The jungle had fought back, but its wounds were deep, and it wouldn't be long before the shadows regrouped. The weight of their journey had settled upon Micheal's shoulders, yet there was no going back.
"We've done it. For now," Selene said, her voice softer. wiping the sweat from her brow, still holding her shining daggers at with her hands. "But how long before the Shadow Lord's forces come again?"
"Not long," Micheal replied, his voice full of sound determination. "But we can't stop. We need to reach the Heart of the Jungle. It's the only way to secure its future."
Kai, still shaken from the battle, nodded. "And what exactly is the Heart of the Jungle? What are we really looking for?"
Micheal muted, unsure on how to explain. The Heart of the Jungle wasn't just a location. it was a means of the jungle's strongest magic, a source of massive power and knowledge from ancient times.
But even that knowledge was scattered, lost to time. He knew that if they didn't find it soon, the jungle would lose its fight against the growing darkness.
"I do not fully know," Micheal admitted. "But the jungle has led us this far, and we have to believe it'll take us to what we're looking for."
Selene raised an eyebrow. "You're trusting in the jungle? The same one that almost killed us a few days ago?"
"It's not the jungle," Micheal said, shaking his head. "It's the magic within it. We've been through a trial, and I've learned to sense the atmosphere of the jungle. I can feel its essence. It's guiding us."
Kai exhaled. "That's… comforting."
"It's better than nothing," Selene said with a smile, her eyes scanning the forest."But..let's hope it knows what it's doing."
The path ahead was still long and thick with vines, the light from the Veralune Staff casting long shadows across the forest floor. Micheal kept his eyes forward, his senses alert, feeling the atmosphere energy.
They walked in silence for a while, the wind whirling, birds chirpling and sound of insects whispering around them as they went further.
Micheal concentrated on the rhythm of his breathing, the pulse of the earth, and tried to block out the sounds of his companions' movements.
Deeper they went, The scent in the air was moss and earth,the very floor beneath them grew softer so it felt like too much water, too much life over time, had come absorbed into the soil itself.
"Something's wrong," Selene said, her tone strained. "This place. it's old."
Micheal nodded. "It's called the Forgotten Grove. No one remembers it, but it exists, hidden away in the deepest parts of the jungle."
Kai's eyes looked around, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. "Forgotten? You mean to say no one knows it exists?"
"Not any more," Micheal explained, stepping forward. "Long since the knowledge of its place was lost. Legends spoke about it was a sanctified place once guarded by beings themselves who guarded the magic of the jungle."
"But with the consumption of darkness in the jungle, it was kept hidden, forgotten." He added further.
As they moved step by step they could feel the weight of time leaning towards them. The jungle, once so full of life and vibrancy, was beginning to feel almost… dormant, as though it were holding its breath. Micheal could sense that the atmosphere of the jungle was not lively neither was it boring.
"It's as if the heart of the jungle is dying," Kai whispered, his voice barely audible. "It's waiting for something."
Micheal stopped abruptly, his senses on high alert. "It is waiting," he whispered. "Waiting for us."
The pathway now became even more dangerous as they pressed forward. Vines clung to the trees, making the undergrowth almost impassable. A thick mist was heavy in the air, swirling around them, obscuring their vision.
"Stay close," Micheal said, though a growing apprehension was taking hold in his chest. He could feel something. something stirring around them, his heart beating stronger, and with that, the whispers of the aged-old words, which seemed to call from the bottom of the jungle.
The mist suddenly parted, and a clearing came into view up ahead. In the center of the clearing stood a huge tree, its trunk wider than any they had seen before.
"This is it," Micheal whispered, feeling a sign of excitement in his voice. "The Heart of the Jungle."
The air seemed to vibrate with the magic, the very pulse of the jungle now sounding alive in their bones. Stepping closer, his hand reaching out toward the tree, Micheal could feel the pull of the tree's energy. But the instant his fingers touched the surface of the bark, a sudden shock of power coursed through him and he staggered back.
"This tree…" Selene said, her voice shaking. "It's not just a tree, is it?"
"No," Micheal said, his voice heavy with the realization. "It's the source. The last trace of the jungle's power. And it's dying."
Kai stepped forward, looking with disbelief. "But we can save it, right? We can fix whatever's broken?"
Micheal shook his head. "I don't know, but we cannot leave without trying. If the Heart dies, so will the jungle die in darkness forever, and so will the world.
The atmosphere at the jungle held its breath as they stood there, the mist swirling around them, as the magic of the Heart began to stir. It was time. Time for them to decide whether they could restore what had been lost, or if they would be the last to witness the fall of the Enchanted Jungle.