The Forest Of Whimpering Shadows

After three days of travel, looking worn out,and tired, we reached the outskirts of the Forest of Whispering Shadows. Towering trees loomed above, their twisted branches blocking out any trace of the sun. A thick mist clung to the ground, it swirls, and covers around our feets. The air was cold, heavy with the scent of moss, and decay.

"This place feels… wrong," Yue Ling whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

"It's like the shadows are alive." I understood what she meant. The shadows moved behind the trees, shifting in unnatural shapes, and forms. No wonder it is called forest of the whispering shadow. It was as if the forest itself was watching us, waiting to devour any intruders.

Legends said the forest was once home to the Shadow Clan, masters of darkness who could blend with shadows, and move unseen. They were the guardians of the Shadow of Chaos, one of the Celestial Artifacts. But they were betrayed by the immortal God, and then cursed to become part of the forest, their spirits bound to the shadows for eternity.

I shivered, feeling a chill run down my spine. Was I really ready for this?.

"No turning back now," I muttered, stepping forward. The shadows seemed to part, creating a narrow path.

"We have to face this… or we'll never get stronger." I said and, Yue Ling followed, her grip tightening on her sword.

"But, let's not get separated. I don't trust these shadows." She said, a hint of fear in her voice.

We moved deeper into the forest, the light fading with each of our steps. The more steps we took forward, the denser the tree grew, and the shadows gnarled loud enough for us to hear them, and twisted, ready to devour us at any slight mistakes.

Faint whispers echoed around us, it was like the sound of faint voices carried by the wind. I couldn't understand the words, but they sent chills through my bones. Then, suddenly, the shadows moved swiftly. They moved across the ground, pulling up together to form shapes, shapes like that of a human skeleton figure with hollow eyes and elongated limbs. They stood silently, watching us, and blocking our path.

"Wraiths," Yue Ling hissed, raising her sword.

"Spirits of the cursed Shadow Clan. They're trapped between life, and death." She whimpers, already to strike with her sword.

The wraiths moved, their hollow eyes glowing with anger. Slowly, but quickly, they glided forward, towards us, their limbs twisting in a zombie manner. The air grew colder, and the mere presence of the shadows drained the warmth from my body. And I felt cold to the bones.

Suddenly I felt the warmth pulse of the pendant against my chest, quickly I reached for it. I closed my eyes, focusing my Qi energy, feeling it flow through my body.

"We fight together." I suddenly said, and Yue Ling grinned, her sword already bursting into flames. It was the sword of her great-grandfather.

"Let's show them we're not afraid of shadows."

We charged forward, our energy soaring up. Yue Ling's sword flames burnt through the wraiths' forms, but they reformed, their shadows quickly twisting back together.

Quickly I tried to slashed them with my dagger before they completely formed back, only for me to pass through their bodies as if they were smoke. And I realized something.

"They're illusions!" I shouted. "We need to break their connection to the shadows!" I said, and Yue Ling nodded, her eyes narrowing in frustration.

"Then let's find the source." She suggested, and I agreed.

Quickly, we ran off, and moved deeper into the forest, with the wraiths multiplying, and chasing after us, their whispers growing louder. They came swiftly at us, their limbs stretching like vines branches.

I felt my strength fading, anytime their cold energy touches mine. It somehow drains my inner energy too.

Then, we saw it. At the heart of the forest stood an ancient shrine, covered in moss, and dark shadows. In its center floated an object like a Shadow Orb. It pulses, and radiates with dark energy. I paused on my track to observe something, the shadows were drawn to it, to the orb itself. They seem to be feeding from its power.

"That's it!" Yue Ling shouted.

"If we destroy the orb, i believe the wraiths will fall too!" she said, and I suddenly felt the pendant burn against my chest, removing it from my neck, I watched its warmth fighting back the cold. The shadows seems to be afraid of the pendant.

Grinning widely, I put it back on my neck, and then took a deep breath, focusing on my Qi energy. I could feel the shadows resisting, trying to drown me in their darkness, but I pushed through. My Qi energy flowing rapidly into my core.

I knew the orb sensed the presence of the pendant, because its energy suddenly flares up. The shadows lashed out at my calculated attack at the orb. Quickly they formed a barrier at the front of the shrine. But the pendant glowed brighter, ancient symbols appearing on its surface, pushing back the resistant of the shadows darkness. Slowly I started feeling weak since it seemed their dark energy is stronger than mine.

With my inner energy conflicting with the dark energy of the orb, I suddenly heard a whisper. It was soft, sounded ancient, yet it seems familiar to me.

"Embrace the shadow… control the chaos…" I frowned, my heart skipped a beat. Then I rechanneled my energy at the orb, but I was beginning to get weaker.

"Li Tian, are you okay?" Yue Ling shouted on seeing me getting weak, unable to get closer to me since the shadows blocked her path.

"Embrace the shadow… control the chaos…" The same voice sounded again. Turning to look at Yue Ling direction, she seemed rather bothered by the shadows around her, and not the voice. Then it can not possibly come from her! It's seems I am the only one who can hear it. Looking at the pendent, I was surprised to see it glowing brightly whenever the same voice spoke up again.

"It's coming from the pendant! Could it…could it be the voice of the Primordial Dragon?". Then I paused, closed my eyes, breathe out softly, and slowly, while feeling a rush of energy within me. It flows through my vein directly to my core, and as if controlled by an higher being, I opened my eyes, raised my two hand, and the shadows swirls around me, bending to my will. Suddenly I heard a cracking sound from the shrine, and the barrier shattered, the orb started showing signs of cracking under my power. With a final cry, the wraiths dissolve into air, their souls freed from the curse when the orb have a loud cracked sound. The forest finally grew silent, and the mist slowly clearing up. Light pierced through the trees, illuminating the shrine, and damned, it is beautiful!.

I turned to see Yue Ling staring at me, her eyes wide. "You… controlled the shadows?" And I looked at my hand, my energy still swirling around my fingers before fading away.

"I… I don't know how. It just… happened." But deep down, I knew. The pendant, the ancient whispers, and the secret power…! I believe it is somehow connected to the Primordial Celestial Dragon. But I can't jump into conclusion yet until I do my findings. But i knew right there that the shadow was only the beginning.