Chapter 4: The Forest of Despair

  Circle 2 of the Despairing Black Forest was a labyrinth of death, where gaunt trees stretched claw-like branches, tearing through the heavy veil of fog. A sickly gray light filtered through dense canopies, casting eerie glows on a ground littered with shattered bones and blackened moss. The air reeked of rotting earth laced with a sweet, toxic miasma that scorched the throat with every breath. Winds howled through the trees, carrying an unearthly wail born of the Void’s corruption, as if the forest itself lived, watching their every step.

  Lucien led the way, his sniper rifle slung across his back, treading cautiously over slick, decaying leaves. After just one day in the Black Forest, a crushing weight bore down on him, as if the forest sought to choke the life from his bones. “One day,” he thought, the lie of “a year trapped here” still gnawing at him. He couldn’t let the group know the truth, couldn’t afford their distrust. Survival—escape—was all that mattered. His instincts screamed of danger lurking in the mist, and he trusted them more than anyone in the group.

  “Watch your step,” Lucien said, his voice low, tinged with exhaustion, pointing to writhing crimson roots beneath the soil, pulsing like the veins of some colossal beast. He didn’t know their name—perhaps Dreadroot Serpent—but their chilling aura put him on edge. “Step on them, and you’ll regret it.”

  Zim, trailing close, nearly tripped, clutching his bag like a lifeline. “This forest is a nightmare!” he whined, voice trembling with fear. Audrey, sword at the ready, shot him a smirk. “Keep complaining, Zim, and I’ll feed you to whatever’s under there.” Her tone was sharp, but her eyes held a flicker of jest, as if to lighten the oppressive air.

  The group halted before a cluster of silver-white orchids, their petals gleaming like pearls in the dim light. Mistveil Orchids, Lucien realized, his pulse quickening. Their sweet fragrance spread, weaving a thin fog that clung to the skin. “Don’t breathe deeply,” he warned, voice taut. “This mist conjures false memories. One slip, and you’re lost forever.”

  Annie gripped her dagger, her suspicious gaze sweeping the flowers. “It knows what we’re thinking, doesn’t it?” Thomas, hulking but tense, muttered, “I smell death.” Kai, silent as a specter, merely nodded, his hand already on his blade, poised for action.

  In the distance, a faint glimmer flickered through the fog, like tiny lanterns. Lucien squinted—likely Lantern Widows—but they were too far to strike. The mist around them thickened, and the ground quivered, as if something stirred below. Audrey tightened her grip on her sword, glancing at Lucien. “Lead on, Graye. I want out before this place swallows us.” Lucien nodded, but deep down, he knew the Black Forest wouldn’t let them go easily. One day here had already made him question himself.

  The Mistveil Orchid’s fog crawled through Circle 2, a living entity, ensnaring the group like an invisible web. Skeletal trees loomed, their brittle branches snapping like broken bones under the gray light piercing the canopy. The cracked earth revealed writhing crimson roots, pulsing with the Void’s toxic sweetness. Shattered bones littered the ground, a grim reminder that the Black Forest never forgave.

  Lucien tightened his grip on his rifle’s strap, eyes scanning the mist. One day in the Black Forest had drained him, but he shoved the exhaustion aside, focusing on survival. “Keep moving!” he barked, a trace of urgency in his voice. “This mist will invade your mind. Don’t stop!” He quickened his pace, searching for a gap among the glittering orchids, but the fog seemed alive, dogging their every step.

  Thomas froze, eyes glazed. “My wife… my daughter…” he whispered, staring into the mist where a wooden house materialized, his family waving. Lucien knew it was a lie, the Orchid’s cruel game. “Thomas, snap out of it!” he roared, lunging to grab his shoulder. Thomas thrashed, pulling a hidden axe from behind his shield and swinging wildly, nearly hitting Annie.

  “Restrain him!” Annie shouted, dagger ready, her sharp eyes blazing. “We need to get away from these flowers!” She tore a strip from her cloak, tying it over her nose to block the scent, signaling the others to do the same.

  Audrey, sword in hand, turned to Zim. “Got any magic, or just whimpers?” Zim, pale, fumbled with his bag. “I-I can make wind to clear the fog, but… what if something’s in there?” He pointed to the ground, where tremors from the Dreadroot Serpent grew stronger. “I mean, those roots aren’t normal!”

  “Do it, Zim!” Audrey snapped, though her lips twitched, as if she found him amusing despite the danger. Kai, wordless, stepped forward to hold Thomas, his grip firm. “Breathe shallow,” he said, voice cold but steady, eyes flashing with alertness.

  Lucien saw the orchids growing denser, as if to engulf them. The Lantern Widows’ glimmers pulsed faintly, still distant. He tied cloth over his nose, fighting to stay clear-headed. “Annie, find higher ground,” he ordered. “The fog thins uphill.” Annie nodded, plunging into the mist, her dagger slicing through dry branches.

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  But the ground shook harder, and a piercing hiss rose from below. Lucien froze, heart pounding. The Dreadroot Serpent had found them. “Get ready,” he said, voice low, eyes locked on the fog. “The forest doesn’t play fair.”

  As the Orchid’s fog thinned, Circle 2 revealed its desolate horror. Twisted trees clawed at the gray light, their roots writhing like living veins, oozing the Void’s poison. Lucien gripped his Mosin rifle, instincts screaming. One day here had left him weary, but the thought of the Dreamspring Blade—their key to survival—kept him sharp. He pushed aside fleeting doubts, focusing on the beast below.

  The ground erupted, and the Dreadroot Serpent surged forth, its massive body spanning dozens of meters, scales glinting like oil, red eyes radiating mental venom. The group scattered, slowed by lingering mist. “Spread out!” Lucien shouted, scaling a broken tree, aiming his Mosin at the serpent’s head. He inhaled, fighting the mental poison—false memories of a burning house, cloaked figures. “Damn it, it’s in my head,” he muttered, smacking his temple to break free.

  Audrey raised her sword, its blade shimmering with the black aura of Death. “Hold formation!” she commanded, voice sharp despite labored breaths. She slashed a nearby root, the wound festering with rot, making it writhe. Sweat beaded on her brow. Five more strikes, she thought.

  Kai, silent, raised a hand, and shadows rose like smoke, coiling around the serpent’s legs, slowing it. The beast hissed, but Kai lowered his head, eyes icy, offering no explanation. Lucien, from above, noted Kai’s power. Shadows. He’s no ordinary man.

  “Do something, Zim!” Audrey yelled. Zim, trembling, raised his hands, a blinding white light bursting forth, piercing the fog and searing the serpent’s eyes. “Begone, demon!” he cried, but the light only enraged it. He mumbled a mage’s chant, and the ground quaked, roots retracting. “I-I’ve never tried this!” he stammered, face ashen.

  Annie darted forward, agile as the wind. She whispered a spell, green light flaring around her, doubling her speed. Her rapier struck the serpent’s scales, leaving only scratches. “Aim for the eyes!” she shouted, leaping back as the tail lashed.

  Thomas roared, his giant strength erupting. He swung his axe, slamming the ground, unleashing a shockwave of earth and stone. The serpent screeched, fully exposed. But the mental venom dazed him, fake family images clouding his eyes. “Thomas, focus!” Lucien yelled, firing. A Mosin bullet pierced the serpent’s left eye, black blood spraying.

  Audrey charged, her sword slicing the serpent’s flank. The wound bubbled, reeking of disease, making the beast convulse. She staggered, clutching her chest, breaths ragged. “Finish it, now!” she roared.

  Kai raised his hand again, shadows thickening, binding the serpent’s tail. Annie cast a protective spell, a green shield enveloping Thomas. Zim, mustering courage, unleashed a stronger light, blinding the beast. Lucien took aim, his final shot piercing the serpent’s mouth, shattering its venomous core.

  The serpent collapsed, the ground trembling. Panting, the group caught their breath, but Lucien, still perched, spotted the Lantern Widows’ glimmers drawing closer. The Void’s whispers grew louder, as if the forest seethed with rage. “Move,” he said, voice low, leaping down. “We’re not done.”

  The group fled the cursed fog, racing into a toxic marsh where the ground squelched, reeking of venomous fumes. Petrified trees jutted like tombstones, their fossilized branches glinting with ghostly light. Void-tainted mist swirled, casting warped shadows. Lucien gripped his Mosin, scanning the marsh. One day here had worn him to the bone, but the thought of completing their mission—escaping—kept him steady.

  Audrey, breathing heavily, wiped sweat from her brow, sword still clenched. The Death aura from the Widow fight left her drained, but she hid it, barking, “Watch your footing.” Annie checked her dagger, casting a protective spell, green light flickering around the group. Thomas, blood seeping from his shoulder, hefted his axe, steps heavy. Kai, aloof, silently observed their surroundings. Zim, clutching his bag, muttered, “This place is worse than a graveyard…” Annie shot him a look. “Shut it, or I’ll deck you.”

  Before they could rest, the ground quaked. A Hollow Bark, its cracked bark oozing blood, lashed out, branches ensnaring Annie. The tree’s bark drained her strength, her face paling. Lucien sprang to a mound, chambering a round in his Mosin, aiming at the main branch. A shot rang out, severing it, freeing Annie as she scrambled away. “Chop it down, fast!” he ordered, voice sharp, firing relentlessly, branches falling like rain.

  Kai raised both hands, shadows rising like mist, forming a massive blade that sliced through branches gripping Thomas. Thomas roared, his colossal strength surging, snapping a thick limb, but the tree’s blood splattered his arm, making him groan. Audrey swung her sword, the Death aura rotting branches, reeking of decay. She gritted her teeth, exhaustion shaking her hands, yet pressed on.

  “Zim, light!” Lucien shouted. Zim unleashed a white radiance, forcing the Hollow Bark’s roots to retract, but a misspoken mage chant cracked the ground beneath. “I-I didn’t mean to!” he yelped, face flushed. Annie, her speed spell flaring, slashed branches like a whirlwind. She raised a shield, guarding Zim. Kai’s shadows thickened, enveloping the tree’s roots, halting their blood-drain.

  Lucien aimed at the bark’s core, his bullet piercing it, black blood gushing. Thomas seized the moment, his axe splitting the tree in two, the ground shuddering as it fell. The group gasped for air, the marsh’s mist swirling violently, ghostly light intensifying. Lucien’s gaze caught a faint glow in another direction—a small tree, its leaves adorned with shimmering orbs swaying gently. Corpses lay nearby, withered and dry. The Dreamheart Tree, he realized, its leaves—the Dreamspring Blade—their goal, thriving near the dead.

  “We’ve found the Dreamspring Blade!” Lucien shouted. The group shed their exhaustion, faces lighting up, especially Audrey’s. Her sweat-soaked, pallid face flushed with hope. “Move fast!” she cried, voice thrilled. “We grab it and get out!” Nodding, the group hurried toward the Dreamheart Tree.

  Unseen behind them, a swarm of glowing specks trailed closer—Lantern Widows, the

  ir lights flickering with malice.