Chapter

257

The forest had grown darker, the air heavier with the stench of decay. Each step Elyra and Dain took was filled with unease, as if the trees themselves were watching.

The attacks began subtly-a shadow flitting through the trees, a low growl in the distance. But as the days passed, the creatures became bolder, their grotesque forms emerging from rifts in the forest like nightmares made flesh.

One evening, as they rested near a stream, the first of the creatures lunged at them. It was a mass of shadow and teeth, its eyes blazing with malevolence. Elyra and Dain fought side by side, their movements instinctive and coordinated.

Elyra's newfound agility allowed her to dodge the creature's strikes with ease, while Dain's raw strength shattered its twisted form. The battle left them breathless but alive.

"They're getting stronger," Elyra said, wiping blood from her face.

"And there are more of them," Dain added, scanning the trees with his fiery gaze.

The attacks continued nightly, each more vicious than the last. The creatures seemed to target Elyra specifically, their glowing eyes fixating on her with unrelenting hunger.

One night, as a particularly large beast lunged for Elyra, she hesitated, overwhelmed by its ferocity. Time seemed to slow as its jaws snapped toward her.noveldrama

"Elyra!" Dain roared, throwing himself between her and the beast. His body glowed faintly with a golden light as he struck the creature with a force that sent it sprawling. The glow intensified, burning away the beast's shadowy flesh until nothing remained. Dain collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath as the light faded from his body. Elyra knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she touched his arm.

"You're changing, too," she whispered, her voice filled with awe and fear.

Dain looked at her, his orange eyes darker than usual. "Whatever is happening to us, it's not just random."

Elyra nodded, the weight of their shared transformation settling over them like a storm cloud. As they prepared to move on, the forest around them seemed to hum with malevolence.