41. The Echoes Of Lost Souls

The silence of the jungle beyond the gateway was unsettling. No whispering, no rustling of leaves in the wind, just dead air that seemed to weigh in the atmosphere.

Micheal held the Veralune Staff tightly, its faint glow offering little comfort. Around him, Selene, Kai, and Riven moved cautiously, eyes scanning to every shadow as if the jungle itself might attack.

"What's with the quiet?" Kai whispered, breaking the silent. "It's too unnatural."

"It's not the jungle being silent," Riven murmured, sounding almost reverent. "It's us....This part of the jungle absorbs sound. Every word we speak is a gift we offer to it."

Kai frowned. "That's not creepy at all."

Micheal turned to Selene, who grasped her drawn sword. She had a strung jaw, and for a second, looking disturbed and not being her usual self. "You okay?" he asked.

"I don't like this," she admitted. "The quiet isn't out there. It feels like it's pressing onto me, as if the jungle is trying to dig into my mind."

Riven suddenly stopped, lifting a hand in a halting gesture. All froze. The moss beneath their feet began to stir, emitting a faint, soft glow that formed spirals and runes in intricate patterns.

"The jungle's heartbeat," Riven said in near awe. "We walk on sacred ground now."

None had time to ask him what he meant when the earth shook beneath them, and a long, mournful wail made the air chill their spines.

"What was that?" Kai asked, his voice higher than usual.

Riven's expression darkened. "We're not alone."

The light around them slowly dimmed, and the jungle seemed to close in the towering trees bending, it seemed unnaturally, as if to block their way. Shadows started to move, transforming into humanoid forms with glowing, hollow eyes.

These were not ordinary beasts or guardians but spirits of those who had died in the trials of the jungle.

Micheal's grip tightened on the staff as he stepped forward. "What do they want?"

"They were the unworthy," Riven explained, his tone grim. "Those who could not pass through the trials set by the jungle. They have been trapped here, forever lost in their walk. And now, they notice us."

The closest spirit dove in an assault against Micheal. He had barely enough time to raise up the Veralune Staff for defense. It struck as the spirit's claws batted down, forcing it backward with a burst of light.

"They don't want us to pass," Riven said, unsheathing his twin blades. "Prepare yourselves!"

The glade turned to chaos in one second. Spirits moved with unnatural speed and hollow eyes glowing bright in their rush of assault.

Kai grinned despite the danger, pulling out his daggers. "Time for some action, then!" He sprang on one of the spirits, the blades flashing as they struck. The spirit shrieked and dissolved into smoke, but two more took its place.

Selene fought with anger on her face Micheal had never seen, her sword cutting through the shadows as though it were made to do that. Her blows were measured, almost instinctual, but desperation crept around her eyes.

Micheal fought with the Veralune Staff, its light exploding with each strike. The spirits recoiled from the staff's light, but they were not deterred. For every one they destroyed, more seemed to emerge from the shadows.

"We can't keep this up!" Micheal shouted.

Riven, struggling to fend off three spirits at once, snarled in response. "Then we find the source!"

Micheal's eyes searched the clearing quickly for some sort of hint as to why the spirits were apparently without number. Then he saw it.

A glowing idol caught in the roots of a huge tree. The idol itself bore the same spirals and runes they had discovered before, and it gave off an unwholesome green glow.

"That's it!" Micheal cried, pointing to the idol.

Selene nodded, cutting down a spirit and then rushing toward the tree. Micheal followed her, clearing the path with the Veralune Staff.

The spirits seemed to know what they intended. They surged forward, forming a barrier around the idol.

"Not happening!" Kai shouted, throwing one of his daggers. It struck the idol, and a crack ran along its length. The spirits let out an earsplitting screech, their bodies flashing wildly.

Micheal reached the idol and thrust the Veralune Staff outward. Light exploded from its tip, striking the idol with a blast that shook the ground in shockwaves. The idol shattered, and the spirits let out one final, despairing cry before they dissipated into the air.

Silence descended once more, but it was no longer oppressive.

Selene sheathed her sword, breathing heavily. "Is it done?"

Riven studied the remains of the idol, his expression unreadable. "For now."

As they journeyed deeper into the jungle, the surroundings shifted again. The oppressive silence yielded to a soft, song like humming. The air was less dense, and the sweet scent of flowers perfumed the air.

"What is this?" Selene breathed.

Riven's eyes softened. "The Whispering Grove. Few get this far."

The grove was breathtaking. The trees were shorter here but more colorful, their leaves glinting in gold and silver.

Micheal experienced a peace he had not known since he had entered the jungle. But the peace was combined with something else like a sense of expectation, as if the grove itself was awaiting them.

Kai knelt beside one of the glowing flowers, reaching out to touch it. "It's beautiful," he breathed.

"Don't," Riven said.

Kai stopped, his hand mere inches from the bloom. "Why not?"

"The flowers are alive," Riven said. "And they don't like to be disturbed."

Kai quickly withdrew his hand.

Micheal stepped forward, the Veralune Staff glowing faintly. The grove seemed to react to the staff, the hum growing louder as they moved deeper.

"The jungle knows we're here," Riven said. "And it's watching."

Amidst the grove, they found a low, stone pedestal. Upon it rested a pulsing orb, its surface seething in shadow and light.

"What is it?" Selene's eyes narrowed.

Riven's expression turned grim. "A fragment of the jungle's heart."

Micheal stepped forward, the Veralune Staff stirring in his hand. The orb responded, its pulse strengthening.

"It's summoning you," Riven said. "Yet be warned. The jungle does not yield its power for free."

Micheal reached out his hand, his fingers brushing against the orb's surface. The moment he made contact, a surge of energy coursed through him and his vision blurred.

He saw flashes of a great temple, its walls covered in the same spirals and runes. He saw a figure at its center, dark but radiating an immense power. And he heard a voice, far away but clear.

"The path is not yet complete....Beware the shadows that follow."

When Micheal's vision cleared, he was back in the grove. The orb was gone, and the pedestal was bare.

"What is it?" Selene asked, concern in her voice.

Micheal shook his head. "I.I saw something. A temple and a person. I believe it's where we're supposed to go next."

Riven nodded, his expression solemn. "Then we must be quick. The jungle will not be friendly."

When they left the grove, Micheal couldn't shake the feeling that the person he'd seen in his vision was even now following them.