The Deadmarch Wilds had let them go.
At least, that was what Elyra thought, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she stumbled out of the oppressive darkness of the forest. Behind her, the tangled trees seemed to loom like silent sentinels, watching, waiting. The weight of the forest's presence—its ancient, cold gaze—still lingered in the air, clinging to her skin like a second layer of sweat. She had expected more—more resistance, more creatures, more of the land itself pushing back—but the silence was absolute.
The ground, once alive with the pulse of the Wilds, now felt strangely still. The hum of the forest had quieted to a low, almost imperceptible murmur. But that silence… it didn't feel like peace. It felt like an eye closing, waiting for the right moment to open again.
Kael didn't speak as they walked, his expression unreadable, his steps quick and purposeful. He had led them out of the heart of the Deadmarch with a practiced calm, his movements cutting through the forest's dense undergrowth with an expertise that left no room for hesitation. But even Kael, with all his confidence, was restless. Elyra could see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes flicked to the treeline every few moments, scanning for something just out of reach.
"Do you think it's over?" Elyra asked, her voice barely more than a whisper, like the woods themselves could hear her.
Kael's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, she saw that old arrogance return—sharp, cold, impenetrable. "It's never over. Not with the Deadmarch."
Elyra looked back at the forest, where the trees now seemed like mere shadows, their twisted branches like broken fingers reaching out from the dark. It felt too easy. The forest hadn't stopped them. The spirit of the Wilds hadn't torn them apart. There was something wrong about that. Something they had missed.
But Kael didn't seem to care. He kept walking, eyes forward, as though the forest's looming presence was already a forgotten thing.
Hours passed. The daylight, though dimmed beneath a thick canopy of clouds, stretched above them, but the weight of the air never lifted. Elyra's muscles ached, and her mind buzzed with unease. The Deadmarch Wilds had not let them go freely—she was certain of that.
And then it happened.
A sound—a snap of a branch, a soft rustle in the underbrush. Elyra's hand instinctively reached for her dagger, but she froze when she heard a voice, clear and unmistakable.
"Wait."
Kael stopped immediately, his posture stiff, his hand hovering over his sword. He turned slowly, his eyes searching the trees, his entire body alert, a predator watching for danger.
The voice came again, this time from the shadows of a nearby thicket.
"Please."
A figure emerged from the trees, stepping into the light. It was a young woman—no older than Elyra, perhaps, with wild, dark hair that tangled in the wind. Her skin was pale, her clothes ragged, a cloak made of woven vines hanging from her shoulders. Her eyes were wide, full of a nervous energy, but there was something else in them too—something wild, something untamed. The forest hadn't just let her go; she had been following them. Elyra could feel it now—this girl was not just an intruder; she was part of the forest.
Kael's expression darkened immediately. He took a step forward, his hand finally resting on the hilt of his sword. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice low and cold.
The girl flinched but held her ground, her gaze flicking nervously between Elyra and Kael. She opened her mouth as though to speak, but the words seemed to get caught in her throat. Then, finally, she spoke.
"I… I was sent."
"Sent?" Elyra repeated, her voice sharp. "By who?"
The girl hesitated for a moment, her gaze darting toward the trees behind her, as if seeking something in the distance. "By the forest."
Kael's grip on his sword tightened, and his eyes narrowed. "The forest doesn't send people. It consumes them."
"I'm not… like the others," the girl said quickly, her voice trembling with urgency. "I—I was born here, in the Wilds. The forest… it watches me. It speaks to me. It told me to follow you."
Elyra exchanged a glance with Kael, her mind racing. This didn't make sense. The Deadmarch Wilds didn't care about anyone. It consumed, twisted, and destroyed without mercy. So why—why—would it send someone to follow them?
"And why," Kael said, his tone dangerously low, "would it want you to follow us?"
The girl swallowed hard, her hands fidgeting at her sides. "I… I don't know. But it's afraid. The Wilds… they've been changed. There's something wrong. And I can help. Please."
Elyra's gaze softened for a moment. The girl seemed genuine—afraid, yes, but not of them. She wasn't some mindless creature out for their blood. And Elyra had learned by now that there were few things in the Wilds that weren't dangerous. Yet this girl didn't seem like a threat.
Kael, on the other hand, was less convinced. He took another step forward, his posture still tense, his voice like ice. "The Wilds don't care for help. It devours anyone who seeks to change it."
"I'm not seeking to change it," the girl pleaded. "I… I just want to help you survive. I know the Wilds better than anyone. Please." She looked to Elyra, desperation in her eyes. "You're not safe. There's something following you—something that wants you dead."
Elyra's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean? What's following us?"
"I don't know yet," the girl said quickly. "But it's not the Wilds. It's something darker, something… alive. It's not just the trees or the creatures. It's the soul of the forest that's been disturbed. And if you don't stop it, it will consume everything."
Elyra's mind raced. Could it be true? The Deadmarch Wilds had always been twisted, yes, but now there was something else—something darker at play. Something that wasn't part of the forest, something that had been awakened.
She turned to Kael, who seemed to be considering the girl's words carefully. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke, his voice low but edged with reluctant acceptance.
"We don't have time to waste. Fine. You can help. But you answer to me."
The girl nodded quickly, a grateful but cautious smile on her lips. "I understand."
And just like that, they had a new ally—a guide through the unknown. Elyra couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter was more than just luck. The forest had sent this girl, and it was no coincidence. Whatever was coming for them, it was already here.
Her name was Vespera.
As Vespera joined their ranks, the trio moved forward, the silent, ever-watchful trees surrounding them like a living, breathing entity. But Elyra couldn't help but feel that, for all the relief they had just earned by escaping the Deadmarch, the real danger was only beginning.
Something in the woods was still hunting them.
And now, the forest itself had sent someone to join their fight.