#traphouse2

In an instant, her surroundings were bathed in a vibrant orange glow. She stood within an expansive desert, where scorching winds whipped up columns of sand. Confusion gripped her as she grappled to make sense of this surreal landscape. A glance downward revealed attire she didn't recognize—strange, advanced combat gear unlike anything she had ever seen.

Across the desert expanse, two figures emerged. Sam Golbach and Colby Brock were running toward her, the very individuals whose names had resounded in her mind earlier. Their expressions held a mixture of astonishment and familiarity, mirroring the complex emotions within her.

"Xepher, this is real. You're seeing what we're seeing," Sam's voice carried hope tinged with certainty. "It's happening, even though it feels unreal."

Colby reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, “You need to calm down, Xepher. We will find you.”

Xepher nodded, her thoughts racing. "I was shot. I should be... I should be dead, Colby."

The intensity of the orange light intensified, casting long shadows upon the sandy terrain. As they exchanged puzzled glances, a distant rumble filled the air, growing steadily louder. Something was approaching.

A colossal sandstorm emerged on the horizon, a swirling maelstrom of chaos and devastation. The ground quaked beneath their feet as the tempest consumed everything in its path. Xepher's instincts kicked in. "We need cover—now!"

Together, they sprinted toward a cluster of rocky formations that promised some refuge. The sandstorm closed in, visibility reduced to near-zero. Huddled behind the rocks, they clung to each other as the tempest raged, a force of nature unlike any they'd encountered.

Amidst the heart of the storm, Xepher's mind was bombarded by a montage of images—centuries of battles, faces of comrades lost to time, and the sensation of never truly meeting the end. She realized that her return from death was no ordinary occurrence; it was something profound, linking her, Sam, and Colby across the tapestry of time.

In a vision that felt both real and distant, Xepher found herself amidst the opulence of the Italian Renaissance. The scene unfolded like a memory, or perhaps a dream. She watched as Sam Golbach and Colby Brock appeared in an elegant garden, under the gentle light of the setting sun. Sam's voice held a fondness that transcended time.

"Colby, you have an uncanny way of capturing beauty that rivals the finest artists."

Colby's smile held a touch of mischief as he leaned in closer. Their tunics mixed till Xepher was unsure who belonged to who, "Only because I have the most inspiring subject."

Their hands found each other, fingers intertwining with a familiarity that suggested an intimacy borne of more than just companionship. The unspoken connection between them was palpable, charged with an underlying depth that hinted at a romantic relationship.

As the sandstorm gradually abated, Xepher returned to her mind and the environment transformed once more. The vibrant orange light dimmed, revealing their original surroundings—the interior of the ambulance. The rhythmic beeping of medical instruments filled the air, and Xepher blinked in disbelief.

Even though Sam and Colby were not with her, Xepher could feel their presence along with many more who felt like echoing's across other life times. While she could parse out her short life, theirs were longer and so deeply entwined that they might as well have been hers as well. She shared a profound realization with her self, mumbling, "We're connected, across time and space."

The EMTs worked urgently, unaware of the cosmic odyssey Xepher had just undertaken. As her vision blurred and darkness beckoned, one thought remained resolute: they were part of an ancient and extraordinary narrative, one that transcended mortality.