The deeper Jasper, Lyra, Finn, and Raylan entered the Shadow Forest, the darker it became around them. The trees had some sort of twist in them, like statues from some eerie fantasy.
The shadows were extended and seemed to move along the floor. Every now and then, Jasper would think that he heard faint whispers, almost echoes of long-lost voices.
But once he tried to focus, they sounded away, and nothing remained-only Jasper, really unsettled and wondering if that had all been in his mind.
It was a forest unlike any they had ever seen. Heavy vines drooped from the branches, falling in tangled curtains they had to push aside.
The ground was damp and spongy, covered in patches of strange, luminescent mushrooms emitting a faint, unnatural glow.
Jasper could feel the weight of the darkness pressing in upon them, heavy and suffocating-the forest itself seemed to live, and it watched every twitch they made.
Raylan went first, his movements slow and cautious. He wasn't looking back but kept his gaze ahead, every now and then blurting out a soft word; Jasper assumed them to be spells of protection.
Even though his manner seemed calm, Raylan's shoulders were stiffened as he kept high on guard. A quiver of concern fluttered in Jasper's stomach,if even he was apprehensive, they were really in a dangerous place.
The others walked in silence, their faces grave. Finn grasped his staff tightly in his fist, his face pale but resolute. Lyra clutched her staff close to her chest, her eyes darting from every shadow and dancing shape.
Jasper knew they all could feel it-that weird, almost smothering feeling that the forest was alive but also conscious of them, waiting for them to make some wrong move.
Hours passed as they continued deeper and deeper into the twisted paths, until it soon was impossible to tell in which direction they were even headed.
Jasper tried his best to keep mental count of their route, but the twisted paths and thick mist made it all but impossible. Every turn looked the same, and he started to worry that they might be lost.
But Raylan seemed to know where he was going, never once hesitating as he led them deeper and deeper.
After what felt like an eternity, Raylan finally came to a stop and motioned for them to circle around him. He gestured ahead to a large tree whose trunk was split open, like the giant maw of some beast.
Contained within the trunk of the tree, in a semicircle, was an etching in wood, a glowing symbol-a twisted rune that pulsed with dark energy.
"That's a marker," Raylan whispered. "We're close. The altar will probably be right beyond this point, well hidden in the middle of the forest."
Jasper nodded, his stomach churning with a mix of fear and anticipation. This would weaken Malachar even further, but he knew it wouldn't come easy.
They'd been through so many dangers already, and with each altar, the magic that guarded it was even stronger than before. This time, they were in Malachar's territory, and he would likely be ready for them.
Raylan pulled a small pouch from his belt and handed each of them a thin strip of cloth. "These are charmed," he explained.
"Tie them round your wrists. They'll help protect you against the worst of the forest's magic. It won't make you immune, but it'll give you some resistance.
He wrapped the cloth around his wrist; faintly, he felt a surge of warmth as the magic activated. A small comfort, but he was grateful for all the protection they could get.
The others followed suit, and after they were ready, Raylan guided them through past the marker into the very heart of the forest.
It was even more oppressive as they moved forward. The trees were thick here, their branches intertwined in a canopy that cut out almost every speck of light.
The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying matter. Jasper's skin prickled with a faint, almost electric energy in the air, as if the forest itself were humming with power.
They burst into a small clearing, and there in the center of the open space was the altar. Of dark stone, things were etched into the sides, whorled into strange patterns seeming to twist and clutch when he looked at them.
The altar pulsed with a deep ominous energy that quickened Jasper's heart. He could feel the dark magic radiating from it, much more powerful and concentrated than anything they had faced before.
Raylan raised a hand for them to stop. Serious, his gaze settled upon the altar. "This is the heart of Malachar's power in the forest. Destroying it will weaken him considerably, but that will not be easy. There are likely traps, and Malachar may have even left a guardian to protect it.".
Jasper gripped his sword, his nerves strung taut. They had faced traps and guardians before, but something about this altar felt different-more dangerous, more alive. He exchanged a glance with Lyra and Finn, who looked equally tense but determined.
Raylan sucked in a deep breath. "We're gonna have to work together. Lyra, can you cast a shield around us? It won't last long against dark magic, but it might give us some protection if the altar reacts."
Lyra nodded, stepped a pace forward, and lifted her staff. In a low whisper, she spoke the words of an enchantment, and a barely perceived, glittering barrier materialized around them.
Inside the shield, the air felt warmer, and for Jasper, the press of grim energy bearing them down let up a fraction.
Raylan approached the altar with caution, surveying it for traps. He gestured for Jasper and Finn to follow after him while Lyra remained behind to keep the shield up.
As Jasper moved closer to the altar, his heart thudded in his chest, all senses on high alert.
Then, a low growl rumbled through the clearing, and Jasper stiffened. From behind the altar, from the darkness, a thing emerged unlike anything he had ever seen.
It was huge, its body hewn into living darkness, shifting and changing like smoke. Two red orbs shone from within the darkness, filled with malice and hunger.
Raylan swore under his breath. "A shadow beast. Malachar must have left it here to guard the altar.
A growl boiled up as its eyes landed on them. Jasper clutched his sword, the sound of his breathing thick with ragged panic. They were supposed to be destroying an altar, not being confronted by this beast.
In an instant, the shadow beast lashed out with incredible speed for a creature of its size. Jasper barely had enough time to react, his sword flashing in a wide arc that passed through the creature's body as if it was little more than mist.
The creature roared and swiped at him with a huge, clawed paw. Jasper immediately stumbled backward, sharp pains raking across his arm as the claws ripped down his arm, searing it with fire.
He clamped his teeth down in agony, hard, trying to focus with the ache.
"Physical attacks won't work!" Raylan shouted. "It's made of dark magic. We need to use spells!
Lyra raised her staff and stepped forward, speaking in some strange musical tongue. The air burst with light from her staff; it hit the creature, and with a screech, it recoiled.
The light seemed to hurt it, but only for a moment, and it fell at them once more.
Jasper realized they had to synchronize an attack. "Lyra, continue striking it with light spells! Finn and I will try to distract it!"
Finn nodded and lifted his own staff, casting a spell that made a burst of flame erupt in the way of the creature. The shadow beast paused, its form fluttering as it seemed to struggle against the light and fire.
Lyra focused her energy and launched another wave of light into the creature. It was in agony and let out a roar. Jasper immediately took advantage of the distraction.
He moved along with Raylan towards the altar. They had to be quick before the beast made its recovery.
Raylan was first to the altar, the stone cool beneath his hands, and his voice low, chanting words of a powerful incantation. The altar started to glow, the cracks within the stone where magic inside had begun to destabilize.
The shadow beast let out its angry roar, turning its attention toward Raylan. It lunged forward, but Lyra cast another spell of light, hitting it with direct impact and forcing it backward.
Jasper stepped forward beside Raylan and, with a heave, swung his sword down upon the altar with all his might. The stone exploded in shards, releasing a wave of dark energy that sailed across the clearing.
The shadow beast gave one last, agonized roar before dissolving into nothingness, its form scattering like smoke in the wind.
As the darkness broke apart, Jasper thought he could feel an odd quiet settle over the woods, like a held breath. The oppressive energy was gone; the air was lighter, as if a weight had been lifted.
Raylan let out a sigh of relief, swiping sweat from his brow. "We did it. The altar is destroyed."
Jasper looked toward his friends, and pride and gratitude swelled deeply in his heart. They faced, arguably, their biggest challenge yet and won.
Still, he knew that their journey was far from over; there were more altars to destroy, and Malachar would not take this defeat lying down.
As they gathered their stuff and prepared to leave the forest, Jasper felt a renewed sense of purpose.
They were fighting for something greater than themselves, and he was determined to see it through to the end, no matter what lay ahead.