The deeper they traveled into the corrupted region of Virelith, the quieter the world became.
Not peaceful.
Quiet in the way abandoned ruins were quiet.
Quiet in the way a predator watched before it moved.
The glowing beauty of the forest slowly disappeared behind them.
Emerald light faded into dark violet.
Healthy roots became twisted black veins.
The air itself felt heavier.
Every breath carried the faint scent of burnt metal and dying life.
Elaris walked at the front of the group, Stormfang resting low in her hand. The blade crackled occasionally, releasing faint arcs of blue lightning that illuminated the darkness ahead.
Beside her, Xyren continuously scanned their surroundings.
His holographic displays flickered with warning symbols.
None of them looked reassuring.
"Energy readings are increasing," he said quietly.
"Natural?" Elaris asked.
"No."
His answer came immediately.
"Nothing here is natural."
The forest around them seemed to react to those words.
Branches shifted.
Roots moved beneath the soil.
Somewhere in the darkness, something watched.
Something waiting.
Elaris felt it.
The sensation had been growing stronger ever since they entered the corrupted zone.
The forest wasn't simply alive.
It was aware.
And right now—
it was afraid.
A sudden burst of static exploded through their communication channel.
Everyone froze.
"Elaris!"
A voice.
One of the guards.
Broken.
Distorted.
Desperate.
"We found—"
Static swallowed the rest.
Then came a scream.
The transmission ended.
Silence returned.
Xyren immediately pulled up a tracking display.
His expression darkened.
"Their signals are still active."
A pause.
"But moving irregularly."
Elaris tightened her grip on Stormfang.
"What does that mean?"
Xyren looked toward the darkness ahead.
"It means something found them first."
They moved faster.
The forest became increasingly unstable.
Roots protruded from the ground like broken bones.
Strange black growths covered entire sections of the landscape.
Every few minutes, distant tremors rolled through the earth.
The deeper they traveled—
the more wrong everything felt.
Then they found them.
Two guards emerged from the darkness.
At first glance, they appeared alive.
Then Elaris noticed the details.
Their armor was damaged.
Their movements were unnatural.
And their eyes—
Their eyes no longer focused correctly.
One guard stumbled forward.
"Elaris..."
His voice sounded strained.
Painful.
Like he was fighting for control of his own body.
The second guard collapsed to one knee.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
"Don't come closer."
Elaris immediately stepped toward them.
The first guard raised a trembling hand.
"No!"
His voice cracked.
"Stay back."
For a moment, his expression returned to normal.
Fear.
Real fear.
Then his face twisted again.
Like something else was trying to take control.
Xyren's scanners activated instantly.
"What is happening to them?"
The answer appeared seconds later.
His expression changed.
"They're infected."
Silence.
The word landed heavily.
"Infected how?" Elaris demanded.
Xyren stared at the readings.
"The corruption isn't attacking their bodies."
A pause.
"It's attacking their minds."
The first guard suddenly screamed.
His entire body convulsed.
Dark energy spread beneath his skin.
The second guard wasn't any better.
His weapon lifted slowly.
Not by choice.
By force.
Tears appeared in his eyes.
Yet his arm continued rising.
Aiming directly at Elaris.
"Run."
His voice broke.
"Please..."
Elaris froze.
Because she understood.
They were still conscious.
Still aware.
Trapped inside their own bodies.
Watching themselves lose control.
Stormfang crackled violently.
The blade sensed danger.
But Elaris couldn't move.
Couldn't attack.
These weren't enemies.
They were Kael's people.
The corrupted energy surged.
Both guards lunged simultaneously.
Elaris reacted on instinct.
Stormfang flashed.
Lightning erupted.
The attacks were deflected.
Not lethal.
Never lethal.
She refused.
Again and again, the guards attacked.
Again and again, she defended.
Each strike became harder.
Each movement became more desperate.
Because the corruption was growing stronger.
And the men fighting it were growing weaker.
Finally, one of them managed to regain control for a brief second.
Just one second.
It was enough.
He looked directly at Elaris.
Then toward the darkness behind him.
Toward something hidden.
Something massive.
Something breathing beneath the earth.
"Core..."
Blood spilled from his lips.
"Don't let it..."
His body jerked violently.
The corruption reclaimed him.
The moment was gone.
The ground suddenly trembled.
Once.
Twice.
Then again.
The entire forest reacted.
Roots withdrew.
Branches bent away.
Even the corrupted growths seemed to retreat.
As if something deeper had awakened.
Xyren slowly looked ahead.
His scanners were overloaded with warnings.
"Elaris..."
His voice was quieter now.
More cautious.
"I think we found the source."
The trees parted.
And beyond them—
something waited.
Not a machine.
Not a plant.
Not entirely either.
A colossal structure rested beneath the forest floor.
Roots wrapped around metallic veins.
Dark energy pulsed through its surface.
It looked less like a weapon—
and more like a heart.
A sleeping heart.
One that should never have existed.
Elaris stared at it.
Stormfang immediately reacted.
Lightning raced across the blade.
The Seed answered.
A deep pulse echoed outward.
The entire forest shuddered.
Then—
a voice entered her mind.
Weak.
Distant.
Familiar.
"Don't..."
Elaris froze.
Her heart stopped.
"Kael?"
Silence.
For several seconds—
nothing happened.
Then the voice returned.
More strained this time.
More afraid.
"Don't let it wake."
The Seed pulsed again.
Harder.
The surface split slightly.
Like an eye beginning to open.
And from somewhere deep inside—something smiled.