Nicolas

The world around me quivered like a reflection in shattered glass. The chapel had vanished, replaced by a swirling expanse of gold and shadow. Every step I took felt heavier, as though gravity itself were resisting my movement. And at the center of it all, bathed in a blinding light, was Vanessa.

She stood small, her golden hair shimmering like sunlight through water, and her eyes… oh, her eyes. Golden, radiant, and calling him Father.

“Vanessa!” I shouted, forcing my legs to move ...