Chapter 4: Into the Whispering Woods
317 Words
The entrance to the Whispering Woods was a wall of tangled vines and ancient, gnarled trees that seemed to lean toward them as they approached. Kael pushed through the thick undergrowth, his sword clearing a path for Elara. The air here was heavy and cold, smelling of damp earth and something sweet yet rotting.
"Stay close," Kael whispered. "The trees here have ears, and the shadows have teeth.
"Elara held the relic tight against her chest, its golden glow now dimmed to a soft heartbeat. "I can hear them, Kael. The voices... they’re calling my name.
"Kael stopped and turned to her, his eyes stern. "Do not listen. The woods feed on your fear and your memories. If you answer the whispers, you belong to them forever.
"He knew this place too well. Years ago, his legion had marched through these woods, and half of them had vanished without a single drop of blood being spilled. The forest didn't kill with blades; it killed with madness.
Suddenly, the mist around them began to swirl, forming shapes that looked like fallen soldiers. Kael felt a tug at his own mind—a voice that sounded like his old Commander, calling him back to the battle of Aethelgard. He bit his tongue until he tasted copper, the pain grounding him in reality.
"Focus on the light, Elara!" Kael roared as a shadowy figure reached out from a tree trunk.
He swung his blade, not at a physical enemy, but at the air itself. The steel hummed, and the vibration seemed to shatter the illusion for a moment. But the woods were vast, and the sun was still hours away from rising. They were being hunted by the living forest, and the Black Sun army was still somewhere behind them, waiting for the woods to finish what they started.
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