The trio's journey led them from the mystical realm of Elforia toward their next destination: the fabled village of Eryndor, home to some of the greatest warriors in the land. However, reaching the village wasn't going to be easy. Rhyuji mentioned a shortcut, a path that would shave off weeks from their travels. The only problem? It cut through a treacherous forest known as the Cursed Hollow—a place filled with deadly traps, vicious creatures, and rumors of a powerful witch.
"We could avoid the forest," Rhyuji suggested, glancing at the worn map. "But it'll take us a month to get to Eryndor. If we pass through the forest, we can get there in a week."
Ray nodded. "The longer route seems safer, but we don't have time to waste. Let's go through Cursed Hollow."
Amy frowned, twirling a dagger between her fingers. "You do realize this forest is infamous, right? They say no one who enters ever leaves."
Ray smirked. "Good thing we're not 'no one.''
With a final glance at each other, they made their decision and entered the dense, eerie forest.
As they ventured deeper, the trees seemed to close in on them, thick vines hanging like claws from the branches. Shadows moved out of the corners of their vision, and the air felt heavy with unseen magic. Yet, it wasn't until dusk that they encountered their first real danger.
They stumbled upon a small village nestled deep within the forest. From a distance, it looked abandoned, but as they approached, villagers emerged, smiling and welcoming. Ray felt a strange chill run down his spine. The villagers seemed friendly, but something felt... off.
One of the villagers, an elderly man with a crooked smile, offered them a place to stay for the night. Ray, sensing something was wrong, whispered to the group, "Stay alert."
It wasn't long before Ray's suspicions were confirmed. Late into the night, while the others rested, Ray heard soft murmurs from the villagers. He crept outside and saw something horrifying—the villagers were not human. Their eyes glowed eerily in the dark, and their movements were stiff, like marionettes on strings. It was then that he realized the truth. "These aren't villagers… they're puppets," Ray muttered, drawing his sword.
As soon as he made his move, the villagers attacked, revealing themselves as cursed creations controlled by dark magic. Ray swiftly moved through the puppet-like enemies, his sword cutting through them with precision, but for every one that fell, more emerged.
Amy, already awake, joined the fray, pulling weapons from her storage box. She switched between swords, spears, and bows with ease, her hands moving faster than the eye could follow. But when the battle intensified, she decided to use her special weapon—a whip that extended and contracted at her will, cutting through the cursed puppets like butter.
Rhyuji fought beside them, his sword glowing with holy magic as he struck down the cursed beings. His attacks were precise, and with every swing, his sword burned with divine power.
The trio fought relentlessly, but the battle seemed endless, until a chilling voice echoed through the village. "Enough."
"Miria," Rhyuji whispered.
A figure stepped from the shadows—a woman with long, jet-black hair and a calm, almost serene expression. She wore a black robe that seemed to shift with the wind, and her aura was overwhelming.
"So you've heard of me," Miria said, her voice calm and collected. "I am the Calm Witch, though I've been called many things. You've done well to make it this far, but this is where your journey ends."
With a wave of her hand, the ground trembled, and enormous rock golems burst from the earth, surrounding the trio. There were seven of them, towering over the group, each one brimming with earth magic.
Ray readied his sword, Rhyuji's holy blade gleamed, and Amy's whip cracked the air. The battle was on.
Ray's movements were sharp and strategic. He quickly realized the golems had a predictable pattern of attack—slow but powerful strikes. Using his newly honed skill to memorize and predict their movements, Ray dodged the heavy swings and struck at their weak points. But even his best efforts weren't enough. The golems' sheer size and strength overwhelmed him.
Amy was swift, darting between the golems, her whip extending to strike from a distance. She managed to crack the stone shells of some golems, but their regeneration made it nearly impossible to gain the upper hand. She switched to her twin blades, dancing between the enemies with graceful precision, but the golems' endurance wore her down.
Rhyuji, wielding his holy sword, infused his blade with divine energy, landing powerful blows on the golems. His magic temporarily halted their regeneration, but he couldn't stop all seven at once.
"We can't win like this," Ray growled, his back to his companions. "We need to take out their source of power."
"That would be me," Miria said, her calm demeanor unshaken. She raised her hands, and dark tendrils of magic surged toward them, creating a barrier that made it nearly impossible to reach her.
Amy's whip glowed with energy as she focused all her strength into one final strike. The whip extended, wrapping around Miria's magical barrier, but it couldn't break through. Miria's power was overwhelming.
Despite their best efforts, the trio couldn't defeat her. Miria's magic was simply too strong. After what felt like hours of fighting, they were exhausted, their movements slowing, their strength fading.
But instead of finishing them off, Miria smiled. "You've done well to survive this long. I'll give you credit for that. But remember this—you and I will meet again. And next time, you won't be so lucky."
With a wave of her hand, the golems crumbled, and Miria disappeared into the shadows, leaving the trio in silence.
Panting heavily, Ray sheathed his sword. "We're not strong enough… yet."
Rhyuji wiped sweat from his brow. "We'll be ready next time."
Amy clenched her fists. "We'll need more than just strength. We need allies."
After recovering for a week, the trio finally left the cursed forest, emerging on the other side. In the distance, the village of Eryndor awaited, the next chapter in their journey to find the ancient relic.