By the time they were ready to leave, the moon hung high above, casting faint light through the trees. Mathea led the group, her glowing necklace lighting their path, while Athena brought up the rear, her magic simmering just beneath the surface in case of danger.
As they moved deeper into the trail towards the valler, leaving the cursed camping ground behind, Jea felt a faint sense of relief. But the memory of AdanLeshy and her nightmare still lingered, a dark reminder of what this place could conjure.
"Let's find a clearing far from here," Mathea said, her voice carrying softly but firmly through the group. "We'll rest when we're certain we're safe."
No one argued. They walked in silence, their breaths shallow, each step taking them further from the nightmares that haunted them—and hopefully, closer to safety.
The group trudged through the dark forest, the oppressive silence broken only by the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional rustle of unseen creatures. Mathea led with steady determination, her glowing necklace casting a faint light that danced on the trees, but even she felt the weight of the lingering tension.
Jea stuck close to Yhan Yhan, the lion's presence grounding her. Her heart still raced from the memory of AdanLeshy, and she couldn't shake the feeling that the creature's haunting image wasn't entirely a hallucination.
Juan walked behind her, his hands gripping his staff tightly. He glanced around nervously, his usual wit replaced by a wary alertness. "This place feels wrong. Even away from the campsite, it's like… like the forest is alive, watching us."
Athena, walking at the rear, tensed at his words. Her magic sparked faintly at her fingertips, her senses heightened after the hallucination of her brother. "We'll deal with whatever comes our way," she said, her tone firm but low. "If this forest wants to mess with us, it'll regret it."
"Bold of you to assume the forest has regrets," Juan muttered, earning a sharp look from Athena.
"Focus," Mathea said, her voice cutting through the tension. "We can't afford to let our guard down. Not until we find a place to rest."
Jea hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if… it's not just the plant? What if something else is causing this?"
Athena frowned. "What do you mean?"
Jea hesitated, glancing nervously at Mathea. "The hallucinations—they're too specific. Too personal. The plant might have started it, but… I think something in this forest is amplifying it. Feeding on it."
The group fell silent, the weight of her words settling heavily.
Mathea stopped and turned to face them, her expression calm but serious. "It's possible. This isn't just a normal forest—it's ancient, and magic runs deep here. If something is feeding off our fears, we need to stay strong. Don't let it take hold."
Juan exhaled slowly, gripping his staff tighter. "Easier said than done. I don't know how much more of this my nerves can take."
"None of us do," Mathea admitted. "But we have to keep moving. The further we get from that plant, the better."
As they pressed on, the forest seemed to shift around them. The trees loomed larger, their gnarled branches intertwining to block out the moonlight. Shadows danced at the edges of their vision, flickering like whispers of forgotten fears.
"I don't like this," Jea murmured, clutching Yhan Yhan's mane.
Neither did Athena. Her magic hummed in her veins, restless and ready to strike at the first sign of danger. The memory of Nathaniel lingered, the pain of seeing him die again like a fresh wound. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind.
"We're almost there," Mathea said, though she wasn't entirely sure where "there" was. She just knew they needed to keep moving.
Suddenly, Janna, the small dragon, let out a sharp hiss, her wings fluttering nervously. Yhan Yhan stopped in his tracks, his ears swiveling as he growled low and deep.
"What is it?" Athena asked, her magic flaring instinctively.
Mathea raised a hand, signaling for silence. The group froze, their breaths shallow as they listened. The forest was still, eerily so, as though holding its breath.
Then, a faint whisper carried on the wind, barely audible but chilling nonetheless.
"It knows…"
Jea shivered, her grip tightening on Yhan Yhan. "What was that?"
"Keep moving," Mathea ordered, her voice firm despite the unease tightening her chest.
As they continued, the whispers grew louder, more insistent. They spoke in fragmented phrases, voices overlapping in a haunting symphony.
"Your fault… You failed… He's gone…"
Athena clenched her fists, her magic sparking brighter. She recognized the voice—Nathaniel's voice—and it sent a shiver down her spine.
"Ignore it," Mathea said, her tone sharp. "It's trying to break us. Stay focused."
Jea's heart pounded as the whispers began to merge into a single, mocking laughter. She fought to block it out, to focus on the others, but her fear threatened to overwhelm her.
Finally, Mathea stopped in a small clearing surrounded by tall, ancient trees. It was far from ideal, but it would have to do.
"We'll rest here," she said, her voice leaving no room for argument. "But stay close. No one wanders off, no matter what you see or hear."
The group huddled together, their nerves frayed but their resolve unbroken. Athena sat beside Yhan Yhan, her fingers absently running through his mane as she tried to steady her breathing.
"Do you think it'll leave us alone?" Jea asked, her voice small.
"No," Mathea said bluntly, her glowing necklace casting faint patterns on the ground. "But together, we're stronger than whatever this forest throws at us. We'll face it—and we'll survive."
Despite her words, the whispers lingered, weaving through the clearing like a predator circling its prey. Each of them knew the night was far from over.