Chapter 38: Ambushed in the Fog

The next morning, a dense fog blanketed the forest, muffling every sound. The group moved cautiously, their weapons drawn.

“I don’t like this,” the green-eyed figure muttered.

“Stay close,” the leader ordered.

Suddenly, the fog shifted, and figures emerged—Eclipseborn, their forms more solid and menacing than ever before. They moved with a purpose, surrounding the group with eerie precision.

“It’s a trap!” the leader shouted.

The battle was fierce and chaotic. The Eclipseborn were unlike any they had faced before, their attacks coordinated and relentless. Zeryn fought with everything she had, her shadows striking out like living weapons.

But for every Eclipseborn they felled, two more appeared. The group was being overwhelmed.

“We can’t win this!” Zeryn yelled.

“Then we run!” the leader replied. “Fall back!”

The group retreated, but the Eclipseborn pursued them relentlessly. Zeryn’s shadows lashed out, forming a barrier to slow their attackers, but it wouldn’t hold for long.

“This way!” the green-eyed figure shouted, leading them toward a narrow ravine.

They barely escaped, the sounds of the Eclipseborn fading into the distance. Exhausted and battered, the group collapsed on the other side.

“We can’t keep doing this,” Zeryn said, her voice shaking. “We’re not going to make it to the fourth spire.”

The leader looked at her, his face grim. “We don’t have a choice.”