Chapter 6: The Heart of the Wild

The battlefield was a torn landscape of broken trees and scorched earth. Karcel stood over Dren's lifeless body, the weight of betrayal pressing heavily on her chest. She had known war would come with sacrifices, but Dren's fall was unexpected, and it shook her resolve. But there was no time to mourn.

Rael approached, sword still drawn, her face grim. "We can't stay here. The rogue gods will sense Dren's defeat, and they won't hesitate to strike at us now."

Karcel nodded, though her gaze lingered on her fallen friend. She had no choice. There was no turning back now. Her enemies were growing stronger by the day, and with each passing moment, the balance of Aerilon tipped further into chaos. They had to move.

But even as she turned away, the earth beneath her feet trembled. Dren's death had unleashed something darker, something older—the wild forces he once commanded were breaking free of his control, and the untamed power of nature itself began to spiral out of order.

The forest around them seemed to come alive, trees twisting and contorting as vines lashed out with terrifying speed. Karcel raised her hand, calling upon her light, but it flickered weakly in the face of such primal energy.

Naida stepped forward, her hands raised to the sky. "Let me handle this," she said. "The sea has long tempered the wilds. I will calm them."

With a gesture, Naida summoned the power of the oceans, and a great wave of water surged from the ground, dousing the raging flames and stilling the writhing vines. The forest quieted, though the tension in the air remained.

"This won't last long," Naida said, lowering her hands. "The wilds will continue to grow restless without a god to guide them."

Karcel clenched her fist. "We'll deal with that later. Right now, we need to focus on the next target."