Chapter 288: The Third Lifetime, Adele. (14)
Thirheria.
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Theodore walked through the bustling marketplace, his thoughts consumed by the upcoming wedding. Tomorrow, he would be married to Adele, the woman who had occupied his heart for as long as he could remember. He moved between stalls, his eyes scanning the various wares for a gift that would express the depth of his feelings. The air was filled with the mingling scents of freshly baked bread, fragrant spices, and the warm, sunlit dust that clung to everything. Vendors called out their wares, and children darted between the stalls, laughter ringing through the air. But despite the liveliness around him, Theodore felt a peculiar unease.
He found himself drawn to a particular vendor selling intricate jewelry. He was just reaching out to inspect a delicate pendant when suddenly, the world around him began to blur. The vibrant colors of the marketplace dulled, and the sounds faded into a muffled hum. Theodore blinked, trying to steady himself, but before he could react, he was no longer standing in the marketplace.
He was somewhere else entirely.
Theodore found himself in a strange, ethereal place. The ground beneath his feet was soft, like desert sand, but it was cool to the touch. All around him, a whirlwind of sand spiraled upwards, creating walls of swirling grains that formed a vast, endless hurricane. Yet, despite the chaotic motion, the space within the vortex was calm, almost eerily so. There were no buildings, no signs of life—just sand as far as the eye could see, stretching into a horizonless void.
He spun around, trying to make sense of this strange environment, his heart pounding in his chest. The air was warm, carrying a scent that was both familiar and foreign, a mix of memories he couldn’t quite place. Theodore’s senses were on high alert, his every instinct screaming at him to be ready for whatever was to come.
Then, cutting through the silence like a blade, a voice spoke—a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Theodore."