The march of the Blackwood Legion continued, but the air became thick with each passing hour. Even the footfalls of the soldiers seemed muted, as if the forest itself was trying to silence their footsteps. Whispers returned, louder and more insistent this time, echoing from the trees like accusations.
Elira called for a halt when the whispers became unbearable. She stood at the center of her gathered troops, her expression hard as she scanned their weary faces. "We can't keep walking blind into whatever trap this forest is weaving. We need answers."
Kael nodded, putting his shield to his side. "The Watchers warned us, but they're as cryptic as the Guardian. If the forest's gifts are really a danger, how do we fight something that's already inside us?"
Elira's lips compressed into a tight line. The question had plagued her since Brynn's collapse. She glanced at the unconscious scout, now tied on a makeshift stretcher carried by two soldiers. His breathing was steady but shallow, his skin pale as ash.
The ground shook before she could say anything. A low, booming growl shook the earth as the Legion erupted into chaotic motion. Swords were drawn, shields up, and all eyes went to the advancing darkness of the Wraithwood.
Figures emerged out of the shadows, dozens of them. They seemed human but distorted, twisting their forms to merge them with the bark and limbs of the forest. An unnatural green light glowed in their eyes, and every movement was jagged and stiff, like puppets pulled by hidden strings.
"Defensive formation!" Elira yelped. The Legion closed in a tight circle, shields interlocking to ward off the creeping threats. Bioluminescence of the Wraithwood shimmered upon their steel. The weird glow enveloped the battle area as well.
One of the creatures stepped forward, taller and more defined than the rest. Its voice was a guttural growl, yet its words were clear. "You carry the forest's power, yet you march against its will. Surrender, and you may yet leave with your lives."
Elira's sword shone as she pointed it toward the speaker. "We made no march against the forest. We're here to survive. But if you mean to stop us, you'll find we don't surrender."
The creature's lips curled into something like a smile. "Then the forest shall reclaim what it has given."
With a roar, the creatures charged. The first wave collided with the Legion's shields, the impact reverberating through their ranks. Dain held firm beside Elira, his sword cutting through the twisted forms with grim determination. Kael's shield smashed into another, splintering its bark-like armor.
The battle was chaos. The creatures' strength was formidable, their attacks relentless. But the forest's blessing coursing through the Legion gave them an edge, their movements sharper and strikes more precise. Elira fought at the front, her blade flashing as she cut down foe after foe.
In the chaos, Brynn stirred on his stretcher, his eyes snapping open. They shone dimly, and he could see the same creatures they fought in their glow. He gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. "Captain. it's inside me. Inside all of us."
Elira's head turned sharply at his words. "What are you saying?"
Brynn's hand grasped the edge of the stretcher as he tried to sit up. "The blessing. it's a seed. It grows with every step we take. If we don't stop it. we'll become them."
This was what had been happening to Elira; it was like a punch in the face. The gift of the Guardian was no gift at all, but rather a slow transformation and a binding that made them extensions of the will of the forest.
"Hold the line!" she yelled, chopping down another advancing creature. Her mind was racing, trying to come up with a plan. If Brynn was right, their survival depended on severing their connection to the Wraithwood. But how?
Kael fought his way to her side, his shield splintered but still serviceable. "Elira, we can't keep this up. What's the plan?"
She turned to him, her face set. "We need to find the Guardian. If anyone can undo this, it's them."
Kael nodded, his trust in her undiminished by the increasing odds. "Then let's finish this here and get moving."
With renewed vigor, the Legion bucked back against the horde. Their strength had been honed for nearly two decades of fighting now, and the forest's dark power only added to this. One by one, the twisted forms began falling, their bodies melting back into the earth like the mist.
When the last creature collapsed, the Legion stood in the silence, their breaths ragged. Elira sheathed her sword, her voice carrying over the clearing. "We're moving out. The Guardian has answers, and we're going to get them."
The soldiers fell into formation, their steps heavy but resolute. As they marched deeper into the forest, the whispers returned, louder than ever. The Wraithwood's reckoning had only begun, and the Legion's fight was far from over.