Chapter 20: The Whispering Shadows

The group trudged forward in tense silence, the oppressive weight of the forest pressing down on them. The battle with the Eclipseborn had drained them, physically and emotionally. Zeryn’s body ached with every step, but it wasn’t just the exhaustion. The shadows within her seemed heavier now, more demanding. They whispered constantly, their voices a low hum at the back of her mind.

The forest’s darkness grew thicker with every passing hour. The towering trees blocked out what little moonlight remained, leaving the group reliant on faint magical glows from the leader’s blade and the green-eyed figure’s odd, orb-like device.

“This place feels alive,” Zeryn murmured.

“It is,” the leader replied without turning. “This forest is older than anything you’ve known. It’s where the Eclipseborn first rose. Their power lingers here, feeding off everything around it.”

Zeryn shivered, the weight of his words sinking in. She glanced at the green-eyed figure, who was unusually quiet. Their sharp, confident demeanor seemed dulled, replaced by a focused intensity as they scanned the surroundings.

“What are we walking into?” Zeryn asked hesitantly.

The green-eyed figure finally spoke. “A trap, most likely.”

Zeryn stopped in her tracks. “A trap? And we’re just walking into it?”

The leader turned, his face grim. “We don’t have a choice. The closer we get to the heart of the forest, the closer we are to the source of the Eclipseborn’s power. If we don’t destroy it, everything we’ve fought for will mean nothing.”

Zeryn swallowed hard and nodded, though her unease only deepened.

As they pressed on, the whispers in Zeryn’s mind grew louder, more insistent. They were no longer unintelligible murmurs but words, phrases that tugged at her thoughts.

“Zeryn…”

She froze. It wasn’t just the shadows—it was a voice. Familiar, haunting, and impossible.

“Mother?” she whispered aloud before she could stop herself.

The leader and the green-eyed figure turned to her, their expressions alert.

“What is it?” the leader asked sharply.

Zeryn shook her head, trying to clear the voice from her mind. “Nothing. I… thought I heard something.”

The green-eyed figure stepped closer, their piercing gaze studying her. “It’s the forest. It plays tricks. You can’t trust what you hear here.”

But Zeryn wasn’t so sure. The voice had felt too real, too personal.

“Keep moving,” the leader commanded, and Zeryn forced herself to follow.

The path narrowed as the forest grew denser