“Let go of me!” I shouted, struggling as the vines tightened around my wrists and ankles. Their thorny grip bit into my skin, cutting off my breath. Panic clawed at my chest as the forest darkened, the towering trees swaying like ominous giants.
Draven’s snarls echoed through the chaos. Even in his human form, his strength was ferocious as he fought against the vines constricting his limbs. Blood trickled down his arms where the thorns tore into his flesh, but he didn’t falter.
“I’ll rip these cursed things apart!” Draven roared, muscles bulging with effort.
A deep, disembodied voice boomed through the woods, chilling me to the bone. "Only those pure of heart may claim the artifact. Prove yourselves—or perish."
I twisted my neck, gasping. “We fight for our people. That’s pure e
