As they trudged through the forest, the trees thickened and the air grew dense, cold, and almost suffocating. The canopy was dense, blocking out even the moonlight, leaving their path shrouded in shadows. Twigs cracked underfoot, and strange sounds whispered from beyond the trees—sounds that set Choco's ears twitching and his hackles raised.
"Not the friendliest woods I've seen," Azad muttered, glancing around uneasily. "Feels like something's watching us."
"More than something," Ellie replied under her breath. She turned to Lorn, who led them silently through the twisted paths. "So… Lorn, was it? You said you knew my grandfather. How exactly?"
Lorn kept walking, his hooded face hidden in shadow. He didn't answer, merely tilting his head forward as though he hadn't heard her at all.
Azad gritted his teeth, feeling a flash of irritation. "Are you planning to say anything? Or just keep leading us in silence?"
Lorn's pace didn't falter, and his silence remained unbroken. They exchanged a look, the feeling of unease gnawing deeper with every silent step. Choco let out a soft whine, his nose twitching as though he, too, sensed something wrong.
Hours passed, and the night grew darker, colder. At last, they reached a barren clearing at the base of a high, jagged cliff. The ground lay scarred and desolate, a stretch of ashen earth cracked and splintered as though fractured by ancient, unseen forces. Jagged fissures crisscrossed the barren ground, veins of darkness that seemed to pulse faintly under the dim light. The land bore no life, no color—just a wasteland of grays and blacks, as if drained by something long forgotten.
At its center stood the single twisted tree, its bark dark and peeling, writhing upwards like the remnants of a tortured soul. Its gnarled branches stretched skyward, grasping with skeletal fingers as though pleading to an unyielding sky. The twisted shape seemed frozen in a silent scream, casting long, jagged shadows over the lifeless ground. A faint, eerie wind passed through its empty limbs, making them creak and groan like an echo of forgotten pain.
"This is the place," Lorn whispered, his voice a shiver in the night air, barely audible above the wind. "You will find what you seek here—but it comes with a price."
Azad felt a chill crawl up his spine. He didn't like this, didn't like the way Lorn spoke, or the look in his eyes when he turned to face them.
"What do you mean?" Ellie asked, eyeing the twisted tree, her voice steady but guarded. "What price?"
Lorn's eyes gleamed, catching the faint moonlight. "Power, young one, always has a price. Your grandfather's friend made a deal here, in this very spot. He sought to protect your family, to hide the truth from those who betrayed him. But the magic he used demanded a sacrifice."
Azad clenched his fists, his heartbeat thundering. "A sacrifice?" he repeated, glancing at Ellie. "You're not… doing something that requires a sacrifice."
Ellie held his gaze, her own expression unreadable. She'd come this far—she was no longer the girl who would shrink away from danger. But Azad could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes, just for a moment.
Lorn continued, his voice smooth and unnervingly calm. "Knowledge, power, safety—all come at a cost. If you wish to unlock what your grandfather left behind, you must be willing to offer something of equal value."
"I don't want power," Ellie said, her voice firm but laced with the tiniest tremor. "I just want the truth—about my grandfather, about why they hunted him."
Lorn smiled faintly, his expression almost… pitying. "The truth is dangerous. It has the power to destroy, to consume. Are you prepared for what it will demand of you?"
Azad's thoughts raced, his grip tightening on his sword. He didn't trust this man—not for a second. Everything in his gut screamed at him that something was wrong. But Ellie… Ellie seemed spellbound, captivated by his words, as if they were a lifeline to everything she'd been seeking.
"I'm ready," Ellie said firmly, though her hands trembled ever so slightly.
Azad felt a surge of protectiveness—and fear. He didn't want her doing this, not without knowing what they were getting into. "Wait, Ellie… you don't have to do this. We can find another way."
"There is no other way, Azad," she whispered, her eyes unwavering. "We need answers, and this is the only path."
"But…" Azad started, glancing at Lorn, who watched them with a calm, knowing look. His stomach twisted. He had no way of knowing if this man was a friend, or someone worse. "What if he's tricking us?"
Lorn turned his gaze on him, the faintest smile on his lips. "An intelligent question, young warrior. The price I require is not in gold or silver. It will be something far more precious."
Ellie narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
Lorn's smile widened, his voice soft but chilling. "The blood of a loved one."
Ellie's face drained of color. She staggered back a step, shock flashing in her eyes. "A loved one? But my family is already gone—"
Lorn's smile grew faintly sad, and he shook his head. "Not all family is of blood. I see you care deeply for the young man beside you. His blood will unlock the power."
Azad took a sharp breath. He'd known this was a trap. He'd known Lorn was dangerous. But the thought of putting Ellie through more pain, of delaying the answers they needed… he couldn't do that.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward. "Let's do it."
Ellie's eyes went wide, panic flashing in them. "Azad, no! We don't even know what this will do to you—"
Azad shook his head, his jaw set. "We came here to find the truth. I'm not backing down now." He looked back at her, smiling weakly. "Besides, what's a little blood, right?"
Ellie's face twisted with anger, fear, and frustration all at once. She grabbed his arm, her grip tight. "You don't have to do this. What if he uses it to curse you?"
Lorn watched them, his expression inscrutable, his eyes glinting in the shadows. "Only a drop, young man," he said, pulling out a small silver dagger, its blade glinting in the dim moonlight. "Just one drop, and the knowledge you seek will be yours."
Azad swallowed, nodding as he took the dagger from Lorn's hand. He glanced at Ellie one last time, her face filled with worry and dread.
"Are you sure?" she whispered, her voice breaking slightly.
"Positive," he replied softly. "I'm not letting you face this alone."
With a steadying breath, he sliced his palm, letting the blood pool into a bowl Lorn held out.Lorn moved toward the twisted tree, carefully pouring the blood onto its ancient roots.It sank into the root with a hiss, as if the tree itself was drinking it. Instantly, the air around them seemed to ripple and grow cold, a feeling of darkness washing over them.
The ground shook slightly, and the twisted tree's branches quivered as if alive. The wind picked up. Suddenly, a force lifted Ellie into the air, her entire body glowing with a pale blue light.
Azad's breath caught in his throat as he watched, helpless. Ellie's form hovered in the air for several long moments, and then, as suddenly as it had begun, the magic ceased. She fell back toward the earth, but Azad rushed forward and caught her before she hit the ground.
Ellie's face was pale, her eyes distant, as if lost in a memory too far away to reach. Azad held her tightly, his heart pounding with fear and uncertainty.
At that moment, a sharp pain seared through Azad's palm, the wound suddenly pulsating with energy. It felt as though lightning was coursing through his veins. The pain was so intense that he couldn't breathe, and before he knew it, everything went black.
Lorn watched the scene unfold, a knowing smile on his lips.