Prologue

Hazel had always been afraid of the dark. Ever since she was little, the shadows seemed to whisper secrets she couldn’t understand. But everything changed the night she found the glowing door hidden by the old willow tree in her backyard.

One morning, a mysterious door appeared in the middle of the forest, glowing with a strange, otherworldly light. Hazel, curious, brave, but scared, decided to open it. What she saw was blood. Everywhere. Too much blood.

Hazel stepped back, her heart pounding in her chest. The blood seemed to glow, pulsing 

Chapter 1

with an eerie rhythm. As she cautiously peered through the door, she saw a shadow moving in the distance. It was tall and slender, with glowing red eyes. She felt her body pulling her forward. She couldn't resist.

Against her will, Hazel stepped into the doorway, her feet sinking into the thick, wet floor. The shadow moved closer, its eyes locking onto hers, and it spoke in a low, growling voice, "You’re mine now." Hazel could feel the weight of the words pulling her deeper into the dark abyss.

As the shadowy monster’s hand reached out toward her, Hazel tried to scream, but no sound came. Her heart raced, faster and faster, until it felt like it might burst from her chest. Just as the monster’s icy fingers brushed against her skin, the ground beneath her gave way, and she plummeted into a deep, dark hole. Her body went limp, but her heart still raced, pounding in her chest like it was fighting to survive.

Chapter 2

When Hazel finally hit the bottom of the hole, she expected the cold, hard ground, but instead, she fell into a soft, almost floating surface. As she sat up, the darkness around her began to shift, revealing hundreds of glowing eyes watching from the shadows. A soft voice echoed in her mind, "Welcome to the Realm of Lost Souls. You are here to stay... or you're here to help."

Hazel stood, her heart still pounding, and realized she was no longer alone. The shadows began to move, and she could hear whispers all around her.

The whispers seemed to grow louder, swirling around her like a thousand voices in a storm. Hazel's mind raced—ghosts? The Realm of Lost Souls? She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. But as she looked around, she saw figures slowly emerging from the shadows, translucent and glowing faintly. Some had faces filled with sorrow, others with anger, but all of them stared at her as if waiting for something.

"Are you... here to help?" one of the figures asked, its voice trembling like a breeze through trees.

Without thinking, Hazel bolted, her feet pounding the soft ground as she darted through the misty labyrinth of shadows. Every turn she took seemed to lead her deeper into the realm, and the whispers grew louder, like a chorus chanting her name. Suddenly, a cold hand grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. The voice that spoke this time was clear, calm, and menacing, "Running won't save you.

You have a choice: help us, or become one of us." Hazel froze, her heart still racing. She turned slowly, facing the figure that now stood directly in front of her.

Chapter 3

Hazel stood her ground, breathing heavily but refusing to give in to the fear. The figure's eyes narrowed as if it were studying her resolve. "You think you're the first to run?" the figure said, its voice growing softer, yet eerily calm. "We are not ghosts. We are the souls of those who have lost their way, trapped between realms. You were chosen, Hazel. Chosen because you can see us. You have a gift."

The words hung in the air like a curse, too much for Hazel's mind to process. Her chest tightened, and her heart began to pound harder, faster, threatening to break through her ribs. "No, I—" she started; but the world around her began to spin. Everything blurred, and as the pressure in her chest became unbearable, Hazel collapsed, her body going limp as the darkness swallowed her whole.

Chapter 4

Hazel slowly regained consciousness, her head throbbing and her vision fuzzy. As her eyes adjusted, she realized she was no longer in the shadowy realm. She was in a strange, cold cage made of shimmering metal that seemed to pulse with an eerie light. The walls around her were shifting, almost alive, and through the bars, she could see figures moving—some familiar, some completely unknown.

The whispers had stopped, but the oppressive silence made her feel like she was being watched by something far greater than herself.

A voice echoed from the shadows: "Welcome to your new home, Hazel. You are here to learn what happens to those who fail." The figure from before appeared, its red eyes glowing brighter than ever, and a twisted smile curling on its face. "Are you ready to see what you're truly capable of?"

Hazel stood there, unable to find her voice; her mind reeling from the bizarre twist of fate. 

She had so many questions, but the weight of her circumstances left her paralyzed. The figure watched her with a cold, calculating stare. "Speechless, huh?" it mused, a cruel grin stretching across its face. "Don’t worry. You’ll find your voice soon enough. In this place, everyone does."

The cage suddenly began to hum, the air thick with energy. The walls seemed to close in, not physically, but in a way that made Hazel feel as though they were squeezing her very thoughts. 

With a sudden jolt, a series of images flashed before her eyes—flashes of other trapped souls, their faces twisted in anguish, their eyes begging for release. Then, it stopped as abruptly as it had started.

"That was just the beginning, Hazel. You’ll learn what it means to be one of us." The figure turned to leave, but before it disappeared into the shadows, it added one last word: "Help us, or become us."

Hazel's mind raced as she processed the figure’s words. She had never felt so small, so insignificant, but she knew one thing for sure—she wasn’t going to stay a prisoner here. The faces of the trapped souls lingered in her mind, their silent pleas haunting her. "I’ll help," she whispered to herself, the decision settling in her chest like a weight she had no choice but to bear.

The figure reappeared, as if sensing her resolve. "I knew you'd come around. There's no escaping your fate, Hazel. But helping us might be your only way out." It stepped closer, the air around, cold and heavy. "To save them... you'll have to embrace what you fear most."

Chapter 5

Hazel swallowed hard, her heart still racing, but something inside her snapped into focus. She didn't know what she feared more—remaining trapped or facing whatever nightmare lay ahead in this realm of lost souls. But if helping them meant a chance to escape, she had no choice but to face it head-on.

Hazel, feeling the weight of so many fears crushing her chest, took a deep breath. She couldn’t figure out what scared her most, but she knew that if she didn’t face it, she would never escape this place. 

"What is all of this? What do I need to do to help?" she asked, her voice trembling but determined.

The souls, their eyes filled with sorrow, exchanged silent glances before one of them stepped forward—a young girl with pale skin and sad eyes. "We were all once like you," she began softly. "Living our lives, unaware of this realm, until we made a choice that brought us here."

"A choice?" Hazel asked, her heart racing again. "What kind of choice?"

The young girl hesitated before speaking again. "We were given the option to help others, to fix the mistakes we made, or… become part of the shadows ourselves." She paused, her voice barely a whisper. You must find the door that brought you here. Only then can you choose what happens next."

Hazel's eyes widened. "The door? But I thought it was just a trap."

"It’s both a trap and a key," the soul answered cryptically. "Only by confronting what brought you here can you begin to undo the damage."

With no other choice, Hazel nodded, ready to find the door and whatever secrets it held. But she knew this journey would push her limits, and the hardest part was yet to come.

Chapter 6

Hazel's footsteps echoed as she walked deeper into the shifting shadows, the cold air pressing against her skin. Every turn seemed to lead her to another dark corner of this strange, endless realm. The whispers of the souls faded into silence as she ventured farther, their eyes following her every move. She had no clear path, no sign of where the door might be—but something in her gut told her that she was getting closer.

As she moved, the ground beneath her began to pulse with a strange energy, and a faint glow flickered in the distance. Hazel's heart pounded in anticipation, and she quickened her pace, the glow growing brighter with each step. She reached a cavernous chamber, its walls covered in ancient, unreadable symbols. In the center of the room was a pedestal, and on it sat a glowing crystal—the same eerie light that had pulsed in the cage. Hazel approached cautiously, drawn to the crystal but also filled with dread. She reached out and touched it, and immediately, the room seemed to collapse around her. 

The whispers returned, louder than ever, as shadows twisted and writhed in the air. A voice, much deeper and darker than before, echoed from the walls: "You’ve found the heart of the realm, Hazel. But it’s too late. There’s no turning back."

Chapter 7

The floor beneath her cracked open, and a dark force tried to pull her down, but Hazel held on to the pedestal, desperate not to be swallowed by the abyss.

Hazel plummeted through the endless darkness, the cold wind rushing past her, whipping her hair and clothes around. For what felt like an eternity, she fell, her heart pounding in her chest.

She screamed out in desperation, but her voice was swallowed by the void. Her mind raced—she couldn’t keep falling forever. There had to be something she could do.

Then, in the midst of her fear, she remembered the glowing crystal. The energy it had radiated was still fresh in her mind, and she realized that maybe it was more than just a source of light. Maybe it held the key to stopping this endless descent.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to center herself, focusing on the feeling of power