Loka stood at the head of the group, gripping his battle axe tightly as he gazed at the looming mountains ahead. Veilshadow Heights, with its endless mist and treacherous terrain, was notorious even among the most seasoned hunters, who rarely dared to traverse its depths.
Behind him marched a select team of elite warriors from various tribes. Among them were Katherine and Irene of the Golden Family, who had insisted on joining the mission. Katherine carried a longbow with a calm and focused demeanor, while Irene gripped her short sword, her gaze unwavering and resolute.
Turning back to address the group, Loka spoke in a low, commanding voice: "Remember, no matter how dangerous the path ahead, we must stay together. The mist here can rob anyone of their sense of direction."
Katherine nodded, an arrow already nocked on her bowstring. Her sharp eyes scanned their surroundings. "The air here feels wrong—too quiet. It's as if something is watching us from the shadows."
Irene murmured, her voice tense, "I hear distant growls—beasts, perhaps. They're getting closer but seem to be keeping their distance for now."
Loka's brow furrowed as he glanced skyward. The fog thickened, swallowing the sunlight and casting an eerie pall over the mountains. Peaks loomed in and out of view like slumbering giants, their shapes distorted by the shifting mists, as though they were alive and watching.
The journey grew increasingly arduous. The wet, slippery rocks underfoot and the twisted shadows of trees in the fog seemed to play tricks on the mind. Some warriors in the group began to grumble under their breath.
"This doesn't feel like a path at all," one muttered. "It feels more like a trap."
Loka halted abruptly, his cold gaze sweeping over the group. "If we want to evade Strongson's heavy blockade, this is the only way. Remember, the path you walk is one of hope, not retreat."
Though his words were quiet, the authority in his tone silenced the murmurs. The warriors pressed on, but the mist seemed to mock them, twisting their sense of direction. Each step forward felt futile, as though they were walking in circles, with the mountains' silhouettes stubbornly unchanged.
"Are we lost?" Irene asked, stopping and turning toward Loka, doubt creeping into her voice.
Before Loka could answer, Katherine suddenly grabbed his shoulder. "Wait. Listen—"
An unnatural silence fell over the group. All that could be heard was the sound of their own breathing, as if the world itself had paused. Then, from the depths of the fog, a low, guttural roar echoed through the mountains, reverberating like a warning. It was deep and resonant, the cry of a massive beast asserting its dominion.
Loka's expression tightened. He spoke in a hushed tone, "That's one of the guardians of Veilshadow Heights. They rarely approach humans, but if they feel we're encroaching on their territory, they'll show no mercy."
Katherine glanced at him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you know what it is?"
Loka shook his head slowly. "Veilshadow Heights holds too many secrets. Even our ancestors never fully unraveled them. But we must tread carefully. These creatures are far more dangerous than Strongson's armies."
The group pressed on, but the mist thickened with every step. Time seemed to lose meaning, and the distances between peaks felt oddly elastic, stretching and warping. Even Loka, with his wealth of experience, began to lose his bearings. Halting the group, he turned to Katherine and Irene. "The mist feels like it's deliberately confusing us. There could be some ancient magic at work here. We need to find an open space to regroup."
Irene suggested, "If there's truly magic affecting us, perhaps we can dispel it. Katherine, your archery and sense of the environment—can you find a weaker point in the mist?"
Katherine closed her eyes, her brow furrowing as she reached out to the surroundings. She spread her hands, her fingers brushing against faint currents in the air. After a moment, her eyes snapped open. "To the north. The wind feels stronger there than anywhere else. It might lead us to a break in the mist."
Loka nodded sharply. "We follow her lead. Everyone, stay alert and keep moving!"