The wind howled through the dense trees, as if the forest itself was mourning the battle they had just fought. Caelum's breath came in ragged gasps, his heart still racing from the confrontation. Though they had fended off the cultists for now, a terrible weight hung over him. The sword's dark influence lingered, pulsing within him like a living thing. Every step he took felt heavier, as though the blade's power was slowly pulling him deeper into its abyss.
"Are you alright?" Lyra asked, her voice soft but edged with concern. She kept her distance, watching him closely, as though fearing he might suddenly turn on them.
Caelum nodded, though the doubt gnawed at him from the inside. His hands trembled slightly as he touched the hilt of the Shadowforge Blade, feeling its cold, dark presence. It was as if the sword was alive—its whispers growing louder with each passing moment.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, though the words tasted bitter on his tongue.
Alara, ever the pragmatic one, scanned their surroundings. "We shouldn't stay here. The cultists will regroup soon. We need to find shelter—somewhere they can't easily follow."
Lyra agreed. "There's an old temple not far from here, deep in the woods. We can rest there for a while."
"Good idea," Caelum said, though his mind was elsewhere. The thought of being trapped in a temple, isolated with the sword, made his skin crawl. But it was their best option for now.
The journey to the temple was quiet, each step more painful than the last. Caelum could feel the darkness pulling at him, threatening to overwhelm him with every passing second. He could no longer deny it—he was losing the battle. His connection to the sword had become too deep, too strong.
As they arrived at the temple, an eerie silence greeted them. The ancient stone walls loomed over them like silent sentinels, their carvings faded by time and weather. A large, arched doorway stood open, inviting them inside.
"Stay alert," Alara warned, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. "We don't know what's waiting for us in there."
Caelum barely heard her. The pull of the blade was stronger now, gnawing at his mind, his very soul. He could feel it—its hunger, its desire to consume. And then, as if it were calling to him, the sword thrummed violently in his grip, urging him toward the heart of the temple.
"No..." he whispered, trying to fight against the urge. But it was futile. His body moved on its own, his steps quickening toward the temple's inner sanctum.
Lyra grabbed his arm, halting his progress. "Caelum! Snap out of it!"
But the sword was too strong, its power too overwhelming. Caelum's vision darkened, the edges of reality blurring as if the very world around him was bending under the weight of the blade's curse.
"Please..." Lyra's voice was desperate, but it barely registered in Caelum's ears. He was slipping, sinking into a place where nothing but the blade existed.
"Caelum!" Alara shouted, stepping forward with her dagger raised. "Get a hold of yourself!"
With one last, immense effort, Caelum fought against the pull. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, grounding himself in the world around him. He thought of Lyra, of Alara, of everything he was fighting for. Slowly, the darkness receded, and his mind cleared.
When Caelum opened his eyes, the temple was silent again. His grip on the blade was still firm, but it no longer felt as if it were pulling him into the void.
"I'm... I'm sorry," he muttered, shaking his head as though to clear away the fog.
Lyra's expression softened. "You don't have to apologize. We're all in this together."
But Alara's eyes were narrowed, her lips a thin line. "You're not alright, Caelum. We can't keep running from the truth. That sword is changing you."
He met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking deep into his chest. She was right, but admitting it was the hardest thing he'd ever done.
"I know," he said quietly. "And I don't know how much longer I can keep fighting it."
Lyra placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch warm and grounding. "You're stronger than you think, Caelum. We'll find a way to destroy it. Together."
For a moment, Caelum allowed himself to believe in that hope. But deep down, the fear still lingered. The closer they got to the heart of this war, the harder it became to trust himself.