The forest was darker now, its shadows stretching long and cold across the path. Aric could still feel the residual tension in the air from the battle with the shadows. His heart was still pounding, and his grip on the sword had yet to loosen. The weapon felt oddly familiar in his hands, as though it had been crafted just for him, as though he had wielded it before. But the thought was fleeting, overshadowed by the growing sense of urgency in his chest.
Lyra moved ahead, her pace steady, her eyes scanning the surroundings. She didn't seem disturbed by the encounter, as if she had faced creatures like that many times before. Aric, however, was still processing what had just happened. Shadows that could dissolve into smoke, creatures that seemed to come from nowhere—all of it was too much to grasp in such a short time.
"Where are we going now?" Aric asked, his voice breaking the silence.
Lyra glanced back at him, her gaze sharp. "The Hall of Memories is ahead. But there's a place we need to stop first—a place where the path splits. It's where the magic of the forest is strongest."
"Why do we need to stop there?" Aric asked, his mind still whirling from the earlier attack.
"To prepare you," Lyra said simply. "There's more to this journey than you know. You've already begun to awaken the power inside you, but you're not ready. The forest will test you further before we reach the Hall."
Aric's brow furrowed. "What kind of test?"
Lyra didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned her attention back to the winding path ahead. "It's not a test you can fail. But it will challenge you. In ways you may not expect."
They walked in silence for a while longer, the only sounds the crunch of their footsteps on the forest floor and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Aric couldn't shake the feeling that the forest was watching them, that something unseen was waiting for them to make a misstep.
The deeper they went, the more unnatural the forest seemed. The trees twisted unnervingly, their branches reaching out like claws. The air grew heavier, colder, and a thick fog began to settle around them, obscuring the path. The sunlight barely pierced through the dense canopy above, casting the world in a dull, dim light.
Finally, they reached a clearing. In the center of the clearing stood a massive stone arch, covered in moss and ancient runes. The archway seemed to pulse with an eerie energy, the symbols on it shifting and changing with each passing moment. It was as if the arch itself was alive, watching them, waiting.
"This is the place," Lyra said, her voice low. "Step forward."
Aric hesitated, his eyes tracing the glowing runes on the stone. He could feel the magic in the air, thick and heavy, as though it was alive. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, his heart beating faster as he crossed the threshold of the arch.
The moment he did, the world around him seemed to shift. The fog thickened, the trees bending and warping in strange, surreal ways. The air grew colder still, and Aric could feel an almost physical pressure on his chest, as if the forest itself was pushing him, testing his resolve.
A low growl sounded from behind him.
Aric spun around, his sword raised in an instant, but there was nothing there. Just the shadows moving, swirling around him like whispers of the dark. But he wasn't alone. He could feel eyes on him, lurking in the corners of his vision.
The growl came again, louder this time.
This time, Aric saw it—a massive shape, dark and shadowy, slithering out from the mist. It had the form of a wolf, but its eyes glowed a deep, crimson red, and its body shimmered as if it were made of smoke and shadows. It moved with unnatural speed, its claws scraping across the stone floor as it circled him, a predator sizing up its prey.
"Lyra!" Aric shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
She didn't respond. Instead, the wolf-creature lunged at him, its jaws snapping. Aric barely had time to react, bringing his sword down in a wide arc. The blade connected, but instead of cutting through the creature, it passed right through it, as if it were nothing more than mist.
The wolf howled, a high-pitched, agonizing sound that seemed to echo through the very air itself. Aric staggered back, confusion and fear taking hold. What was this thing? Was it real? Or was it another trick of the forest?
The creature circled him again, its glowing eyes fixed on him with deadly intent. Aric tried to focus, tried to steady his breathing, but the pressure in the air was unbearable. He couldn't think clearly, couldn't move with the same fluidity as he had in the battle with the shadows.
The wolf lunged again, and this time, Aric didn't hesitate. He raised the sword, feeling a sudden surge of instinct coursing through him. Without thinking, he swung.
The blade connected with the wolf's ethereal body, and this time, it stuck. The creature let out a tortured scream as its form began to unravel, the shadowy substance dissipating into the air like smoke in the wind. It writhed, its glowing eyes flashing one last time before it vanished entirely.
For a moment, there was only silence. The fog began to lift, and the trees straightened, their twisted forms returning to normal. Aric lowered his sword, his heart still racing in his chest.
Lyra stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "You passed."
Aric looked at her, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "What was that thing? And why didn't it attack you?"
"That," Lyra said, "was a shadow beast, a manifestation of the forest's trials. It only attacks those it deems weak or unworthy. You've proven yourself capable—at least, for now."
Aric's grip on the sword loosened, but the weight of what had just happened lingered. "What do I have to do now?"
Lyra glanced at the stone arch behind him. "Now, we continue. But understand this: this is only the beginning. The forest will challenge you again before you reach the Hall. And the trials won't stop until you face what lies ahead."
Aric nodded, his resolve hardening. The Hall of Memories was closer now, but the forest had made one thing clear—he wasn't going to get there easily. Still, he had no choice but to move forward.
The shadows were still out there. And only by facing them could he hope to uncover the truth of his past.