Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Face to Face with Destiny

The journey through the dense, shadowed forest was arduous. Every step seemed to draw Elara, Kael, and Morgana deeper into a realm where the natural world was twisted by dark magic. The trees were gnarled and misshapen, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The air was thick with an eerie mist that clung to their skin and fogged their breath.

As the sun began to set, they reached the edge of a clearing. The dark orb's influence grew stronger here, and the oppressive atmosphere suggested that their destination was near. In the center of the clearing stood an ancient ruin, partially swallowed by vines and darkened by centuries of neglect. The ruin's structure hinted at its former grandeur, but now it was shrouded in an aura of malevolence.

"This is it," Elara said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The heart of the dark orb's power."