Chapter 14: The Curse of the Blackened Woods

Aiden's fur bristled as he stepped into the dense, rotting forest. The trees loomed over him, their twisted branches like skeletal fingers reaching toward the sky. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and a heavy fog coiled around his paws like living tendrils.

"This place is wrong," Solara muttered, her golden feathers dimming in the gloom. "I can feel a presence here… something unnatural."

Aiden nodded, his ears flicking at the distant sound of rustling. He could hear it—low, guttural voices whispering in the darkness. The scent of sweat, iron, and something far fouler reached his nose.

"Goblins," he growled. "And something bigger."

Kael drew his blade, the sound of metal against scabbard slicing through the silence. "We should move quickly. If they've set an ambush, we'll need to strike first."

Before anyone could respond, a shrill screech echoed through the woods. A pair of glowing yellow eyes flickered to life in the fog, followed by another. And another.

Then the goblins rushed forward.

Their bodies were hunched, skin a sickly green, covered in jagged scars. They carried crude weapons—rusted daggers, splintered clubs—but their numbers made them dangerous.

Aiden dodged the first strike, twisting his body as a club narrowly missed his head. With a growl, he lunged, his fangs sinking into the goblin's throat. Hot, foul-tasting blood filled his mouth as he tore it apart.

Solara's flames erupted, casting a golden light against the twisted forest. She spread her wings, releasing a wave of searing fire that incinerated several goblins instantly. Their screams merged with the crackling flames, filling the air with agony and burning flesh.

Kael fought with precision, his blade flashing as he dispatched goblins with swift, clean strikes. Niro darted through the chaos, using his agility to evade attacks before cutting his enemies down with a pair of enchanted daggers.

Then, the ground shook.

A roar unlike anything Aiden had ever heard rumbled through the trees. The goblins froze. Then, they began to scatter, shrieking in terror as something massive moved in the shadows.

Aiden turned just in time to see it emerge.

An orc. No—something worse.

The creature was at least eight feet tall, its hulking frame covered in thick, armored hide. Its face was twisted into a permanent snarl, its tusks glistening with saliva. In its massive hands, it wielded a crude but devastating battle-axe, the blade chipped and stained with old blood.

Its eyes were what disturbed Aiden the most.

They were pitch black, filled with a consuming madness.

"That's not a normal orc," Sivara muttered, tightening her grip on her spear.

Aiden could feel the dark energy radiating from the beast. It wasn't just strong—it was cursed.

The orc let out a deafening roar before charging.

Kael barely dodged as the axe smashed into the ground, splitting the earth apart. The force sent shockwaves through the air, knocking Aiden off his feet. He scrambled up just in time to avoid the second swing, which cut through a nearby tree like paper.

"We can't fight this thing head-on!" Solara shouted, her flames surging as she prepared to strike.

Aiden's mind raced. There had to be a weakness.

Then, he saw it.

The curse burned through the orc's veins, dark energy pulsing from a mark on its chest—a brand in the shape of a black spiral. If they could destroy that mark…

Aiden shadowstepped, his body flickering as he teleported behind the orc. He slashed at the mark, but the beast was fast. It spun, swinging its axe with terrifying speed.

The blade clipped Aiden's side. Pain exploded through his body as he crashed against the ground, blood dripping from his flank.

Solara shrieked, diving in to unleash a wave of phoenix fire. The flames engulfed the orc, but instead of burning, the curse absorbed them. The fire flickered out, leaving the beast unscathed.

Solara's eyes widened. "No… it's feeding on magic!"

Aiden forced himself up. "Then we don't use magic."

Kael took the hint, dashing forward and striking at the orc's leg. His blade cut deep, making the beast stagger. Sivara followed, driving her spear into the wound before twisting it, drawing a guttural snarl from the monster.

Aiden saw his chance.

Shadowstep.

He appeared above the orc's head, claws glowing with the energy of the Moonshadow. With all his strength, he plunged his claws into the cursed mark.

The effect was instantaneous.

The orc howled, its body convulsing as black energy erupted from its chest. The spiral mark burned away, and with it, the monster's strength. Its skin shriveled, its muscles collapsing as if something had been draining it for years.

The beast staggered, collapsing onto its knees before falling face-first into the dirt.

Silence.

Aiden stood over the corpse, his breathing ragged. His wounds ached, but they had won.

Sivara exhaled. "That… was something else."

Solara folded her wings. "A cursed warrior. This isn't normal."

Kael wiped his blade clean. "It means someone—or something—is spreading this corruption."

Aiden swallowed hard, looking around the darkened forest. The goblins hadn't returned. Whatever had twisted that orc was still out there.

Watching.

Waiting.

Aiden clenched his jaw. "Then we find out who… and we stop them."

In the distance, deep within the shadows, something moved.

And it laughed.