Shadow of the forest

Arina and Zeke walked side by side through the withering forest, their footsteps echoing eerily on the brittle ground. The once-lush woods had turned hollow and lifeless, the trees like skeletal remains stretching to the gray sky. A strange, bitter wind hissed through the branches, carrying whispers.

Zeke, in his human form, glanced at Arina. "Stay sharp. We're close to their territory."

Arina didn't need the warning. He could feel the shift in the air, thick with dark magic. "I know," he said quietly, his fingers twitching, ready to summon his magic at any moment.

The whispers started faintly at first, like distant murmurs carried on the wind.

"Arina… Arina… come to us…"

Arina rolled his eyes. "Here we go again."

Zeke stopped, glaring into the fog ahead. The shadows began to coil between the trees, twisting like snakes, faint shapes of figures taking form—some human, some monstrous. The air chilled, but Arina stood firm.

The whispers grew louder.

"Arina, it's me…"

The voice shifted into something soft and familiar. Kava. Arina didn't even flinch.

"Ignoring it won't stop them," Zeke warned, his voice low. "They'll push harder—try to break you."

Arina shrugged, his expression unimpressed. "Let them try. I'm not falling for it again."

The shadows thickened, swirling ahead to form a tall, cloaked figure. Its voice came cold and smooth, dripping like venom. "Arina, my boy, don't you miss me?"

It stepped forward, and for a moment, the figure's shape shifted—becoming Kava. The familiar silhouette stood there, arms open, a kind smile on its face. The sight would have broken him once, years ago. But not now.

"You really need a new trick," Arina said flatly.

The shadow-Kava tilted its head, the illusion flickering. "I can give you answers, Arina. About the forest. About yourself. Come closer, and you'll see."

Arina's lips curled into a smirk. "I have seen what you are—a pile of pathetic darkness hiding behind dead faces."

The shadows hissed, the figure's form distorting into jagged limbs and empty voids. Its voice turned furious.

"You're a fool! You will fail just like the others!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm tired of hearing that too." Arina's hands glowed as he summoned fire magic, bright and fierce. Zeke took a step back, giving him space.

Arina raised his palm, staring down the writhing shadows as flames swirled in his hand. "Here's what I think about your tricks—"

With a flick of his wrist, Arina hurled a massive fireball into the heart of the shadow. The flames roared like a living beast, consuming the darkness. The figure shrieked as the fire devoured it, its form splintering apart into smoke and ash. The remaining shadows recoiled, screeching, and began to vanish into the depths of the forest.

The whispers fell silent. The fog thinned.

Zeke raised an eyebrow as the last traces of darkness disappeared. "You're getting cocky."

Arina grinned, brushing ash off his sleeve. "What can I say? I've dealt with their tricks before. They're all bark and no bite."

Zeke smirked faintly, but his gaze turned serious as he looked at the forest ahead. "They're getting desperate, though. The closer we get to the core of this, the harder they'll fight."

"I know," Arina said, his tone sobering. He looked out at the dying forest. "That's why we have to keep going."

Zeke nodded, and together they pressed forward, leaving the scorched ground behind them. The forest around them groaned as if alive, its pain palpable in the air, but Arina didn't look back.

This time, the shadows hadn't shaken him. This time, he was ready for whatever came next.