The Path to Desolation

The chill deepens as Ashura and the girl continue northward, the weight of their journey bearing down on them. The fortress in the distance looms, its blackened silhouette against the dark sky a reminder of the power that once ruled Eruthia. With every step, Ashura feels more pieces of his past slipping into place, but with that clarity comes greater dread—especially concerning the girl at his side, who remains oblivious to the true depth of her connection to the curse.

The night falls heavy and thick as they camp near a cluster of dead trees, the air still as though the land itself is holding its breath. While Ashura stands guard, his mind drifts back to the vision he had in the temple, of Shura, his twin brother. The memory haunts him—the way Shura looked, a twisted reflection of himself, consumed by some unknown darkness. Ashura wonders if his brother is still alive, or if he has become another servant of the curse.

Suddenly, a faint noise breaks the silence. Ashura turns to see the little girl standing, eyes glazed over, slowly walking away from the camp. Alarmed, he follows her through the trees, his footsteps quiet on the dead leaves. The girl moves as though pulled by an unseen force, her small figure swallowed by the shadows.

Ashura watches in confusion as she approaches a stone circle hidden among the trees. The ground inside the circle pulses with faint red light, and strange symbols swirl in the air. The girl stands at its center, her face calm, unaware of her actions. Ashura's heart pounds as he reaches for her, pulling her away just before the light flares, casting strange shadows across the forest floor.

As the light fades, Ashura inspects the circle. It is ancient, etched into the earth by forces older than the Blood King. He kneels down, touching the symbols, and a flash of memory returns to him—he sees the little girl, much younger, being taken by hooded figures to an altar surrounded by chanting priests. They had planned something for her, something terrible, but the vision ends before he can understand what.

He looks at the girl, still dazed, as she blinks up at him. She doesn't remember what happened, but Ashura now knows the curse has marked her, just as it has him. She is not merely a victim of the curse but a key to something much larger.

"We need to keep moving," Ashura mutters, though his thoughts are now racing. They have no choice but to continue toward the fortress—the answers he seeks, and perhaps salvation for the girl, lie there.