Chapter 7: The Descent into Darkness

The betrayal was still fresh, a wound that had yet to scab over. Every step Kael took into the Shadowed Forest was weighted with doubt, his mind replaying Lira's parting words. He wanted to believe there was more to her actions, that perhaps her betrayal wasn't as final as it seemed—but the sting of it sat heavy on his chest, refusing to be ignored.

The forest welcomed them like a predator toying with its prey. The trees, ancient and gnarled, twisted toward the sky in claw-like formations, their bark blackened as if scorched by something unnatural. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something more insidious—an underlying rot that clung to their senses, reminding them with every breath that they did not belong here.

"This place is cursed," Brom muttered, his voice barely above a growl as he tightened his grip on his axe. "I can feel it in my bones."

Seraphine whispered an incantation under her breath, the tip of her staff glowing faintly as she traced a sigil in the air. The light flickered, struggling against the oppressive darkness that pressed in on them from all sides.

"This forest doesn't just kill," she murmured. "It consumes."

Kael knew she was right. Every shadow here felt alive, as though it was waiting for them to falter. His fingers brushed the hilt of Eternity, feeling the pulsing warmth of the blade as if the weapon itself were urging him forward.

They pressed on, navigating twisted roots that jutted from the ground like the fingers of buried giants. The deeper they traveled, the more the forest seemed to resist them. Sounds echoed unnaturally, whispers slithered through the air, and unseen things moved just beyond their periphery.

Then, the specters came.

They rose from the mist, translucent figures that flickered like candle flames in the wind. Their hollow eyes glowed with eerie recognition as they drifted forward, their mouths moving in silent screams. Some bore the tattered remains of warriors long fallen, their spectral weapons gleaming with an unearthly glow. Others appeared as shadows of their former selves, figures wrapped in sorrow and regret.

Seraphine reacted first. She slammed her staff into the earth, sending a pulse of golden energy rippling outward. The nearest spirits recoiled, hissing as the light seared their incorporeal forms.

"They're drawn to our presence!" she shouted. "We need to move—now!"

Kael nodded, raising Eternity high. The blade radiated a pale light, illuminating the immediate area and forcing the specters to hesitate. Brom took up the rear, his shield deflecting the wisps of dark energy that lashed out from the shadows.

The battle was chaos. The specters did not fight like men; they flowed like mist, shifting and reforming around each strike. Kael's blade cut through them, the magic within Eternity burning away their essence with every swing, but for every spirit he vanquished, two more emerged.

Then came the twisted creatures.

They crawled from the roots and shadows, their forms grotesque amalgamations of flesh and nightmare. Limbs bent at unnatural angles, mouths filled with too many teeth stretched open in silent shrieks. Their hollow eyes reflected nothing but hunger.

Brom roared as he cleaved through one of the beasts, his axe sinking deep into its grotesque form. It screeched but did not fall, instead lurching forward with renewed fury.

"This is endless!" Seraphine cried, launching a firebolt that exploded against the nearest creature. The flames caught, spreading like liquid light and momentarily pushing the horrors back.

Kael made a decision. They couldn't fight their way through—not entirely. They needed to break the forest's hold on them.

He took a deep breath, focusing on the blade in his hand. He had felt the connection before—the way Eternity pulsed in response to his will, the way it seemed to whisper secrets only he could hear.

Now, he listened.

The world slowed. The chaos dulled. A single word resonated in his mind, ancient and commanding.

Illuminate.

Kael tightened his grip and plunged Eternity into the ground.

A wave of radiant energy burst outward, surging through the forest like a cleansing fire. The specters shrieked, their forms dissolving into the wind. The twisted creatures recoiled, their bodies disintegrating as the light washed over them. Even the oppressive darkness of the forest seemed to pull back, the ancient trees groaning as if in pain.

When the light faded, silence reigned.

Kael exhaled heavily, pulling the blade free. The glow around it dimmed, but he could still feel its energy thrumming beneath his fingers. The others stared at him, breathless.

"That," Brom said, running a hand through his sweat-matted hair, "was something else."

Seraphine looked around, scanning the now-quiet forest with cautious eyes. "The magic here is ancient… but for now, it's weakened. That was impressive, Kael."

Kael didn't respond immediately. He was still processing what had just happened, what he had just done. The blade's power was growing, and with it, his connection to something far greater than himself.

But there was no time to dwell on it. They had survived the Shadowed Forest, but the path ahead would only grow darker. And somewhere beyond the trees, their true enemy awaited.

Kael sheathed Eternity and turned to his allies. "We keep moving. We're not done yet."

And with that, they pressed on, leaving the cursed forest behind—but knowing that even greater trials awaited them in the darkness ahead.