ECHOES

CHAPTER TEN:THE FOREST OF ECHOES.

The Forest of Echoes was a place shrouded in mystery and fear, a vast expanse of ancient trees that seemed alive with whispers. No one ventured too far into its depths—those who did either never returned or came back changed, their minds fractured by the voices they claimed to hear. Legends spoke of the forest as a gateway between worlds, where the past lingered like a shadow and the future could be glimpsed in fleeting visions.

Erryn had no choice but to enter. The relic’s glow had dimmed since her confrontation with Kael, but its pull was stronger than ever, guiding her toward the forest’s heart. She and Kael stood at the edge, the towering trees casting long, twisted shadows under the moonlight.

“Are you sure about this?” Kael asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

Erryn tightened her grip on the relic. “If the answers are anywhere, they’re here. The echoes—my ancestors—might know how to stop what’s coming.”

The air grew colder as they stepped into the forest. The trees seemed to close in around them, their gnarled branches forming a canopy that blocked out the sky. The ground was covered in a thick carpet of moss, muffling their footsteps.

Then the whispers began.

At first, they were faint, indistinct murmurs carried on the wind. But as they ventured deeper, the voices grew louder, overlapping in a cacophony of words. Elara could almost make out fragments of sentences, pleas, warnings, and cries for help.

Kael stopped abruptly, his eyes wide. “Do you hear that? They’re… calling my name.”

Erryn nodded, her heart pounding. “They’re speaking to me too. It’s like they know us.”

The relic in her hand began to pulse, its light flickering in rhythm with the voices. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows—a translucent shape that shimmered like water under moonlight. It was an old woman, her face lined with sorrow.

“You’ve come,” the apparition said, her voice echoing like a thousand overlapping tones. “The relic has brought you here to face the truth. But beware—this forest reveals not only the past but also the deepest fears of your soul.”

As the figure faded, the whispers grew louder, and the forest seemed to come alive, each step drawing them closer to the truth—and the danger—that awaited at its heart.