We left the cave at first light. Alistair found a branch and fashioned Thalia a walking stick with it. She wasn't graceful by any means, but she found a way to work around it, supporting her weight with it with every step she took.

  It seemed to help. We were still slow, but we made our way along the water, stopping only when we heard suspicious sounds. Which, here in the dark forest, was a fairly frequent occurrence.

  The forest seemed more quiet that day than it had the previous, though. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, but I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The sun was high in the sky when we finally caught sight of the Tree of Shadows.

  It was massive, its trunk thicker than any we had ever seen; stretching towards the sky like a black hand reaching up to pluck the clouds from the heavens and claim them for itself. Its canopy was dark and twisted, gnarled into knots that appeared like black eyes glaring out at us as we approached. The leaves were a deep shade of purple, like the sky in the waning hours of twilight. The very air around it seemed to vibrate with a menacing energy, warning us to stay away, begging us to turn back. I felt chills skitter down my spine just standing in the thing’s presence.

  Thalia took a deep breath and stepped forward, her determination unwavering despite the barely contained wince every time she took a step forward. "This is it," she said. "Let's find that herb and get out of here."

  We spread out, scanning the ground for any sign of the herb. Alistair was closest to the tree, his sword drawn and ready for any attack. Thalia stuck close to the river and hobbled around gingerly, trying to avoid looking at the Tree of Shadows. I couldn’t blame her. The thing was beyond creepy.

  I was about to give up hope when I saw a small plant growing by the water's edge. Its leaves were a bright green, a stark contrast to the dark forest floor and all the blackened flora around us.

  "Over here!" I called out, running over to it. "I found it!"

  Thalia hobbled over to where I was, a look of relief spreading across her face. "Thank the gods," she whispered. "We found it."

  Alistair kept watch as Thalia plucked the herb from the ground. We didn’t want her to have to, but her knowledge of plants was greater than either of us and, as she put it, we couldn’t afford to get it wrong. It was small and unassuming, and if it weren’t for its location I would have assumed it was nothing special, but we all knew that it held great power. This was the cure that would save our people's lives. The thing that would save us from The Shades.

  We picked as much of the herb as we could. I put it in my satchel and Thalia looked around for more despite her limited mobility.

  "That was easier than I thought," I muttered.

  Immediately I regretted it. Before any of us had taken more than a step away from the water’s edge,the ground rocked under us. It rumbled, the same way it had when it had swallowed Thalia's foot, only this time it was worse. The shaking seemed to spread further out across the ground, making the whole forest rock and quake. We stumbled, trying to keep our balance as the ground shook beneath us.

  "What's happening?" Thalia cried out with fear in her voice.

  Alistair stepped forward, his sword at the ready. "We need to get out of here," he said. "Now."

  We turned to run, but the ground continued to shake, making it nearly impossible to keep our footing. The Tree of Shadows stretched and towered over us, its trunk expanding and contracting like the whole creepy thing was actually breathing. It seemed to come alive, its twisted branches lashing out at us.

  "Split up!" I yelled, trying to evade the grasping branches. Thalia limped in one direction and Alistair ran in a different one, but I couldn't see where they went. I was alone, and the Tree was closing in.

  I swung my sword, trying to make a path through the branches. But for every branch I cut down, two more grew back in its place. The Tree of Shadows seemed to have an endless supply of limbs and gnarled roots to throw at me, and I was quickly running out of energy.

  I was surrounded, the Tree's branches closing in on me like a cage. I could hear Thalia and Alistair calling out my name, but their voices were distant and muffled. It was like I was trapped in my own nightmare, and there was no way out.

  I swung my sword again, this time with all the strength I had left. The Tree recoiled, its branches retreating for a moment. I took the opportunity to run, sprinting as fast as I could away from the Tree.

  But it wasn't enough. The branches caught up to me, snatching me by the ankle and dragging me back across the scattered purple leaves. I roared in pain and indignation, trying to fight them off, but it was no use. The Tree had me, and it wasn't going to let me go.

  I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I looked down and saw a thorn the size of my finger sticking out. I tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't budge.

  The world around me started to blur, my vision clouding over. I could hear Thalia and Alistair calling my name once more, but it sounded like they were a great distance away from me and we were growing further and further apart by the second. I could feel the Tree's branches tightening around me like a python, constricting me inch by inch. Pretty soon there would not be enough space between these branches for my body to fit. What would happen to me then?

  I knew what was happening. The Tree was draining me of my life force, sucking the very essence of who I was out of me. Vaguely, I remembered my father telling me stories of people approaching these magical trees, the way that it would hurt and feed on those people who had been foolish enough to venture too close to a Tree of Shadows. They were never seen again.

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  I tried to fight, to resist the Tree's pull, but it was too strong. I felt my consciousness slipping away, my body going limp in its grasp.

  Just when I thought it was over, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. Thalia's voice.

  "Stay with me," she said. "Don't leave us."

  I tried to answer her, to tell her that I wasn't leaving them willingly, but my voice was caught in my throat. My body felt like it was no longer mine; like it was being pulled in different directions. The Tree was still holding onto me, but Thalia's voice was like a beacon in the darkness, urging me to fight on despite how hopeless it seemed, despite how weak my limbs felt.

  And then I wasn't out in the dark forest anymore.

  I was inside the tree–I could tell because of the smell, rotting and decaying. I could barely breathe, the air thick and heavy with the scent of death.

  I looked around, trying to find a way out. The walls around me were slimy and slick, covered in moss and fungi. The ground was uneven, with roots and vines tangling around my legs.

  I heard a rustling sound, and I looked up. A pair of glowing red eyes stared down at me from the shadows.

  I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't move, couldn't even scream. I was trapped, alone and helpless.

  The eyes moved closer, and I saw the outline of a figure emerging from the darkness. It was humanoid, with long, spindly limbs and sharp, pointed claws. Its skin was a sickly shade of green, and it seemed to be made entirely out of plant matter.

  I tried to step back, but my feet were rooted to the ground. The creature reached out a hand, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body. It was like nothing I had ever felt before, a mix of pain and pleasure that left me gasping for air.

  The creature's touch was soft, but its grip was tight. I couldn't move, couldn't do anything but submit to the creature's will. It was like it was feeding off of me, drawing out my energy and consuming it for its own.

  I closed my eyes, trying to block out the pain. But it was useless. The creature continued to draw me in, taking everything I had and leaving me empty.

  I don't know how long it lasted. It could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. All I knew was that when the creature finally released me, I was weak and trembling.

  I collapsed onto the ground, my body convulsing in pain. I wanted to scream, to cry out for help, but nothing came out. I was alone, trapped inside the Tree of Shadows, and I didn't know how I was going to get out.

  "You should have gone home," a booming voice said. It felt like it was splitting my temple, cracking my skull in half, the sound like it was coming from my own brains.

  I looked up, trying to find the source of the voice. But there was no one there, only the darkness and the sickly green glow of the creature's eyes.

  "Who are you?" I managed to croak out. My voice was hoarse, barely audible.

  The voice chuckled, a sound that made my skin crawl. "I am the Tree of Shadows," it said. "And you are mine."

  I shuddered, trying to get up, to run away. But my limbs wouldn't obey me. I was still weak, still drained from the creature's touch.

  The voice spoke again, this time softer, more persuasive. "You can stay here," it said. "You can be a part of me. You can live forever, in the darkness, feeding on the life force of those who come too close to me."

  I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "No," I said. "I won't be a part of this."

  The Tree of Shadows chuckled again, its branches reaching out to ensnare me once more. "Oh, but you will," it said. "You have no choice. You are weak, and I am strong. You are mine, and you always will be. I have chosen you."

  It didn't hurt anymore. I wasn't in pain. The Tree's voice had become soothing, lulling me into accepting its now tempting offer. I wanted to give in.

  It might have smelled bad, but it was warm in here. It was cozy. This was the most comfort I'd had in what felt like months...

  I closed my eyes. Closing my eyes was easy. I practically drifted off, back to my room at home, to the hearth in the kitchen.

  I could hear the sound of our swords clicking as Thalia and I sparred.

  I was vaguely aware that it probably wasn't real, but it didn't seem to matter too much.

  And then she said my name.

  "Tristan!"

  She sounded so far away. Her voice was shrill, a defiant, broken cry against the stillness of the tree.

  But it was enough to imbue me with a surge of energy, a sudden burst of strength that I hadn't felt before. I pushed myself up to my feet, my body trembling with effort.

  "You're wrong," I said, my voice stronger this time. "I am not weak. I am not yours. And I will never be a part of this darkness."

  And with that, I swung my sword, cutting through the Tree's branches and vines. They recoiled, retreating from me like a wounded animal. I felt a sudden rush of power, a sense of control that I had never felt before.

  The Tree of Shadows roared, its voice like thunder. "You cannot defeat me," it said. "I am eternal."

  "I don't need to defeat you," I said. "I just need to get out."

  Holding my blade out before me like a beacon leading me through the darkness, I sprinted through the damp, choking corridors of the Tree of Shadows, narrowly avoiding the tendrils and roots that clawed at me as I ran past. I could hear the Tree's voice echoing behind me, taunting me, promising a reprieve from the aches and pains of my silly mortal life, but I didn't let it get to me. I focused on getting out, on finding my way back to the outside world.

  Thalia’s voice helped guide me out.

  I turned a corner and nearly ran into Thalia, Alistair fighting alongside her. She looked at me with wide eyes, her sword drawn and ready. "Tristan," she said, astonished. "You're alive."

  "I am," I said, grinning. "And I plan on staying that way."

  We fought our way through the twisting, winding passages of the Tree of Shadows, our swords flashing in the dim light. The Tree's roots came at us from all sides, but we battled on, determined to make it out alive.

  And then, finally, we saw it. The exit. A small circle of light, shining in the darkness. We ran towards it, our hearts pounding with excitement and relief.

  As we burst into the sunlight, we collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. I looked up, watching as the Tree of Shadows loomed above us, its trunk and branches twisting and writhing in anger.

  "You may have escaped me this time," it said, "but you will never be free of me. I will always be waiting, always ready to take you back."

  I stood up, my sword at the ready. "Not if I have anything to say about it," I said, my voice strong and sure. But there was nothing to fight anymore. The Tree of Shadows was done with us…for now.

  "You tell that accursed tree, mate," Alistair muttered under his breath.

  Thalia sighed. "We should head back," she said. "I don't know what else is in this forsaken forest and I definitely don't want to find out."