The forest was unnervingly silent as Kael and his companions trudged onward. Even the ever-present mist seemed heavier, clinging to their skin like damp cobwebs. Kael tightened his grip on the artifact, its faint golden glow pulsing in sync with his heartbeat.
"Are we sure we're going the right way?" Finn asked, breaking the quiet. He was at the back of the group, swinging his oversized sword at imaginary foes. "Because it feels like we've been walking in circles for hours."
Tessa didn't bother looking back. "We're following Nyx, remember? If anyone knows how to get out of this mess, it's her."
Nyx, leading the way, glanced over her shoulder. "You might want to have a little more faith. Or, you know, less whining."
Finn rolled his eyes. "Excuse me for not being thrilled about being chased by killer vines and creepy masked people."
Kael smirked, but his humor faded when he caught Nyx's expression. Her usual sharp confidence had dulled, replaced by a shadow of unease. She wasn't as sure of their path as she let on.
"Nyx," Kael said cautiously, "are we lost?"
"No," Nyx snapped, too quickly.
"That's convincing," Tessa muttered under her breath.
Before Kael could press further, the air around them shifted. A cold breeze swept through the trees, carrying a faint whisper that made the hairs on his neck stand on end.
"Okay, what was that?" Finn asked, his voice cracking.
Tessa raised her crossbow, scanning the shadows. "Stay alert. Something's here."
The whispering grew louder, a cacophony of unintelligible voices that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. The trees swayed unnaturally, their branches twisting as though reaching for the group.
Kael tightened his grip on the artifact. "This can't be good."
"Understatement of the century," Finn said, trying—and failing—to sound brave.
The ground beneath them trembled, and from the mist emerged the cloaked figure they had faced earlier—the one Kael had dubbed "Bone Mask." Their skeletal mask glinted in the dim light, and the gnarled staff in their hand pulsed with an eerie green glow.
"You cannot run from the forest," Bone Mask said, their distorted voice cutting through the whispers. "And you cannot outrun what you've awakened."
Kael stepped forward, trying to mask his fear with bravado. "Thanks for the ominous warning, but we're not exactly fans of creepy speeches. Why don't you just tell us what you want?"
Bone Mask tilted their head, studying him. "The Heart of the Forest does not belong to you. It belongs to the Shadow King. Return it, and you may yet live."
"Yeah, because handing it over to a guy called the 'Shadow King' sounds like a great idea," Kael said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Finn laughed nervously. "Shadow King? Does he have a cheery twin called the 'Sunshine Prince'? No? Just me?"
Tessa shot him a glare. "Not the time, Finn."
Bone Mask ignored the banter, their gaze fixed on Kael. "You misunderstand. The Heart is not a tool. It is a seed. And once it blooms, the Shadow King will rise again."
Kael's grip on the artifact tightened. "If it's so dangerous, why didn't you destroy it?"
"It cannot be destroyed," Bone Mask said simply. "Only contained. And you have undone centuries of protection."
Nyx stepped forward, her voice steady but cold. "If you wanted it so badly, why not take it from him yourself? Or are you afraid of what it might do?"
Bone Mask didn't reply. Instead, they raised their staff, and the whispers grew deafening. The ground split open, and tendrils of black smoke poured out, coiling like living shadows.
"Run!" Nyx shouted.
The group scattered as the tendrils lashed out, striking the ground where they had been standing. Kael bolted, the artifact humming in his hand. Behind him, Finn was yelling something about losing a boot, and Tessa was firing bolts wildly into the mist.
One of the tendrils snaked toward Kael, fast as lightning. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding it, and rolled to his feet. The artifact flared, and a blast of golden light shot from it, severing the tendril.
"Okay, that's new," Kael muttered, staring at the artifact.
Bone Mask appeared in front of him, their staff raised. "You cannot wield its power. It will consume you."
"Yeah, well, I'm not a fan of being consumed either," Kael shot back.
He raised the artifact again, but this time, the light faltered. Bone Mask closed the distance, their staff glowing with dark energy. Kael braced himself—
—and then Finn came barreling out of nowhere, swinging his sword like a madman. "Get away from my friend, you masked creep!"
Bone Mask parried the blow with their staff, but the force of Finn's attack sent them staggering back.
"Not bad," Tessa said, appearing beside Kael. She fired a bolt that struck one of the shadow tendrils, pinning it to a tree.
"Thanks for the save," Kael said, breathless.
"Don't thank us yet," Nyx called, gesturing for them to follow her. "We need to move. Now!"
The group took off again, weaving through the trees. The whispers faded, but Kael knew they weren't safe yet.
As they ran, he glanced at the artifact. Its glow was dimmer now, almost as if it were... resting.
"What's your deal?" Kael muttered under his breath. "You save my life one second and almost get me killed the next?"
"Talking to the glowing rock now?" Finn panted. "Cool, cool. Totally normal."
Tessa snorted. "Says the guy who named his sword 'Jeffrey.'"
"Jeffrey's a great name!" Finn protested.
"Quiet!" Nyx hissed. "We're not out of danger yet."
They slowed as the forest began to thin, the mist parting to reveal a wide clearing bathed in moonlight. In the center stood a massive stone archway, covered in glowing runes.
Nyx stopped, her expression grim. "The Veil Gate. We've reached it."
Kael stared at the archway, a sense of unease settling over him. "What's on the other side?"
Nyx's voice was barely above a whisper. "Answers. And probably more trouble."
Finn groaned. "Great. Because we didn't have enough of that already."
Kael sighed, stepping toward the archway. "Well, no point in turning back now."
As they crossed the threshold, the air around them seemed to shimmer, and the whispers returned—this time, louder than ever.
Kael tightened his grip on the artifact, his heart pounding. Whatever lay ahead, he knew one thing for sure: their journey was only just beginning.