The camp was quiet, save for the faint crackle of the fire and the distant rush of the river. The night felt colder, darker, as though the Wildlands themselves were holding their breath.
Ryn sat cross-legged by the fire, sharpening his knife with slow, deliberate movements. His mind wasn't on the blade, though—it was on the Spirit Fox, lying beside him.
Its glowing fur shimmered softly, the light a faint reflection of the river's cleansing glow. The fox had been quiet since the Stalker attack, its eyes half-closed as though lost in thought—or perhaps resting from its newfound ability.
The bond between them pulsed faintly, steady but strange. Ryn could feel its warmth, its presence, but there was something new beneath it—something he didn't understand.
"You're different now," Ryn murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He ran a hand through the fox's fur, the soft glow warming his palm. "But why?"
The fox chirped softly, nudging his leg with its nose. The bond pulsed again, reassuring and steady, but it gave him no answers.
Across the camp, Bryn and Mira were deep in conversation. Bryn's scarred face was drawn tight with tension, his voice low but urgent as he gestured toward the map spread out between them.
"You're serious about this?" Mira asked, her tone sharp.
"We don't have a choice," Bryn replied. "If we stay here, those Stalkers will pick us off one by one. We need to get ahead of this before it's too late."
Mira shook her head. "And your solution is to head deeper into the Wildlands? Toward another rift? Do you hear yourself?"
Ryn's ears perked up at the mention of the rift. He set down his knife and stood, walking toward the pair. "What's going on?"
Bryn glanced up, his expression unreadable. "We're making a plan."
"A plan for what?"
Mira sighed, rubbing her temples. "Bryn wants to push deeper into the Wildlands—to investigate another rift."
Ryn's stomach tightened. "Another one?"
"This one's different," Bryn said. He tapped the map, pointing to a location marked with jagged lines. "It's larger than anything we've seen. If the reports are right, it might be the source—or at least connected to it."
"The source of what?" Ryn asked, though he already knew the answer.
"The corruption," Bryn said flatly.
Mira crossed her arms, her expression grim. "Even if it is connected, getting close to it is suicide. You saw what happened tonight. We barely made it out alive."
"And if we do nothing, we'll die anyway," Bryn shot back. "The corruption isn't stopping. It's spreading faster every day. If we don't figure out what's causing it, there won't be anything left to fight for."
The fire crackled, filling the tense silence that followed.
Ryn stared at the map, his thoughts racing. The Stalkers, the rift, the whispers—it was all connected, he was sure of it. But the deeper they went, the more dangerous it became.
"What do you think, kid?" Bryn asked, his tone challenging. "You up for it? Or are you ready to turn back?"
Ryn clenched his fists. "I didn't come this far to quit," he said firmly.
The Spirit Fox chirped softly, padding over to his side. Its glowing eyes met Ryn's, and the bond pulsed with quiet determination.
"Good," Bryn said, smirking. "Because we're going to need all the help we can get."
Mira sighed, shaking her head. "This is a bad idea."
"It's the only idea," Bryn said. "Get some rest. We move at first light."
The group settled in for the night, though sleep didn't come easily. The whispers from earlier still lingered in Ryn's mind, twisting his thoughts as he lay beside the Spirit Fox.
"You cannot escape..."
"The corruption is your evolution..."
What did it mean? Who—or what—was speaking to him?
The bond pulsed faintly, and Ryn felt the Spirit Fox's presence wrap around his mind like a protective shield. It was a quiet reminder that he wasn't alone, even in the darkness.
"Thanks," Ryn murmured, scratching the fox behind its ears.
The fox chirped softly, curling up beside him. Its glowing tail flicked gently, casting faint patterns on the ground.
Ryn closed his eyes, the bond's steady rhythm finally lulling him to sleep.
Morning came too quickly. The sun rose pale and weak, its light barely breaking through the dense canopy of the Wildlands. The group packed their supplies in tense silence, the weight of the day's journey pressing down on them.
Bryn led the way, his sword resting on his shoulder as he scanned the trail ahead. Mira followed close behind, her bow in hand, while Jek brought up the rear, his remaining dagger twirling idly between his fingers.
Ryn and the Spirit Fox walked in the middle, the bond pulsing steadily as they moved. The fox's glow had returned to its usual brightness, though its eyes were sharper, more focused, as if it were anticipating something.
The trail grew rougher as they ventured deeper into the Wildlands. The trees became more twisted, their branches clawing at the sky like skeletal hands. The air grew colder, heavier, carrying the faint metallic tang of corruption.
"We're getting close," Bryn said, his voice low.
Ryn's stomach tightened. He glanced at the Spirit Fox, and the bond pulsed faintly, a warning that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Stay sharp," Mira said, her gaze darting to the shadows. "If those Stalkers come back..."
"They won't," Bryn said, though his grip on his sword tightened. "Not yet."
"What makes you so sure?" Jek asked, his tone skeptical.
Bryn didn't answer.
Ryn felt the Spirit Fox's fur bristle against his leg, and his own instincts screamed that something wasn't right. The whispers were gone, but the silence was worse. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for them to take one step too far.
"We're walking into a trap," Ryn muttered, his voice barely audible.
The Spirit Fox growled softly, its glowing eyes fixed on the trail ahead.
"We don't have a choice," Bryn said, his tone grim. "If this rift is what we think it is, it might be the last chance we have to stop this."
Ryn clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The bond pulsed again, and he felt the Spirit Fox's quiet resolve echoing through him.
"Then let's make it count," Ryn said.
The Spirit Fox chirped softly, and together, they stepped deeper into the Wildlands.