The tension in the clearing was thick as Harris faced the hooded figure. He could feel the magic pulsing in the air, the dark energy that seeped from the twisted heartwood tree, and he knew they were standing at the edge of something far larger than they could see. Liam stood beside him, his sword at the ready, though Harris could sense the young guard’s fear. This was not a fight that could be won with mere steel.

The hooded figure raised a hand, and the runes on the surrounding stones flared to life, bathing the clearing in an eerie glow. The energy from the stones fed into the heartwood, which pulsed with a sickly, dark light. Harris could feel it, like a heartbeat, thrumming with power.

“You should not have come here,” the figure said, its voice echoing unnaturally. “This forest is beyond saving. It will consume all that remains, and you, outsider, will be the first to fall.”

Harris clenched his fists, the power within him stirring. He had wanted to leave this part of himself behind, to bury it along with the title of the dark lord. But now, faced with a threat that endangered not just the village but also the people who had shown him kindness, he knew there was no other choice.

He glanced at Liam, his voice low. “Stay back. This is not a fight you can win.”

Liam hesitated, his grip tightening on his sword. “I’m not leaving you alone, Harris. We’re in this together.”

Harris gave him a nod of appreciation but knew that he couldn’t let Liam get hurt. He took a deep breath and reached within himself, feeling the familiar surge of dark magic that had once been his identity. His hands began to glow with a deep, crimson light, the energy swirling around him, forming a barrier between them and the hooded figure.

The figure laughed, its voice dripping with disdain. “You think you can challenge me with parlor tricks, outsider?” It raised both hands, and tendrils of darkness shot out from the heartwood, lashing toward Harris and Liam.

Harris reacted instantly, his magic flaring as he deflected the dark tendrils, the energy colliding in a flash of light. The force of the impact pushed him back a step, but he held his ground, the barrier around him and Liam holding firm. He could feel the dark energy trying to break through, clawing at his defenses, but he pushed back, his own magic meeting it head-on.

“Liam, get to the stones!” Harris shouted over the roar of the clashing energies. “We need to break the connection to the tree!”

Liam looked at him, wide-eyed, then nodded, determination replacing the fear in his eyes. He sprinted toward the nearest rune-covered stone, dodging a stray tendril of dark energy as he went. Harris focused on holding the hooded figure’s attention, his magic swirling around him in a tempest of crimson light.

The figure snarled, its hood falling back to reveal a face twisted with rage—its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and its features were gaunt, almost skeletal. “You cannot break the old magic, fool!” it shouted, the ground beneath them trembling as it drew more power from the heartwood.

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Harris gritted his teeth, feeling the strain of the battle. The figure was strong, far stronger than anything he had faced in recent memory, but he could not allow himself to falter. He could feel the power building inside him, the dark magic he had tried so hard to suppress now flowing freely. It was dangerous, intoxicating, but he knew he had to control it—for Greenhollow, for Liam, for himself.

Liam reached the first stone and swung his sword down on it with all his might. The blade shattered the rune, and the stone cracked, a surge of energy bursting forth as the connection to the heartwood was severed. The hooded figure screamed, its power flickering as the flow of energy was interrupted.

“Keep going!” Harris shouted, his voice strained. He could feel the balance of power shifting, the figure’s hold weakening as Liam moved to the next stone.

The hooded figure turned its gaze to Liam, fury etched across its face. “You dare defy me, mortal?” it hissed, raising a hand to strike him down.

Harris moved without thinking, throwing himself between Liam and the figure. He summoned all the power he could muster, the crimson light surging from his hands in a powerful blast that collided with the dark energy. The impact sent shockwaves through the clearing, the air crackling with raw magic.

“Go!” Harris shouted, his voice hoarse. He could feel the dark energy pushing against him, threatening to overwhelm him, but he held his ground, refusing to let the figure harm Liam.

Liam didn’t hesitate. He ran to the next stone, his sword striking true as he shattered the rune. The stone cracked, and another surge of energy burst forth, the connection to the heartwood weakening further. The hooded figure staggered, its form flickering as the power sustaining it began to wane.

Harris could feel the shift, the dark energy around them losing its potency. He focused all his power, channeling the magic into one final blast, aiming directly at the heartwood. The crimson light struck the twisted tree, the dark energy shattering under the force of the attack.

The heartwood let out a groan, the bark splintering as the corruption was driven out. The hooded figure let out a final, echoing scream, its form disintegrating into shadow as the last of its power was severed. The clearing fell silent, the oppressive darkness lifting as the corrupted energy dissipated.

Harris fell to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He felt drained, the exertion of using his magic taking its toll. He looked up to see Liam standing over the shattered stones, his sword still in hand, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Did we... did we do it?” Liam asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Harris nodded, a tired smile crossing his face. “For now,” he said, his voice weak. “But this isn’t over. There’s more at play here than just a corrupted tree.”

Liam helped Harris to his feet, the young guard’s expression a mix of awe and fear. “Harris, that power... what are you?”

Harris looked at Liam, the question hanging in the air. He had wanted to leave his past behind, to live a simple life, but the events of the night had shown him that perhaps it was not that easy. He could not deny who he was, nor the power he held. But maybe, just maybe, he could use it for something good.

“A friend,” Harris said finally, his gaze steady. “Someone who wants to protect this village, no matter what.”

Liam nodded slowly, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Then I’m with you, Harris. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.”

Harris looked out at the clearing, the heartwood now standing silent and still, the twisted darkness gone. He knew that this was only the beginning, that the corruption they had faced was just a symptom of something much larger. But for now, they had won, and that was enough.

“Let’s get back to the village,” Harris said, his voice filled with a quiet determination. “We have work to do.”

Together, they turned and made their way back through the forest, the first light of dawn breaking through the trees. The path ahead was uncertain, filled with dangers yet to be faced, but Harris knew that he was no longer alone. And perhaps, in the end, that made all the difference.