Chapter 52: A goddess

The kaleidoscope of colors and memories suddenly froze, as if time itself had ceased to exist. Zafron hung suspended in this moment of stillness, his thoughts echoing in the void. 'What's happening?'

Without warning, gravity reasserted itself. Zafron plummeted, the sensation of falling both exhilarating and terrifying. The darkness gave way to a rapidly approaching landscape – a lush, verdant forest unlike anything he had ever seen.

As the ground rushed up to meet him, Zafron braced himself for impact. But mere moments before collision, his descent slowed dramatically. He drifted the last few feet, finally touching down on soft, springy grass.

Zafron's feet met solid ground for the first time in what felt like an eternity. He wiggled his toes, marveling at the sensation. 'I can feel,' he thought, wonder coloring his inner voice. 'But how? Aren't I dead?'