The final chamber loomed ahead, its walls covered in twisted vines and blackened roots. Shadows stretched across the stone floor, and the air was thick with the scent of decay, a cold and suffocating presence pressing down on them. At the center of the room stood the dryad, a haunting figure whose once-beautiful form had been ravaged by the darkness.

She was tall and slender, her bark-like skin twisted and cracked, with dark veins spider-webbing across her body. Her eyes glowed a fierce crimson, empty of warmth or life, and a dark crystal pulsed from her forehead, like a heartbeat sending waves of darkness through her. Roots snaked outward from her feet, writhing and snapping like sentient whips, seeking out any source of life to drain.

Mihai tightened his grip on his swords, his eyes fixed on the crystal embedded in the dryad’s forehead. He knew that it was the source of her corruption, the reason why she was transformed from a protector of the forest into this monstrous form.

“We need to destroy that crystal,” he whispered to the others, his voice tense. “It’s the only way to free her.”

Elanor nodded, her gaze steady but filled with sorrow. “She was once a guardian of life. To see her like this…” She trailed off, then raised her hand, summoning a faint spiritual shield around the group. “We’ll give her peace.”

The dryad’s gaze locked onto them, a guttural growl rumbling from her throat. She raised her arms, and the roots around her surged forward, snapping like whips. Mihai dove to the side, narrowly dodging as one of the roots struck the ground where he had been standing, splintering the stone.

“Cian, aim for the crystal!” Mihai shouted, moving forward to engage the dryad. He slashed at the roots, each strike cutting through bark and vine, though the roots seemed to regenerate almost instantly, knitting themselves back together with a dark, pulsing energy.

Cian raised his bow, his eyes focused on the moving target. He could see the crystal, glowing faintly beneath the dryad’s brow as she moved, and with a quick calculation, he slowed the speed of his arrow to align with her next motion. He released it, watching as the arrow flew in perfect sync with her movements, aimed directly for the crystal.

But just as it neared, one of the dryad’s arms shot up, deflecting the arrow with a sweeping motion of her roots. She let out a keening wail, her voice resonating with the same darkness that filled the room.

“She’s protecting it,” Elanor muttered, her expression strained. “We’ll need to keep her distracted.”

Mihai nodded, moving closer to the dryad as he deflected the roots with his swords, aiming to draw her attention. The dryad turned toward him, her crimson eyes narrowing. With a sharp motion, she sent a tangle of roots spiraling toward him, their tips sharp like spears.

Mihai braced himself, dodging the roots and striking out with his swords, slicing through the darkened wood. For a brief moment, he managed to get close enough to the dryad to strike, but she twisted away, her movements faster than he had expected. Her arm lashed out, striking him across the chest and sending him staggering back.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

As Mihai steadied himself, he heard Raven’s growl beside him. The wolf had been circling the dryad, his golden eyes fixed on her movements, waiting for an opening. Mihai reached out to him mentally, a brief thought passing between them.

Stay close, but be ready to pull back if things get too dangerous, he thought, feeling Raven’s response, a wave of loyalty and determination.

Elanor moved forward, chanting softly under her breath. Her hands glowed faintly, and a wave of spiritual energy pulsed outward, striking the dryad and causing her to hesitate. The roots recoiled for a moment, giving Mihai and Cian a brief opening.

“Now!” Elanor called, her voice filled with urgency.

Cian took a deep breath, drawing back another arrow. This time, he watched the rhythm of the dryad’s movements, focusing on the slight pauses between her attacks. Just as she began to turn, he slowed the arrow, calculating the angle and releasing it with perfect timing.

The arrow flew, adjusting speed mid-flight to match her movement, and struck just above her brow, grazing the crystal. A thin crack appeared, and the dryad shrieked, a sound that reverberated through the chamber, filled with both pain and rage.

The darkness around her seemed to grow denser, almost palpable as it seeped from the crack in the crystal, winding around her like a shroud. The air grew colder, and Mihai felt a tightening in his chest, as though the darkness itself were pressing down on them.

“We’re close,” he said, his voice strained. “We just need one more good shot.”

But the dryad, sensing her vulnerability, became more aggressive. She moved faster, her roots lashing out with frenzied precision, forcing Mihai and Cian to stay on the defensive. Each time Mihai attempted to close in, she would send a wave of dark energy through the roots, pushing him back.

Elanor’s face was pale with concentration as she continued her chant, her voice steady but clearly strained. “She’s drawing on the darkness in the crystal. It’s… it’s strengthening her.”

Mihai clenched his teeth, his gaze fixed on the crystal. “Then we’ll just have to break it.”

He stepped forward, bracing himself as he moved through the onslaught of roots, his swords cutting a path toward the dryad. Cian followed, his movements fluid as he dodged the roots, waiting for an opening.

As Mihai neared, the dryad swung her arm in a wide arc, sending a spray of dark energy toward him. He raised his swords, deflecting the brunt of it, but the force of the blow sent him stumbling back, his vision momentarily blurred.

Raven, sensing his partner’s struggle, lunged at the dryad, his teeth bared. He bit down on one of her roots, pulling with all his strength, and the dryad let out a piercing scream, momentarily distracted.

Cian seized the opportunity, drawing back his bow and focusing intently on the crystal. He calculated the movement, adjusting the speed of his arrow with precision. As the dryad turned, he released it, the arrow flying toward its mark, aimed perfectly.

The arrow struck the crystal dead center, the impact shattering it. A surge of dark energy erupted from the dryad, filling the room with a blinding light. Mihai staggered back, shielding his eyes as the darkness dissipated, leaving only silence in its wake.

When the light faded, the dryad stood motionless, her crimson eyes softened, her form returning to that of a serene forest guardian. The dark veins receded, leaving her bark-like skin pure once more. She looked at them, a faint, grateful smile on her face before her form dissolved into a cascade of leaves, leaving only a faint glow in the air where she had stood.

Elanor lowered her hands, her expression one of both relief and sadness. “She is free now.”

Mihai took a deep breath, the oppressive weight of the darkness lifted from the chamber. He looked at Cian and Elanor, a feeling of triumph mingling with exhaustion.

“We did it,” he murmured, a faint smile crossing his face.

Elanor nodded, her gaze meeting his. “The forest will remember this day.”

Raven, panting but unharmed, padded over to Mihai, nudging him with his nose. Mihai placed a hand on his companion’s head, feeling a warmth that spread through him, a sense of peace and accomplishment.

As they made their way back through the temple, the darkness receded, the shadows lifting to reveal the beauty that had once filled its halls.