Eldrin's boots crunched on the frosted ground as he and Nyssa moved swiftly through the forest. The air was heavy with tension, as though the trees themselves were holding their breath. "We don't have much time," Nyssa said, glancing back at him. Her violet eyes glimmered with urgency.
"We'll make it," Eldrin replied, though his voice carried a weight that belied his confidence. The image of Malifax standing over the mice burned in his mind, each step driving him to move faster. But deep down, he knew that Malifax wouldn't make this easy.
---
As they reached a clearing, the path ahead split into three. Each route looked identical, winding into the darkness of the forest. "Which way?" Nyssa asked, her ears swiveling nervously. Eldrin knelt, tracing his fingers over the ground. The faintest trail of magical residue lingered, a remnant of Malifax's dark enchantments.
"Middle path," he said, standing.
Nyssa hesitated. "Are you sure?"
"No," Eldrin admitted, his lips quirking into a faint smile. "But when have I ever been wrong?" Nyssa snorted. "Do you want the list alphabetically or chronologically?"
---
The middle path led them into a dense grove known as the Spiderwood. The trees were unnaturally tall, their trunks twisted like corkscrews, and thick webs hung between the branches, shimmering like silver in the dim light.
Nyssa stopped abruptly, her fur bristling. "I don't like this."
"Neither do I," Eldrin said, his voice low.
As if on cue, the ground beneath them began to tremble. From the shadows emerged a swarm of arachnids, their bodies glistening with obsidian-black carapaces. Their eyes gleamed with malice, and their legs clicked frightfully against the ground.
"Spiderlings," Nyssa growled. "Malifax must have sent them." Eldrin raised his staff, its tip glowing brightly. "Stay close."
The first spiderling lunged, its fangs snapping inches from Eldrin's face. He swung his staff, a pulse of light blasting the creature backward. Nyssa darted between the spiders, her movements quick and fluid. She snapped at their legs, using her small size to her advantage.
"I hope you've got a plan!" she shouted, dodging another spider's attack. "Working on it!" Eldrin replied.
The spiders were relentless, their numbers overwhelming. Eldrin's magic flared repeatedly, but for every spider he destroyed, two more seemed to take its place. As the battle raged, Nyssa pounced on a particularly large spider, sinking her teeth into its leg. The spider squealed, shaking violently to dislodge her.
"Could you maybe aim for the smaller ones?" Eldrin called, fending off another wave. Nyssa spat out a piece of spider leg. "You try being four feet tall and doing all the work!" Despite the danger, Eldrin chuckled. "Point taken."
Just as the spiders began to surround them, Eldrin spotted something: a faint glimmer of light in the distance. "This way!" he shouted, grabbing Nyssa by the scruff and running toward the light. As they broke through the thick webbing, the spiders hissed and recoiled. The light grew brighter, revealing a circle of ancient stones etched with runes.
"A sanctuary," Nyssa said, her voice filled with relief.
The spiders dared not enter the circle, their legs twitching angrily as they retreated into the shadows.
---
The Weight of Guilt
As they caught their breath, Eldrin sank to the ground, his shoulders slumping. "They're getting stronger. Malifax's power is growing faster than I anticipated." Nyssa padded over, her expression softer than usual. "You can't blame yourself for this."
"Can't I?" Eldrin replied, his voice bitter. "I should have stopped him years ago. Maybe then Galen and his family wouldn't be in this mess." Nyssa's tail flicked. "You can't change the past, Eldrin. All you can do is fight for the future."
As Eldrin rested, he noticed the runes on the stones beginning to glow faintly. He reached out, his fingers brushing against one of the symbols. A vision flashed before his eyes—Galen and his family, huddled together beneath the roots of a massive tree. The forest around them was looming with danger, but they were still moving, still fighting to survive.
"They're close," Eldrin murmured. Nyssa tilted her head. "You saw them?" "Yes," Eldrin said, standing. "We're on the right track."
---
Malifax Strikes Again
Their relief was short-lived. As they left the sanctuary, the forest grew darker and colder. A thick mist began to roll in, obscuring their path.
"This isn't natural," Nyssa said, her voice tinged with fear. "No, it's not," Eldrin agreed, gripping his staff tightly. The mist thickened, and whispers filled the air. They spoke in Malifax's voice, mocking and taunting. "Did you think you could outsmart me, old friend?"
Eldrin stopped, his jaw tightening. "Show yourself, Malifax!"
The mist swirled, forming into a towering figure. It wasn't Malifax himself, but a shadowy projection of him, his eyes glowing with hatred. "You've always been predictable, Eldrin," the projection said. "Chasing after lost causes, clinging to hope like a fool."
Eldrin raised his staff. "If hope makes me a fool, then so be it."
The projection laughed, its voice echoing ominously. "Let's see how long that hope lasts." Then the shadow projection raised its hand, and the mist solidified into jagged ice spears. Eldrin reacted quickly, deflecting the projectiles with his staff.
"Run!" he shouted to Nyssa.
The fox hesitated for only a moment before darting ahead. Eldrin followed, weaving through the trees as the projection's attacks rained around them.
Finally, they burst through the edge of the mist, the oppressive darkness lifting. The forest ahead was brighter, the air clearer. Nyssa stopped, panting. "That… was too close." Eldrin nodded, his expression grim. "He's not playing games at all."
As they continued, they came upon a massive river cutting through the forest. The water was dark and turbulent, and a rickety wooden bridge stretched across it. Eldrin's heart sank. "This is it. The final barrier before we reach them." Nyssa sniffed the air, her fur bristling. "Something's wrong. I smell… blood."
Before Eldrin could respond, the bridge began to creak and sway. From the water below, glowing red eyes emerged, and a low growl echoed through the forest.
Eldrin gripped his staff. "Here we go again."