The forest felt heavier now, the air thick with a foreboding presence. The laughter of the spider still echoed faintly in James’ mind, as though the forest itself was replaying the sound to unnerve him. Every shadow seemed alive, every distant rustle carried the possibility of danger.

They moved quickly, but cautiously, Derrin still holding the child close. The little one had stopped crying, its wide, innocent eyes staring into the distance. Occasionally, it would clutch at Derrin’s sleeve or emit a soft coo, but otherwise, it was eerily silent.

Rook led the way, his blade drawn and his steps deliberate. Vance followed, his tension visible in the tightness of his jaw. James stayed close to Derrin, his sword ready to defend against whatever might come next.

No one spoke. The spider’s words hung heavily over them. "Forsyth." The name reverberated in James’ mind, laced with hidden meaning. Why had the spider singled out Derrin? And what had it meant by "the child of death"?

James glanced at Derrin, who was staring straight ahead, his expression a mix of determination and unease. The boy’s grip on the child was protective, almost desperate. Whatever burden Derrin carried, it was clear he wasn’t ready to share it.

“Do you hear that?” Rook’s voice broke the silence, sharp and alert.

The group froze. At first, James heard nothing but the faint rustling of leaves and the distant hum of insects. But then, faintly, he caught it: a low, rhythmic sound, like a deep, guttural hum resonating through the trees.

“What is that?” James whispered, his grip tightening on his sword.

Rook didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he crouched low, his sharp eyes scanning the dense foliage ahead. The sound grew louder, reverberating through the ground beneath their feet. It was unsettling, unnatural, and it seemed to come from everywhere at once.

“We’re being followed,” Rook said grimly.

Vance cursed under his breath. “By what? Those spiders again?”

“Not spiders,” Rook said, his voice low and steady. “Something else.”

The humming grew louder, and James felt a vibration in the air, like a pulse that matched the beat of his heart. The shadows around them seemed to deepen, the forest closing in as if it were alive and watching.

“Keep moving,” Rook ordered. “Don’t let it surround us.”

The group picked up their pace, their steps quick but careful. The child clung to Derrin, its small hands gripping his shirt tightly. James could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken fear that had settled over them.

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As they pressed forward, the forest began to change. The trees grew closer together, their twisted branches forming an almost impenetrable canopy above. The ground became softer, damp with an unnatural moisture that clung to their boots. And the humming—it grew louder, more insistent, as if whatever was making it was drawing closer.

“We’re walking into a trap,” Vance muttered, his voice tinged with frustration.

“What choice do we have?” James shot back, his eyes darting nervously at the shifting shadows.

And then, without warning, the humming stopped.

The sudden silence was deafening, the absence of sound more unsettling than the noise itself. James felt his heartbeat quicken, his senses straining to detect any movement, any sign of what was out there.

“Stay close,” Rook said, his voice barely above a whisper.

But before they could take another step, the ground beneath them began to tremble. A low rumble echoed through the forest, and from the shadows emerged a figure—a creature unlike anything they had ever seen.

It was massive, standing at least twice the height of a man. Its body was covered in glistening black chitin, its limbs long and spindly, but its movements were deliberate and calculated. It had a humanoid shape, but its face… its face was a grotesque mask of fused bone and pulsing flesh, with hollow sockets where eyes should have been.

The creature let out a guttural roar, its voice resonating with the same humming that had haunted them. It raised one clawed hand, its fingers unnaturally long and sharp, and pointed directly at them.

“Move!” Rook shouted, breaking the paralysis that had gripped them.

The group scattered, each member diving in a different direction as the creature charged forward with unnatural speed. Its movements were erratic but precise, as though it were guided by some unseen force.

James rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the creature’s claws. He scrambled to his feet, his sword at the ready, and lunged at the creature’s side. The blade struck its chitinous armor but barely left a scratch.

“It’s too strong!” James shouted, backing away as the creature turned its attention to him.

Derrin, still clutching the child, darted behind a tree for cover. “What is that thing?” he called out, his voice tinged with panic.

“I don’t know!” Rook shouted back, slashing at one of the creature’s legs. The attack forced the creature to stagger, but it quickly regained its balance, its hollow gaze locking onto Rook.

Vance hurled a dagger at the creature, the blade embedding itself in one of the exposed joints of its armor. The creature let out a pained screech, its movements becoming more erratic as it lashed out wildly.

“Keep hitting the weak spots!” Rook ordered, his voice commanding despite the chaos.

The group moved as one, their attacks focused and deliberate. James aimed for the creature’s joints, his sword slicing into the exposed flesh beneath the armor. Vance flanked it from the other side, his daggers finding their marks with precision. Rook delivered a powerful strike to its torso, forcing the creature to collapse to one knee.

But even as they fought, James couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. The creature wasn’t just attacking—it was trying to delay them, to keep them from moving forward.

And then, as quickly as it had appeared, the creature let out a final, guttural roar and collapsed to the ground.

The group stood in stunned silence, their breaths heavy and their bodies tense.

“What the hell was that?” Vance muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

“I don’t know,” Rook said, his voice grim. “But I don’t think it was acting alone.”

James looked down at the creature’s body, his chest heaving. He didn’t know what to think, but one thing was clear: this forest was far more dangerous than they had imagined.

And whatever had sent that creature after them—it wasn’t finished yet.