Chapter 697: 'Shadows'

The corrupted forest was shrouded in a heavy silence, and the hooded figure, his dark cloak fluttering in the cold night wind, emitted a low sound, between a sigh and a whisper, which reverberated through the trees like a lament.

"You shouldn't be here..." said the figure in a voice that sounded more like an echo. "This land, once green and full of life, has been corrupted by a force beyond your comprehension. The Corruption came from beyond the stars, an ancient entity that awoke from its millennial slumber to devour entire worlds, leaving only shadows and desolation in its wake."

The figure's eyes shone with a sad and desperate light as she seemed to lean against the tree.

"I was a guardian of this land, a protector of its deepest secrets. But now I see the truth. I was always just another person among many others, nothing special, nothing unique. However, now I'm a shadow and that's enough for me, because I have HIS trust."