The forest loomed like a fevered dream, its blood-weeping trees stretching gnarled limbs toward the crimson sky, their bark slick with sap that shimmered like molten rubies in the dim light.

Roots twisted like serpents beneath the rotting underbrush, rising without warning to entangle ankles or crush bone, each step a gamble through Vyrneth's deepest region—the Bloodweave.

The air was hot, humid, thick with the scent of rust and decay, the crimson mist curling in ghostly tendrils around their legs, thickening with every step deeper into its heart.

Whispers slithered through the haze, soft and venomous, curling around Leon's ears like vines.

You'll fail them.

You always do.

Boren died because of you.

Many died because of you.

They will keep dying.

Dying until you die.

Leon clenched his reforged dagger tighter, his linen shirt clinging to his sweat-soaked chest, the weight of his pack heavy on his shoulders.

The light magic from Lysette's ritual pulsed faintly in his chest, a new spark alongside his wind magic, but it didn't silence the Veil's voices—not entirely.

His jaw tightened, his eyes scanning the shifting shadows, the memory of Boren's betrayed gaze from the sanctum haunting him.

Terya walked ahead, slicing through hanging vines with precise arcs of wind magic, her leather top clinging to her chest with damp urgency, sweat tracing the curve of her collarbone.

Her green eyes scanned the paths, every step assured, her chainmail creaking softly.

"Stay close," she said, her voice calm but edged with steel. "This place isn't just alive—it wants to trap us."

Lysette moved lightly behind her, her white robe dirtied from the temple but glowing faintly against the red haze.

Her light magic pulsed from her fingertips, casting soft beams that dispersed the Veil's hallucinations—snakes slithering across the path, fading into mist under her radiance.

"It's worse than I thought," she muttered, her emerald eyes sharp but weary. "The Veil's corruption runs deeper here. We're in its lungs now."

Zara stumbled, her massive form sagging against a crooked tree, its sap-streaked bark crackling under her weight.

Her curse marks flared along her arm and thigh, pulsing red like molten veins, brighter than ever.

She gritted her teeth, her breath coming fast, her silver hair plastered to her forehead.

"Zara—" Leon dropped to his knees beside her, his pack sliding to the ground, his hands steady despite the forest's weight.

The sap's coppery stench stung his nose as he braced her.

"I'm fine," she muttered, her voice tight, her leg buckling again, betraying her words.

"No, you're not," Leon said, his tone firm but gentle. His hands hovered over her arm, then brushed up to the angry marks beneath the hem of her skirt, the skin feverish, trembling.

Gold magic sparked from his fingertips—warm, steady, soothing, infused with the Starbloom's light.

The curse's heat gave way to a rippling balm, easing her pain.

Zara's lips parted, a sharp gasp escaping before she could stifle it, her fingers clenching in the moss at her side.

Her blue eyes met his—not glaring, not guarded, but soft, almost surprised, a rare vulnerability breaking through her mercenary facade.

"You're getting better at this," she said, her voice raspy but warm, a faint flush creeping across her bronze cheeks.

Leon's heart thudded, the moment cutting through the forest's menace.

"Still figuring it out," he said, his grin faint but genuine, his hand lingering just a moment longer, the warmth of her skin grounding him.

Her hand rested over his, her calloused fingers brushing his knuckles, lingering in a fleeting pulse of trust.

"Thanks," she said quietly, her gaze holding his, a spark of connection flickering between them.

Terya's voice broke the moment, her green eyes glinting with mischief.

"You two done making eyes at each other?" she teased, leaning against a tree, her cloak swaying, revealing the curve of her hips.

Zara let go abruptly, clearing her throat as she stood, her stance steady but her flush lingering. "Let's keep moving," she muttered, her axe shifting on her back.

Leon followed, the heat of Zara's skin still pulsing in his palm, his wind and light magic humming faintly.

Lysette offered him a look—not mocking, not amused, but knowing, her emerald eyes sharp with understanding as she adjusted her staff.

The forest narrowed, the mist thickening into a curtain of red static, the blood-weeping trees looming taller, their bark rippling as if breathing.

Every sound felt distant, every movement distorted like a warped reflection in water.

The whispers grew louder, more insistent, a chorus of taunts weaving through the haze.

"I see something ahead," Lysette called, her voice low, her light magic flaring briefly to cut through the mist.

In the distance, a clearing shimmered with red light, its center marked by bones—clean, white, ritualistically arranged into a sigil that pulsed with the Veil's energy.

The group paused at the edge, tension winding taut in the silence, the air heavy with the promise of danger.

Leon's light magic pulsed at his core, a steady glow beside his wind, Terya's bond anchoring him, Zara's trust grounding him, Lysette's radiance guiding him.

He took a deep breath, his dagger steady in his hand, his eyes fixed on the sigil.

.

.

.

EEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEE

A sudden chorus of screeches shattered the oppressive quiet, the red mist tearing open like a ripped shroud.

From the canopy above, spider-like shadow-beasts descended, their amorphous bodies jagged, their many limbs tipped with serrated claws moving in unnatural rhythm.

Glowing white eyes blinked in unison across their glossy black hides, venomous webs trailing like sticky nets of death.

Leon barely had time to react.

A claw swiped across his arm, its touch burning cold, then numb, sending him stumbling back.

His light magic fizzed at his palm, refusing to surge, fear spiking like a blade in his chest.

The whispers grew louder—You'll fail them. You always do.

His muscles locked, his vision narrowing, his breath shallow.

"Leon!" Terya's voice sliced through, sharp and grounding.

She was already in motion, her wind magic forming wide arcs that tore through webs with crackling force, her leather top bouncing with each dodge, sweat tracing the curve of her collarbone.

Her green eyes burned with focus as she kicked a beast back, slicing two legs off with a sweeping gust, her blonde hair whipping in the breeze.

"Stay with me!"

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