing louder, more urgent. Her body was frozen, as if the shadows themselves had trapped her in place. The air felt heavy, pressing against her chest, suffocating her.

“Eliza… you cannot escape me.”

The voice, cold and unnervingly calm, slithered through the air like a serpent. It was everywhere, yet nowhere, sending chills down her spine.

She turned, her heart pounding in her chest. “Who are you? What do you want with me?”

From the shadows, a figure materialized—tall, gaunt, its face hidden beneath the familiar veil. Eliza’s breath caught in her throat as she recognized the form from the mirror, the figure that had haunted her every step.

“You shouldn’t have opened the door,” the figure whispered, its voice low and raspy. “But you did… and now you belong to me.”

Eliza stumbled backward, panic rising in her throat. “No, I don’t! I didn’t mean to—”

“You never meant to,” the voice interrupted, almost mocking. “None of you ever mean to. But now… the veil is weakening. And I am free.”

The figure stepped closer, its presence suffocating. Eliza’s legs trembled beneath her as she fought to steady her breath. “You’re the Keeper,” she whispered, finally understanding.

The figure nodded, her movements slow, deliberate. “Yes. I was once like you. I wore the veil to keep the darkness at bay, but I grew hungry… for power, for knowledge. And now, I am the darkness.”

Eliza’s mind raced. “You were human once? What happened to you?”

The Keeper’s eyes, cold and empty, stared through Eliza. “I became something more. Something ancient, something that cannot be contained. And now that the veil is gone, I will take what is mine. Starting with you.”

Eliza’s eyes widened with terror. “What do you want with me?”

“Everything,” the Keeper hissed, her voice dripping with malice. “Your soul. Your spirit. You opened the door, Eliza, and that means you’ve already chosen. There is no turning back.”

“No!” Eliza cried, shaking her head. “I didn’t choose anything. I just—”

“You chose when you saw me,” the Keeper interrupted, her voice rising in a haunting crescendo. “You saw my face in the mirror. And now you will pay for your curiosity.”

Eliza took a step back, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear the Keeper’s words over the thudding. “What are you going to do to me?”

The Keeper’s smile twisted, her lips curling into something that could never be called human. “I will take what is mine,” she repeated. “You are the key to my freedom, and I will never let you go.”

Eliza’s breath caught in her throat. She tried to move, to run, but her body refused to obey. The darkness seemed to reach out for her, pulling her into its depths. The air was thick with the Keeper’s power.

“No! You won’t have me!” Eliza shouted, summoning every ounce of strength she had left.

The Keeper paused, her head tilting slightly as if intrigued by Eliza’s defiance. “You’re strong,” she mused, her voice dripping with amusement. “But strength won’t save you.”

Suddenly, Eliza felt a force like a vice tighten around her chest. The air grew colder, the shadows closing in. She gasped, trying to breathe, but the weight of the darkness was too much. The Keeper’s cold laugh filled the room, sending shivers down Eliza’s spine.

“You’re mine now, Eliza,” the Keeper whispered, her voice a seductive poison. “And you will never escape me.”

“I will,” Eliza managed to choke out, her voice barely a whisper. “I’ll find a way. I’ll stop you.”

The Keeper’s laugh grew louder, more triumphant. “You can’t stop me. You never could.”

Desperation flooded Eliza’s mind. She had to escape, had to get away. Her thoughts scrambled, searching for something—anything—that could save her. And then, she remembered.

“Sister Clara!” Eliza shouted, her eyes darting around. “You have to help me!”

But the Keeper’s form twisted, flickering like a shadow. “She is just as powerless as you, Eliza. There is no one who can save you.”

“No…” Eliza gasped, her eyes welling with tears. “Please, Sister Clara… please!”

The Keeper’s voice softened, almost pitying. “You think she cares for you? She is no longer the woman you once knew. She is as much a prisoner as you are.”

Eliza shook her head, refusing to believe it. “No! She’s trying to protect me!”

“She is trying to protect herself,” the Keeper hissed, her smile widening. “Everyone here is trapped, Eliza. And now, you are too.”

Suddenly, the room seemed to tilt, the shadows swirling violently around Eliza. The Keeper’s form began to distort, her once-steady image flickering like a candle in the wind.

“You cannot escape your fate,” the Keeper whispered, her voice now a distant echo. “You are mine.”

Eliza stumbled, falling to her knees as the darkness enveloped her once more. The whispers filled her ears, growing louder, drowning out her thoughts. She could feel the Keeper’s presence closing in, wrapping around her like a cocoon of despair.

But then, in the midst of the suffocating silence, a faint voice broke through.

“Eliza… Eliza!”

It was Sister Clara.

Eliza’s heart skipped a beat. “Sister Clara?” she gasped, her voice trembling.

“Eliza, listen to me!” Sister Clara’s voice grew urgent. “You have to fight it. You cannot let it claim you!”

With the last of her strength, Eliza forced herself to stand, her legs shaky. She reached out toward the voice, hoping, praying it was real.

“Find the veil,” Sister Clara said, her voice strained. “It’s the only way. It’s the only way to stop her.”

The darkness began to pulse, the Keeper’s laugh echoing in the void. But Eliza didn’t listen to it. She focused on Sister Clara’s voice, clinging to it like a lifeline.

“Find the veil, Eliza. Before it’s too late…”

And with that, the world around her shattered.

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