Chapter 2

The Hearth was beautiful, nestled in a valley untouched by the decay they' d left behind.

Lush forests, clear streams, and simple, sturdy buildings.

Marcus, their leader, welcomed them with a warm smile and eyes that seemed to see right into their souls.

Julian, his second-in-command, was quieter, more watchful, but his presence felt strong, protective.

For a few weeks, it was idyllic. They worked in the gardens, learned about The Hearth's nature-focused beliefs, and felt a sense of community they' d never known.

Ava' s strange warmth seemed to respond to the vibrant life around her, and Chloe' s empathic senses were soothed by the apparent harmony.

Then came the "Gathering of Souls."

Marcus announced it as a sacred Hearth tradition, a deep spiritual cleansing for new members, to fully integrate them.

He said some older, more traditional members would oversee it.

He and Julian would be away, on a spiritual retreat, he explained, but they would be holding Ava and Chloe in their thoughts.

His words were reassuring, but a sliver of unease touched Ava.

The "cleansing" took place in a secluded grove, far from the main settlement.

It wasn't what they expected.

The Hearth elders leading it were stern, their eyes cold.

They separated Ava from Chloe.

They told Ava she had "impurities" that needed to be purged.

The ritual was brutal.

They tore her clothes, bound her to an old oak tree.

For three days, they chanted, starved her, and berated her with accusations of spiritual failings she didn' t understand.

Pain became her world. Fear was her only companion.

She cried out, but no one came.

Chloe, kept separately, sensed Ava' s terror.

Her Soul-Echo ability flared, a desperate attempt to reach her friend.

She tried to fight her way to Ava.

But the elders were ready.

They snared her in a spiritual trap, a shimmering net of energy that tightened around her.

Chloe screamed as she felt her own essence, her vibrant Soul-Echo, being drained away, siphoned into a dark, ornate container an elder held.

Her limbs felt heavy, useless, as if bound by invisible chains, the energy leaving her weak and trembling.

She could feel Ava' s suffering, now magnified by her own, a shared agony that echoed in the silent, uncaring woods.