The trees twisted into grotesque shapes as Sarina and Lira continued their trek through the dark, otherworldly forest. A mist had begun to settle in, thickening with each step, making the air colder and damp. The eerie silence was broken only by their footsteps and the occasional distant rustle of unseen creatures. There was something unnatural about the place—an oppressive atmosphere that gnawed at Sarina’s thoughts.

She kept her eyes forward, avoiding looking at Lira’s back as she led the way. The tension between them was palpable, heavier than the mist itself. Every time Sarina tried to open her mouth to say something—anything to bridge the gap that had formed—her throat tightened with the weight of her guilt. Lira had barely spoken a word since Sarina's confession about Azrathis. The betrayal in her friend’s eyes had cut deeper than any physical wound Sarina had ever endured.

The forest seemed endless, its labyrinth of darkened paths winding on as if toying with them. Every now and then, Sarina could swear she caught glimpses of movement in her peripheral vision—shadows that shifted unnaturally, watching, waiting. Her instincts screamed that they were being followed, yet every time she turned, there was nothing. Perhaps it was the remnants of Azrathis’s power making her paranoid, or maybe the forest itself was alive with malicious intent.

Lira suddenly stopped, raising a hand to signal Sarina to do the same. She crouched low behind a cluster of large, twisted roots, and Sarina followed suit, her heart beginning to race.

"What is it?" Sarina whispered, trying to mask the crack in her voice.

Lira didn’t answer immediately. She scanned the area ahead, her sharp eyes narrowing, then pointed into the fog. Sarina squinted, trying to see through the thick mist. After a few agonizing seconds, she saw it—a faint glow flickering through the trees like a lantern.

“There’s something up ahead,” Lira whispered. “A campfire, maybe? Or a village.”

Relief surged through Sarina at the thought of finding shelter. If there were people up ahead, maybe they could rest, get some supplies, and regroup. But something about the flickering light set her on edge. The sensation of being watched intensified, and for a brief moment, Azrathis’s voice brushed the edges of her mind.

Don’t trust it...

Sarina shook her head, trying to push the voice away, but the warning lingered.

Lira rose slightly, keeping low as she moved silently toward the light. Sarina followed, every nerve on high alert. As they drew closer, the glow became clearer, revealing the outline of a small clearing. Through the trees, they could see several figures gathered around the fire, their shapes distorted by the fog.

“They look human,” Lira whispered, her eyes darting between the figures. “But we need to be careful.”

Sarina nodded. “We don’t know if they’re friendly.”

Lira crept forward, her movements graceful and precise, honed from years of survival and battle. Sarina followed, her heart pounding in her chest. The closer they got, the clearer the scene became. The figures around the fire wore ragged clothing, their faces obscured by hoods or masks. They were silent, unmoving, as if waiting for something.

A sense of unease washed over Sarina. Something wasn’t right. The air felt charged with a strange energy, like the moment before a storm, and the stillness of the figures made her skin crawl.

Lira crouched behind a large boulder at the edge of the clearing, peeking out to get a better view. Sarina crouched beside her, her gaze fixed on the group.

“I don’t like this,” Lira murmured. “We should back away slowly.”

But before they could retreat, one of the figures stood abruptly, turning toward them. Sarina’s breath caught in her throat as the figure’s eyes—cold and glowing—locked onto hers through the mist. The hooded figure raised an arm, and suddenly, the others around the fire moved in unison, as if responding to a silent command.

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“Run!” Lira hissed, already pulling Sarina by the arm.

They sprinted back into the forest, weaving between the twisted trees, their feet pounding against the ground. Sarina’s heart raced as she heard the figures behind them—silent but fast, moving with unnatural grace. The sensation of being hunted sent adrenaline surging through her veins, but fear gnawed at her mind. What were those things?

Branches whipped at Sarina’s face as she ran, but she didn’t dare slow down. The sound of pursuit was relentless, growing louder with every second. She could hear Lira’s breath coming in sharp, controlled bursts as they ran side by side, but the gap between them and their pursuers was shrinking.

“Faster!” Lira urged, her voice tight with urgency.

Sarina pushed herself harder, her legs burning with the effort. But no matter how fast they ran, the figures seemed to be gaining. Panic flared in her chest. She had to do something—anything—or they’d be caught.

Without thinking, Sarina reached deep within herself, tapping into the well of power that Azrathis had left behind. She felt the darkness stir, a cold, familiar presence awakening inside her. Her vision sharpened, her muscles filled with unnatural strength as she sprinted faster than she thought possible.

But with the power came the whispers.

Let me in, and I will help you, child...

Sarina clenched her jaw, trying to block out Azrathis’s voice. She needed to focus, not fall deeper into the demon queen’s grasp. But the temptation was strong. Too strong.

“Sarina!” Lira’s voice snapped her out of the internal struggle.

Up ahead, the forest opened into a steep ravine. A crumbling stone bridge stretched across the chasm, barely wide enough for a single person to cross. On the other side, the forest continued, thick and impenetrable. If they could make it across, maybe they could lose their pursuers.

Without hesitation, Lira darted toward the bridge. Sarina followed, the shadows closing in around them. She could hear the footsteps of the hooded figures behind them, relentless and unyielding. Her mind raced. Would the bridge hold?

As they reached the edge, Lira leaped onto the first stone slab, her feet barely touching the ancient structure. Sarina hesitated for only a split second before following her. The stones creaked under their weight, cracks spiderwebbing across the surface as they ran. Below, the chasm yawned like a hungry maw, ready to swallow them whole.

They were halfway across when Sarina heard a sharp crack. She glanced down and saw the stone beneath her feet begin to crumble.

“Go!” she shouted at Lira, who was already nearing the other side.

Lira reached the end of the bridge just as Sarina felt the stone collapse beneath her. With a desperate leap, she grabbed hold of the ledge, her fingers scraping against the rough surface. She dangled precariously over the chasm, her heart hammering in her chest.

“Sarina!” Lira shouted, reaching out to her.

But before Lira could pull her up, the hooded figures reached the bridge. Their glowing eyes fixed on Sarina as they moved toward her with eerie calm.

Panic surged through her. She couldn’t let them catch her. She wouldn’t. With a surge of adrenaline, Sarina pulled herself up, scrambling onto the solid ground just as Lira grabbed her arm and yanked her to safety.

The moment they were both on the other side, the bridge collapsed completely, falling into the chasm with a deafening roar. The hooded figures stopped at the edge, their glowing eyes watching them from across the gap.

Sarina and Lira stumbled away from the edge, breathing heavily. The figures didn’t try to jump, didn’t try to pursue them further. They just stood there, silent and unmoving, like sentinels guarding the forest.

“What the hell were those things?” Sarina panted, wiping the sweat from her brow.

Lira shook her head, her expression grim. “I don’t know. But they weren’t human.”

Sarina shivered, still feeling the weight of their gaze. Something about those figures had felt... familiar. As if they were connected to the darkness she had been struggling against. But she couldn’t dwell on it now. They needed to keep moving.

They walked in silence for a while, putting as much distance between them and the chasm as possible. The forest gradually thinned out, the trees becoming less twisted and the air less oppressive. But the unease remained, gnawing at Sarina’s thoughts.

Lira finally broke the silence, her voice soft but strained. “You used it again, didn’t you?”

Sarina’s stomach clenched. She didn’t need to ask what Lira meant. She knew.

“I had no choice,” Sarina muttered, her voice barely audible. “They were going to catch us.”

Lira stopped walking, turning to face her. “And what happens next time, Sarina? What happens when you use her power and you can’t control it?”

Sarina didn’t have an answer. She knew the risks. Every time she tapped into Azrathis’s power, she was playing with fire, and sooner or later, she would get burned. But in that moment, survival had been the only thing that mattered.

“I don’t know,” Sarina admitted, her voice heavy with guilt. “But we don’t have the luxury of avoiding it. We’re fighting for our lives.”

Lira’s eyes softened, the anger giving way to something more fragile—fear. “Just... promise me you’ll be careful. I can’t lose you to her.”

Sarina looked down, unable to meet Lira’s gaze. “I promise.”

But deep down, she wasn’t sure if it was a promise she could keep.