The forest was eerily silent as they trekked through it, the morning's battle still fresh in their minds. The group had moved quickly after dispatching the Hero Council's scouts, the rogue warrior leading them deeper into the woods. There was little time for rest, and even less time for conversation. Every step they took brought them closer to the looming confrontation, and every rustle of the leaves set them on edge.

Jin-Seong walked beside So-Ra, his mind occupied with the strange sensations from the Blade of the Fallen. The sword had nearly overtaken him in that fight, and the phantoms had been more present than ever before. They lingered in his thoughts like a dark cloud, their whispers faint but insistent. He hadn't told anyone about them yet, not even So-Ra. How could he, when he wasn't sure what they were?

As they reached a small clearing, the rogue warrior halted and turned to face the group. "We'll rest here for a while. Keep your weapons close. The scouts may have been taken care of, but more will come."

Lily collapsed onto the grass, clutching her wooden sword like a lifeline. "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We don't have a choice," Joon replied, sitting down beside her. "The Hero Council won't stop until they've hunted us all down."

The rogue warrior nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the tree line. "We're being hunted, yes. But that doesn't mean we have to stay on the run forever."

"What do you mean?" So-Ra asked, her brow furrowing.

The rogue warrior's gaze hardened. "We need to strike first. We need to send them a message that we won't be broken."

Jin-Seong's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. The thought of taking the fight to the Hero Council filled him with both fear and excitement. He wasn't sure if he was ready, but he knew they couldn't keep running forever. Sooner or later, they would have to make a stand.

As the group sat in silence, resting and recovering their strength, the forest began to feel smaller, more suffocating. Jin-Seong's thoughts drifted to the phantoms once more. Their presence had been growing stronger with each passing day, and he couldn't shake the feeling that they were trying to tell him something. But what?

So-Ra noticed the tension in his posture and leaned over. "You're quiet again."

Jin-Seong glanced at her, offering a weak smile. "Just thinking."

"About the sword?" she asked, her tone more serious.

Jin-Seong hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. There's something strange about it. I can feel… something. It's hard to explain."

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So-Ra's expression softened. "You're not alone in this, Jin-Seong. Whatever the sword is doing to you, we'll figure it out together."

Her words were comforting, but they didn't ease the unease gnawing at his chest. He wanted to believe her, but the darkness within the Blade of the Fallen felt like a burden he had to carry alone.

Suddenly, the rogue warrior stood up, his hand on the hilt of his blade. "We're not alone."

Jin-Seong tensed, his eyes scanning the trees. "More scouts?"

"No," the rogue warrior replied, his voice low and dangerous. "Someone else. Someone… familiar."

The group rose to their feet, weapons ready as they looked toward the direction of the rogue warrior's gaze. A figure stepped out from the shadows, cloaked in dark robes, their face obscured by a hood. The air around them seemed to pulse with power, and the tension in the clearing became suffocating.

"Who are you?" Joon demanded, stepping forward with his sword drawn.

The figure said nothing at first, their eyes hidden beneath the hood as they slowly approached the group. When they finally spoke, their voice was soft, yet it carried an unsettling weight. "I come with a message."

Jin-Seong's heart raced as he tightened his grip on the Blade of the Fallen. "From who?"

The figure's lips curled into a faint smile. "The Hero Council."

There was a collective gasp from the group. Lily stepped back, her eyes wide with fear. "The Hero Council? How did you—"

The figure raised a hand, silencing her. "They know where you are. They've been watching. And they've given me an offer."

Jin-Seong's blood ran cold. "What offer?"

The figure turned their gaze toward Jin-Seong, and he could feel the weight of their stare even from beneath the hood. "You've been marked, Jin-Seong. The Blade of the Fallen belongs to the Hero Council. It was never meant to be wielded by someone like you."

Jin-Seong's jaw clenched, his anger flaring. "I don't care what they think. The sword chose me."

The figure chuckled softly, a sound that sent chills down Jin-Seong's spine. "Did it? Or did you choose it, knowing full well what it would do to you?"

Before Jin-Seong could respond, the rogue warrior stepped forward, his sword drawn. "Enough. What's the message?"

The figure's smile faded, and their tone became more serious. "The Hero Council is willing to spare your lives… if you hand over Jin-Seong and the Blade of the Fallen."

The clearing fell silent, the weight of the ultimatum hanging in the air like a noose. Jin-Seong's heart pounded in his chest as he looked around at his companions, wondering what they were thinking. Would they turn on him to save themselves?

Joon stepped forward, his voice trembling with anger. "You expect us to betray our friend? After everything we've been through?"

The figure's eyes flicked toward Joon, their smile returning. "Betrayal is such an ugly word. I prefer… self-preservation."

Jin-Seong felt a surge of panic. He hadn't expected this. The Hero Council was trying to divide them, to turn them against each other. He looked at So-Ra, his heart sinking. Would she—could she—turn him in to save herself?

So-Ra stepped forward, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "Tell the Hero Council they can go to hell."

The figure's smile widened. "So be it."

Without warning, they vanished into the shadows, leaving the group standing in stunned silence. The offer had been made, and now the Hero Council would come for them in full force.

Jin-Seong's mind raced. The Hero Council knew where they were. They were out of time.

The rogue warrior sheathed his sword, his expression grim. "We need to move. Now."

Jin-Seong nodded, his resolve hardening once more. The phantoms within the Blade of the Fallen stirred restlessly, their whispers growing louder. Whatever was coming, he would face it head-on. They would not break.

But as they prepared to leave, a dark thought crept into Jin-Seong's mind: Was there a traitor among them?