Rock_Olanrewaju

When three friends, Rex, Martin and Prince venture into a mysterious mini-forest after their final exams, they unwittingly stumble into a realm where shadows roam free. A dark entity attacks them, spiriting away Martins and Prince leaving Rex as the sole survivor.

Determined to rescue his friends, Rex embarks on a perilous journey into the Land of Lost Souls, a realm where stolen souls are trapped, reliving memories of their past lives. With the help of mysterious guides and ancient wisdom, Rex must navigate treacherous landscapes, overcome formidable foes, and confront the dark forces driving the shadowy entity.

As Rex delves deeper into the heart of the Land of Lost Souls, he uncovers secrets about his friends' pasts, the true nature of the realm, and the reason behind his own immunity to the shadow's attack. With time running out, Rex must race against the clock to save his friends before their bodies succumb to death, trapping their souls forever in the Land of Lost Souls.

Will Rex's bravery and determination be enough to overcome the darkness, or will he succumb to the same fate as his friends? Dive into the Adventure into the Land of Lost Souls to uncover the thrilling tale of friendship, courage, and the battle between light and darkness.

Chronicles of the lost souls

"Stop being silly, young one. I am not traveling to Azemoron with you," the old man said softly.

Rex was bewildered. What the hell is Azemoron? he wondered, unsure of what the old man was talking about.

"I will only take you to the gateway. From there, you're on your own," the man continued.

"But you said you were going to help me!" Rex protested.

The caveman chuckled. "Getting you to the gate is the greatest help I can offer."

Rex frowned. "So where is Aneromon?"

"Azemoron," the man corrected. "That's where your friends are."

Rex's stomach tightened. "And how do you know that?"

The old man gestured around them. "Look around you. Does this place look like any ordinary forest to you?"

Rex scanned his surroundings. The air felt thick, almost alive, and the trees twisted unnaturally, their roots pulsating like veins beneath the soil. He shuddered. "It looks like the backyard of the devil himself."

The man gave a knowing nod. "Only Azemoron has the power to transform a forest this way."

Rex narrowed his eyes. "So what exactly is Azemoron?"

"It is a place that should never be thought of," the man answered cryptically.

"You mean… the end of the world?"

The old man suddenly halted mid-step. His head tilted slightly, his gaze sharpening.

Rex's pulse quickened. "What is it?"

"We are being followed," the man murmured.

Instead of answering, the old man tore a piece of his tattered robe and tied it around the gnarled roots of a nearby tree. He muttered something in an arcane language, his voice barely above a whisper. The moment the last syllable left his lips, the roots pulsed once, as if acknowledging his command.

Rex stiffened, gripping his backpack tightly, ready to bolt.

"No need to run," the man said calmly. "We are safe now."

Rex let out a breath, embarrassed by his own panic.

"So, tell me," the old man said, turning his gaze back to Rex. "What exactly did you do to awaken the spirits of Azemoron?"

Rex hesitated but then recounted the entire ordeal how he and his friends had entered the strange forest, the shadowy entity that attacked them, and how he was the only one left behind.

When he finished, the old man simply nodded, unfazed.

Rex frowned. "How are you so calm? Aren't you supposed to ask why I wasn't taken too?"

The man chuckled. "Isn't that why you were searching for me? You need answers. Why should I waste time asking a question you came to ask me?"

Rex sighed. "How do you know all of this?"

"I don't know everything, young man. Nobody does. But I know enough."

Rex hesitated before asking his next question. "So if I may ask..." He trailed off, realizing how rude it might sound.

The old man smirked. "You want to ask who I am?"

"I am the guardian assigned to ensure no one tampers with the spirits of Azemoron," the man said.

Rex scoffed. "Yeah, I see how well that's working out."

The man smirked. "I let you find the tree for a reason."

"I saved you from being taken for a reason. I made you circle the Nemruda three times for a reason. And I healed you for a reason."

Rex stopped in his tracks. "You what?" His voice rose in disbelief.

"How dare you do all of that and still act like my friend?" Anger surged through him, his hands clenching into fists.

The old man remained silent, continuing forward as if Rex's outburst meant nothing.

"Don't just walk away! Tell me why you did it!" Rex demanded.

Rex's frustration boiled over. "You can't just keep quiet! I deserve an explanation!"

His stomach churned with distrust. He couldn't trust this man anymore. What else is he hiding?

"My dad warned me about people like you," Rex muttered.

He turned away, choosing a different path. "Who needs an old man to find the way to… what was it again? Anerojan? Azemoran? Whatever. I'll just find the tree myself and enter the same way my friends did."

And with that, Rex marched off into the unknown.

Chapter 7: The Keeper of Azemoron