Chaos erupted in the forest. Cries for help, heavy footsteps, and growls of mutated creatures echoed through dark trees. Confident adventurers who had entered were now overtaken by a nightmare that Hollowshade had turned into.
Some screamed in terror, others hid in fear, and too many lay lifeless on the forest floor, their bodies twisted and broken. The worst of it was that some had been corrupted into monsters—the very darkness they were sent to fight.
Veyron ran through the woods, his breaths coming in ragged gasps, his heart pounding like a drum. Sweat dripped from his face, mixing with the blood smeared on his armor.
Why did I take this stupid mission?" he muttered, his voice shaking. He ducked under a low branch, nearly losing his balance as he stumbled over roots and uneven ground.
"They said it would be easy! Just a few monsters, they said!
