The dawn broke in a blood-red sky, casting an ominous glow over the landscape. There was no denying the sense of dread that had settled over the camp. The witches stood apart from the group, whispering incantations to each other as they prepared for the journey ahead. Morgana’s violet eyes seemed to glow even brighter in the morning light, and the wind carried a faint scent of smoke and something metallic—like iron, or blood.

Evelyn’s unease only deepened as they readied themselves to enter the cursed forest. Every instinct told her this was wrong, that they were walking into a trap. But there was no turning back now.

Luka approached her as she tightened the straps on her armor, his expression grim. “You sure about this?”

She glanced up at him, her heart heavy. “I don’t think we have a choice.”

He nodded, though his eyes betrayed his concern. Luka’s injuries had mostly healed, but the memory of his near-death still lingered between them. They hadn’t spoken much about it—there wasn’t time—but now, as they faced yet another impossible challenge, the weight of everything unsaid pressed down on them both.

The group set out just after dawn, moving silently through the dense woods that surrounded the camp. The cursed forest loomed ahead, its trees twisted and gnarled, blackened as though by fire. The closer they got, the heavier the air became, as if the forest itself was exhaling something dark and malevolent. The sky above seemed to darken the closer they came to its borders, and the sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy of branches overhead.

“This place is wrong,” Raine whispered, her sharp eyes darting around, scanning the treeline for any sign of danger. “I can feel it.”

Evelyn could feel it too. It was as if the forest was alive—watching them, waiting for them to make a wrong move. The shadows between the trees seemed to shift and writhe, like creatures lurking just out of sight. Her stomach twisted with unease as Morgana led them deeper into the dark wood, her face unreadable.

“We should’ve never agreed to this,” Kael muttered, his voice tense. “There’s something off about this whole thing.”

Evelyn couldn’t disagree. But what choice did they have? Callan was getting stronger by the day, and if they didn’t find the Heart of Shadows, he would destroy everything. Still, the feeling that they were walking into an ambush wouldn’t leave her.

As they ventured deeper, the forest grew darker, the light fading until it seemed as if night had fallen, though it was still early morning. The trees were twisted in grotesque shapes, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The silence was unnerving—no birds, no animals, just the rustling of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.

Luka walked beside Evelyn, his hand brushing against hers for reassurance. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through this,” he murmured, his voice barely audible.

Evelyn nodded, grateful for his presence. But the pit in her stomach only deepened as the air grew thicker, colder. It wasn’t just the forest that was wrong—it was the very atmosphere around them. It felt like they were walking into the belly of a beast, one that was waiting to devour them whole.

Suddenly, Morgana stopped, her hand raised. “We’re close,” she said quietly.

Evelyn strained her eyes, trying to see through the dense fog that had begun to roll in, but the forest ahead was nothing but shadows. The fog clung to the ground, curling around their legs like cold fingers. Every breath felt heavy, and Evelyn could feel a growing sense of panic rising in her chest.

“This place feels like death,” Raine muttered, her hand tightening around the hilt of her dagger.

Before anyone could respond, a shrill, ear-piercing scream echoed through the trees, sending a jolt of terror through the group. The sound was unnatural—inhuman—and it reverberated through the forest like a banshee’s wail.

Luka’s hand shot to his sword. “What the hell was that?”

“We’re not alone,” Kael growled, his eyes glowing faintly as his power surged.

The forest seemed to come alive around them, shadows twisting and shifting in unnatural ways. From the fog, figures began to emerge—wraithlike forms with hollow, glowing eyes. They moved with a haunting grace, their bodies half-formed, as if they were made of mist and darkness. The temperature plummeted, and Evelyn’s breath came out in visible puffs.

“Spirits,” Morgana hissed. “They guard the way. Do not engage them unless you have to.”

Evelyn swallowed hard, her hand tightening around her sword. The spirits drifted closer, their eyes fixed on the group. One of them let out a low, guttural hiss, and the others followed suit, their voices mingling in a symphony of eerie, disembodied whispers.

“Turn back…” one of them moaned, its voice like wind through the trees. “Turn back… or join the dead…”

“Stay together,” Evelyn ordered, trying to keep her voice steady. But even as she spoke, the spirits began to circle them, their hollow eyes filled with malice.

One of the spirits lunged suddenly, its clawed hand reaching for Raine. She barely had time to react, slicing through it with her dagger. The spirit dissipated into smoke, but two more appeared in its place, their ghostly forms weaving in and out of the fog.

Luka growled, shifting into his wolf form, his fur bristling as he lunged at the nearest spirit, his jaws snapping through its ethereal form. But the spirits were relentless, swarming around them like vultures circling a dying animal.

“Morgana!” Evelyn shouted, her sword cutting through the mist. “Do something!”

The witch stepped forward, her eyes glowing brighter as she began to chant in the ancient tongue. The spirits recoiled from the sound of her voice, their ghostly forms flickering as if the words were burning them. But the chant didn’t seem to stop them—they were still closing in, their numbers growing by the second.

“We can’t hold them off forever!” Kael yelled, his shadow magic swirling around him as he fought off the spirits.

Morgana’s chanting intensified, and suddenly the ground beneath them began to tremble. Evelyn felt a surge of energy ripple through the air, and the spirits froze in place, their hollow eyes wide with something that resembled fear. The ground split open with a deafening crack, and from the depths of the earth, black tendrils of magic shot up, wrapping around the spirits and pulling them down into the ground.

For a moment, the forest was still, the spirits gone. But the air was thick with tension, and Evelyn knew this was far from over.

“What was that?” Luka asked, his voice low as he shifted back into his human form.

Morgana’s face was pale, her breathing labored. “The spirits are only the beginning. The deeper we go, the worse it will get.”

Evelyn’s heart pounded. They had barely survived the first encounter, and there was more waiting for them. But there was no turning back now. They had to find the Heart of Shadows.

As they pressed on, the dread only grew. The deeper they went into the cursed forest, the more twisted and unnatural everything became. The trees loomed like dark sentinels, their bark cracked and oozing with black sap. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and every sound—every creak of wood, every rustle of leaves—felt like a harbinger of something worse.

And then, through the fog, Evelyn saw it—a massive, crumbling ruin, half-buried in the earth. The structure was ancient, its stone walls covered in strange, glowing runes that pulsed with dark energy. At the center of the ruin, an altar stood, and atop it, a dark, swirling orb—the Heart of Shadows.

“We’ve found it,” Morgana whispered, her eyes fixed on the orb. “But we’re not alone.”

Before Evelyn could react, the ground began to shake violently. The trees groaned, and from the shadows, a figure emerged—larger than any of them had expected. A beast, half-shadow, half-flesh, with glowing red eyes and jagged claws.

“By the gods…” Luka breathed.

The beast let out a deafening roar, shaking the very earth beneath them. Evelyn’s heart raced as she drew her sword, the weight of their task crashing down on her. The Heart of Shadows was within reach—but now they had to fight for it.

And as the beast charged, Evelyn knew this battle would be unlike any they had faced before.