As Sylvaris stood before them, the immortals were brimming with questions, each one more eager than the last to unearth the mysteries that had plagued them since their arrival in the forest. The Gloomlings watched quietly, sensing the weight of the moment as they huddled around Luna, who was nestled comfortably in Thalos's arms. The air was thick with anticipation, the rustle of leaves the only sound that interrupted the heavy silence.
Before anyone could organize their thoughts, the questions erupted like a flood.
"What is this place?"
"How did we get here?"
"What are the Shadows?"
"Why do the trees move?"
The barrage of inquiries spilled out, with each immortal's voice overlapping the next. Sylvaris, standing calmly amid the chaos, raised a hand, his features softening with a warm, playful smile. "Slow down," he said, his tone filled with amusement. "Even I cannot keep up with all of that. Let's try this one by one, shall we?"
The immortals quieted, though their faces still burned with urgency. There was so much they wanted to know, so much that they had experienced, but with each answer, it seemed they found only more questions.
Eirik, ever the bold one, spoke first. His sharp blue eyes fixed on Sylvaris. "Then start with this," he said firmly. "What is this place?"
Sylvaris nodded slowly, his expression softening into something more solemn, more reverent. "This," he began, gesturing to the towering trees and the thick canopy overhead, "is the Sacred Evergreen. Long, long ago, this forest was known across the world for its beauty and serenity. It was a place of peace, where the magic of the earth flowed unhindered, untouched by the evils of men or beasts."
His voice took on a melodic, almost nostalgic quality as he spoke, as though recalling memories long cherished. "The trees whispered ancient secrets, the rivers hummed with life, and every creature, great and small, lived in perfect harmony. It was a sanctuary—a refuge for all who respected its ways."
The immortals listened in silence, captivated by the vivid picture Sylvaris painted of a time long lost. Even Luna, despite her infantile innocence, seemed to sense the weight of his words, staring up at him with wide, unblinking eyes.
Sylvaris's gaze grew distant, his tone darkening. "But those days… those days are gone now."
The words sent a chill through the group. Even the Gloomlings, typically playful and cheerful, grew quiet, their wide eyes reflecting the sorrow in Sylvaris's voice.
"And then," Sylvaris continued, his voice now barely above a whisper, "the Shadows came."
The immortals leaned forward instinctively, eager to hear more. The Shadows—those dark, ominous figures they had seen lurking in the depths of the forest. The ones that had seemed to multiply, hunting them relentlessly. What were they? Where had they come from?
"They appeared without warning," Sylvaris said, his eyes narrowing as if the very memory of them was painful. "Dark and insidious, they began to devour the magic that sustained this place. Slowly at first, like a sickness spreading through the roots of the forest. But as the years passed, they grew bolder, more aggressive. The creatures of the forest either fled or were consumed. The rivers dried, the trees withered. The light that once bathed this place in warmth was replaced with a suffocating darkness."
There was a palpable shift in the air as Sylvaris spoke of the Shadows, as though the forest itself mourned for what it had lost. The immortals exchanged uneasy glances, realizing just how deep the scars of this place ran.
"I couldn't stand by and watch the forest die," Sylvaris said, his voice low but resolute. "I had to act. To protect what remained of the Sacred Evergreen, I summoned the fog you encountered. It serves as a barrier for those who seek to enter—a test, if you will. Only those with a pure heart and strong will can navigate it. For those already inside, like yourselves... I shift the trees."
"Shift the trees?" Aurelia echoed, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Sylvaris gave a small smile, the kind one might give when explaining something simple yet profound. "The forest is alive. It responds to my will. I shift the paths, move the trees, and create illusions so that the Shadows—and any who follow them—can never find what they seek."
Aurelia's eyes widened, the revelation striking her with the realization of just how powerful this guardian was. The very thing that had confused and disoriented them in their journey—the shifting forest—had been their protector all along.
"So the forest isn't attacking us," she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. "It's… protecting itself. Protecting us."
"Exactly," Sylvaris replied, his voice filled with a quiet pride. "The Sacred Evergreen is not merely a place. It is a living being, and I am its guardian. Everything I do is to shield it from the darkness that seeks to consume it."
Nyssa, who had been listening intently, stepped forward. Her voice was quiet, her gaze thoughtful. "But how did it come to this?" she asked. "How did the Sacred Evergreen, this beautiful, peaceful place, fall to such darkness?"
Sylvaris's eyes darkened, his gaze shifting to the ground as though he carried the weight of the forest's suffering upon his own shoulders. "When the Shadows arrived, they brought with them something far worse than mere darkness. They carried a curse, a poison that spread through the forest, choking its magic, starving its life force. The creatures fled, or worse... they were consumed, twisted into something unrecognizable."
The immortals fell silent, the weight of his words sinking into them like a heavy fog. They had seen the Shadows, felt their malevolent presence, but now they understood—this was not just a battle for survival. It was a battle for the very soul of the forest.
Cassian, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke, his voice filled with the questions that lingered on everyone's mind. "If the Shadows are so dangerous," he began, "then where did they come from? What are they, really?"
Sylvaris raised his hand once more, silencing the immortals before they could press further. His expression softened, though a hint of weariness lingered in his gaze. "One question at a time," he said gently, his voice tinged with a touch of humor. "I may be a guardian, but even I cannot answer everything at once."
Cassian frowned but didn't press further. The question hung in the air, tantalizingly close yet frustratingly unanswered.
Sylvaris sighed softly, his gaze distant once more. "Where the Shadows come from, and why… that is a tale for another time," he said, his tone somber. "But know this: their presence here is no accident. They seek something, something they have not yet found."
His cryptic words left the immortals uneasy. What could the Shadows possibly be searching for? And what would happen if they found it?
As the fire crackled softly, casting long shadows that danced along the forest floor, the group fell into a tense silence. The forest, once feared, now felt like an ally—but an ally on the brink of destruction.
Sylvaris had revealed much, but the mysteries of the Sacred Evergreen, and the Shadows that haunted it, were far from fully uncovered. They knew now that they were not merely wanderers lost in the forest—they were part of something far greater, something ancient and perilous.