Tarik took a step out of bed, his palms trembling slightly and his legs barely wobbling. Cassiel reached out to help him, but he refused with a determined motion.
“I’m okay,” he said, with a firm voice, though it still held a thread of doubt.
As he stepped into the hallway, tiny specks of light began to swirl around him, as if the fairyland itself was welcoming him. Each step resonated with the heartbeat of the realm, each breath seemed to synchronize with the very essence of the land.
Upon reaching one of the inner gardens, he closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. He could feel every root, every leaf, every crystal vibrating in harmony with him. For the first time, they were not cries or laments: they were whispers of welcome.
When he opened his eyes, a subtle change began t
