The journey to the edge of the Blackwood Forest was deceptively peaceful. Sunlight dappled through the canopy of the surrounding woods, birdsong filled the air, and the only sounds were the gentle crunch of their boots on the forest floor and Liam's cheerful chatter about the latest magical theory he was pondering. Elara listened, offering occasional nods, her senses on high alert, the fragmented images of the future casting a dark shadow over the present tranquility.
As they approached the Blackwood's edge, the atmosphere subtly shifted. The air grew cooler, a faint, earthy smell replacing the fresh scent of pine. The birdsong dwindled, replaced by an unnerving silence. The trees here were taller, their branches gnarled and twisted in unnatural angles, their leaves a deeper, almost bruised shade of green.
[Entering the Blackwood Forest.] [Environmental Warning: Presence of latent corrupted energy detected (Low Level).]
The system's notification confirmed Elara's growing unease. Even now, years before the Blight's full onslaught, the taint was present, subtle but palpable.
They soon reached the small, slightly dilapidated cottage of Old Man Hemlock. The old farmer, his face etched with worry lines, greeted them with a trembling hand.
"Thank the stars you've come, Master Kaelen, Mistress Vancroft," he rasped, his voice thin. "It's been gettin' worse. My Bess… she ain't herself. And the woods… they feel… wrong."
He led them to a small, fenced pasture where a handful of sheep grazed listlessly. One ewe, larger than the others, stood apart, its wool looking dull and patchy. As they approached, it bleated, a strange, guttural sound that sent a shiver down Elara's spine. Its eyes, usually gentle, held a disturbing, vacant quality.
[Target Identified: Corrupted Sheep (Early Stage).] [Analysis: Exhibiting signs of unnatural growth and altered behavior. Low level of corrupted energy detected.]
Liam frowned, pulling out a small notebook and a vial. "Strange. Its coat looks… brittle. And that bleat…" He moved closer, intending to take a sample.
"Liam, wait!" Elara's warning was sharp. Her Insight flickered, showing her a horrifyingly mutated version of the sheep, its limbs elongated into sharp, bony protrusions, its bleat a piercing shriek of aggression.
Liam froze, startled by her tone. "What is it, Elara?"
"Don't touch it directly," she said quickly, trying to sound rational. "Remember those old stories I told you about? The sickness in the Blackwood? I think… I think this might be the beginning of something like that."
Liam looked at the sheep, then back at Elara, a flicker of understanding dawning in his eyes. He had always trusted her instincts.
"Old Man Hemlock," Elara said, turning to the farmer. "Has anything else seemed… off? Any strange plants? Any other animals behaving unusually?"
The old man nodded slowly. "Aye. Some of the wild berries near the treeline… they're bigger than I've ever seen, but they look… bruised. And I saw a rabbit yesterday, twitching something fierce, its fur all matted."
[New Information Acquired: Reports of mutated flora and fauna near the Blackwood Forest.]
Elara's mind raced. This was happening faster than she had anticipated. The Blight wasn't just a future threat; it was already seeping into the present.
"Liam," she said urgently. "We need to go into the forest. Carefully. I want to see what's causing this."
Liam, his earlier skepticism replaced by a growing sense of unease, nodded. "Alright. But we stick together."
They ventured into the Blackwood, the air growing heavier with each step. The unnatural silence persisted, broken only by the rustling of strangely oversized leaves underfoot. Twisted vines snaked across the path, their thorns longer and sharper than any natural briar. The very vegetation seemed malevolent.
[Environmental Warning: Presence of latent corrupted energy increasing (Moderate Level).] [Caution: Wildlife within the Blackwood Forest may exhibit aggressive and mutated behavior.]
Elara kept her hand near the hilt of the small dagger she always carried, her senses straining for any sign of danger. Liam, though visibly nervous, held his staff ready, muttering basic protective incantations under his breath.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees. A creature emerged from the dense undergrowth – a wolf, but larger than any they had ever seen, its fur a sickly grey, its eyes glowing with a malevolent red light. Its teeth were elongated into cruel, jagged points.
[Target Identified: Corrupted Wolf (Early Stage).] [Analysis: Exhibiting significant physical mutation and heightened aggression. Moderate level of corrupted energy detected.]
The wolf lunged, its snarl a terrifying sound. Liam reacted instantly, firing a bolt of crackling energy towards the creature. The spell struck the wolf, but instead of deterring it, seemed to enrage it further. It shook off the impact and continued its attack with renewed ferocity.
"Elara!" Liam yelled, dodging the wolf's snapping jaws.
Elara drew her dagger, her heart pounding. She was a mage, not a fighter, but she knew they couldn't rely solely on Liam's novice combat spells. Her Insight flickered, showing her the wolf's movements a fraction of a second before they happened.
[Insight Skill Activated (Predictive).]
Using this precognitive edge, she sidestepped the wolf's next lunge and plunged her dagger into its flank. The creature howled in pain, a wet, gurgling sound, and stumbled back. But even wounded, its eyes burned with unnatural hatred.
"It's not acting like a normal animal," Liam gasped, firing another spell that singed the wolf's fur.
"It's the corruption," Elara said grimly. "It's twisting them, driving them mad."
The fight was short and brutal. Between Liam's erratic spells and Elara's desperate stabs, they managed to bring the corrupted wolf down. But the encounter left them shaken, the reality of the Blight's early tendrils far more terrifying than any dusty historical account.
As they stood over the fallen creature, its unnatural form a stark warning, Elara knew one thing for certain: their trip to the Blackwood was no longer a simple investigation. It was a confrontation with the encroaching darkness, and the whispers of the past had become a terrifying present. The hunt for the ancient hermitage, and whatever secrets it held, had just become a whole lot more urgent.