28. Whispers Of The Forgotten Ones

The jungle was quieter now. The echoes of battle—the clash of steel, the roars of magic, the agonized screams—had faded into the thick air.

But Micheal knew it wasn't over. The Shadow Lord's defeat had only bought them some time. The jungle had fought back, but its wounds ran deep, and the darkness would return.

He took a deep breath, as the weight of their journey settled on his shoulders like an invisible burden, pressing down with the knowledge that there was no turning back.

They had to keep moving.

The enemy might have scattered for now, but the jungle itself felt… off. Selene wiped the sweat from her brow, her daggers still gleaming at her sides. "We've done it. For now," she murmured, her voice softer than usual. "But how long before the Shadow Lord's forces come again?"

Micheal's eyes flickered with determination. "Not long,"he admitted. "But we can't stop now. We need to reach the Heart of the Jungle. It's the only way to secure its future."

Kai, still shaken from the battle, frowned. "And what exactly is the Heart of the Jungle? What are we really looking for?"

Micheal hesitated. The Heart wasn't just a place—it was something more. A source of power, ancient and untamed. A living pulse buried deep within the jungle. But even he didn't fully understand it.

"I don't know," he admitted at last. "But the jungle has guided us this far. We have to trust that it will lead us to what we need."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "You're trusting the jungle?"She laughed. "The same jungle that nearly killed us a few days ago?"

Micheal shook his head. "Not the jungle itself but the magic inside it. I can feel it. We've been through a trial, and I've learned to sense its pulse. It's alive, and it's guiding us."

Kai let out a short, dry laugh. "That's… comforting."

Selene sighed. "It's better than nothing," she admitted. Her eyes scanning the forest. "But let's hope it knows what it's doing."

The path ahead was still long and thick with vines, the light from the Veralune Staff casting long shadows across the forest floor. Micheal kept his eyes forward, his senses alert, feeling the atmosphere energy as they pressed forward.

For a while, they walked in silence. The jungle whispered around them, speaking in an ancient language none of them could understand, but Micheal felt it deep in his bones. It was alive—watching, waiting.

The deeper they ventured, the more the surroundings began to change. The trees grew thinner, their trunks twisted and gnarled, as if centuries had warped them. The scent of moss and damp earth thickened in the air, and the ground beneath their boots turned soft, spongy, as if soaked in the essence of life itself.

"Something's off," Selene muttered, her voice tensed. She gripped her daggers strongly. "This place… it's ancient."

Micheal nodded. "It's called the Forgotten Grove. No one remembers it, but it exists, hidden away in the deepest parts of the jungle."

Kai narrowed his eyes. "Forgotten? You mean to say no one knows about it?"

Not any more," Micheal explained, stepping forward. "Long since the knowledge of its place was lost. Legends spoke about it was a sanctified place once guarded by beings themselves who guarded the magic of the jungle."

"But with the consumption of darkness in the jungle, it was lost to time, hidden from the world." He added further.

The jungle, once full of life and vibrancy, was beginning to feel almost dormant as though its was holding its breath. The usual sounds of rustling leaves and distant creatures had vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness. Even the air felt heavier, charged with something unseen.

"It's as if the heart of the jungle is dying," Kai whispered, his voice barely audible. "It's waiting for something."

Micheal stopped abruptly, his senses on high alert. "It is waiting," he whispered. "Waiting for us."

The further they walked, the harder it became to move. Pathway now became more dangerous, Vines twisted around trees like strangling hands, the undergrowth thickening, resisting their passage.

"Stay close,"Micheal instructed. The unease in his chest tightened, but he kept his voice steady. He could feel something—something stirring around them, his heart beating stronger, and with that, the whispers of the aged-old words, which seemed to call from the bottom of the jungle.

The mist suddenly parted, and a clearing came into view up ahead. In the center of the clearing stood a huge tree, its trunk wider than any they had seen before.

"This is it," Micheal whispered, feeling a sign of excitement in his voice.

"That is what?" Kai asked looking scared.

"The Heart of the Jungle." Michael answered.

The air vibrated with power, the pulse now resonating in his bones. He took a slow step forward, drawn to the massive tree. His hand reached out, fingers brushing against the ancient bark.

A surge of energy shot through him.

Micheal gasped, stumbling back as the power crackled through his veins. His vision blurred—flashes of golden flames, voices from the past, a battle long forgotten.

Selene's voice broke through his daze. "This tree…" her voice shaking. "It's not just a tree, is it?"

"No," Micheal said, his voice heavy with the realization. "It's the source. The last trace of the jungle's power. And it's dying.

Kai stepped forward, uncertainty in his expression. "But we can save it, right? There has to be a way."

Micheal clenched his fists. "I don't know," he admitted. "But if the Heart dies, the jungle will fall to darkness forever. And so will the world."

Selene and Kai exchanged uneasy glances. For a moment, none of them spoke. The weight of their mission pressed heavily on all of them.

Then, without warning, the jungle trembled.

The trees rustled violently, as if recoiling from something unseen. The ground shuddered beneath their feet. The once-still air stirred, carrying an unnatural chill.

A deep, guttural sound echoed through the clearing. A growl—not from any creature of the jungle, but something far worse.

Micheal spun around, his hand tightening around the Veralune Staff. His eyes scanning the forest.

"We're not alone," Selene whispered, drawing her daggers.

Suddenly the atmosphere at the jungle held its breath as they stood there waiting for what to attack.

The mist swirling around them, as the magic of the Heart began to stir. It was time.

Time for them to decide whether they could restore what had been lost, or if they would be the last to witness the fall of the Enchanted Jungle.