Bab 12: 12: The Echoes of the Past
The morning sun broke through the mist, casting long, golden streaks across the landscape. Ashfall was already awake, standing on the hill's edge and looking out at the horizon. His mind was still tangled in the dreams from the night before—the flickering figure, the endless abyss, and the sensation that something far worse than the void was lurking just beyond their sight.
He clenched his fists as the wind whipped through his cloak. Today, they would head to the Arcanum, a place they had avoided for as long as they could. It was the only hope for understanding the void's growing strength and discovering how they could fight it. But the journey wouldn't be easy, and the thought of what they might find there weighed heavily on Ashfall.
Behind him, his companions stirred as they began to wake. Kera was the first to join him at the hill's edge, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her blade. Her gaze was sharp, as if she, too, had sensed the shifting winds. Tides followed closely, his expression unreadable, but his quiet presence was enough to ease some of the tension in the air. Sable was last to rise, still looking pale from the exertion of the previous day's battle, but her determination was clear in her violet eyes.
**"Ready?"** Ashfall asked, his voice low.
Kera gave a curt nod. **"As ready as we'll ever be."**
Sable stretched her arms and rubbed her temples. **"I had nightmares,"** she admitted softly. **"But it wasn't just the void this time… there was something else, something darker."**
Ashfall's eyes darkened, his thoughts echoing her words. **"I had the same dream."**
Tides, who had been silent until now, turned toward them, his brow furrowed. **"We've all felt it. Something is coming, and it's not just the void. The figure we fought in the fortress was only a harbinger."**
Kera unsheathed one of her blades, inspecting the edge carefully. **"Then we better find answers quickly. We can't afford to be caught off guard again."**
Ashfall nodded, the weight of the coming battle settling on his shoulders. **"The Arcanum is two days' travel from here. We move fast and keep our guard up. The voidspawn are still out there, and they'll be looking for us."**
With a shared understanding of the dangers ahead, the Wardens gathered their things and set out across the mist-covered plains. The journey was quiet, the tension hanging over them like a thick fog, but they moved with purpose. Every step brought them closer to the Arcanum—and, hopefully, to the answers they so desperately needed.
---
By midday, they had reached the edge of a vast forest. The trees were tall and ancient, their branches twisting high above in intricate patterns. The sunlight barely filtered through the dense canopy, casting the forest floor in shadow. This was the Whispering Wood, a place known for its eerie silence and the rumors of lost souls that wandered between the trees.
Ashfall stopped at the forest's edge, his eyes scanning the dark path ahead. **"We'll have to pass through here,"** he said quietly. **"It's the quickest way to the Arcanum."**
Sable hesitated, her hand resting on the amulet around her neck. **"I've heard stories about this place. People say it's cursed."**
**"It's not cursed,"** Tides replied, his voice calm. **"But it's dangerous. The Whispering Wood is old magic—wild magic. The kind that's hard to control."**
Ashfall gave a curt nod. **"Stay close. Don't stray from the path. The trees here… they have a way of playing tricks on you."**
They entered the forest cautiously, their weapons at the ready. The air was thick with moisture, and the ground beneath their feet was soft and uneven. The trees seemed to close in around them, their twisted branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. As they walked, the silence of the forest became almost oppressive, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the creaking of old wood.
It wasn't long before the whispers began.
At first, they were faint—barely audible, like the distant murmur of wind through the trees. But as the Wardens moved deeper into the forest, the whispers grew louder, more insistent. It was as if the trees themselves were speaking, their voices carried on the wind.
Sable glanced around nervously, her hand gripping her staff. **"Do you hear that?"**
Ashfall didn't respond. He had heard the whispers, too, but he didn't want to acknowledge them. It was better to focus on the path ahead.
But the whispers didn't stop. They grew louder, and soon, the Wardens could make out fragments of words—echoes of long-forgotten voices, speaking in a language none of them recognized.
Kera's eyes narrowed as she looked up at the trees. **"This place is trying to get inside our heads."**
**"Ignore it,"** Tides said firmly. **"It's just the magic of the forest. Keep your focus on the path."**
But the whispers persisted, growing more distinct with every step. They weren't just random sounds anymore—they were calling out to the Wardens, beckoning them deeper into the forest.
Ashfall's heart pounded in his chest as the voices grew more urgent. He could hear his own name whispered on the wind, over and over again, as if something—someone—was calling to him.
Suddenly, the path ahead split into two, the forest closing in around them. Ashfall stopped, his eyes narrowing as he examined the diverging trails.
**"Which way?"** Sable asked, her voice tight with anxiety.
Ashfall hesitated, his instincts telling him that something was wrong. He glanced at Tides and Kera, both of whom were scanning the trees with wary eyes.
**"We need to choose quickly,"** Tides said, his voice low. **"The longer we stay here, the more the forest will twist around us."**
Ashfall felt the weight of the decision pressing on him. The forest was playing tricks, distorting reality. Both paths seemed identical, yet something deep within him warned him that only one led to the Arcanum. The other… was a trap.
He closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses, trying to feel the pull of the magic that surrounded them. The whispers grew louder, clamoring for his attention, but amid the noise, there was a faint tug—a subtle nudge in the direction of the left path.
**"This way,"** Ashfall said, his voice steady. **"Follow me."**
They moved down the left path, the air growing colder as they ventured deeper into the forest. The whispers faded slightly, but they never fully disappeared, lingering on the edge of their awareness like distant memories.
Hours passed as they walked, the oppressive atmosphere of the Whispering Wood making time feel distorted. The trees grew taller and denser, their branches intertwining like a labyrinth of shadows.
Suddenly, the path ahead opened up into a small clearing. At the center of the clearing stood an ancient stone altar, its surface covered in moss and vines. Strange symbols were carved into the stone, their meaning lost to time.
Kera stepped forward cautiously, her eyes narrowing as she studied the altar. **"What is this place?"**
Tides knelt beside the altar, his hand brushing over the carvings. **"It's old magic,"** he said quietly. **"Very old. This must have been here for centuries."**
Ashfall approached the altar, his heart pounding in his chest. There was something unsettling about the place, as though it were a remnant of a forgotten time, a memory etched into the land itself.
Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The trees around the clearing swayed, their branches creaking ominously. And then, without warning, the whispers returned—louder than ever.
Ashfall's eyes widened as the shadows around them began to move, twisting and writhing like living things. From the depths of the forest, dark shapes emerged—figures cloaked in shadow, their eyes glowing with an eerie red light.
**"Voidspawn,"** Kera hissed, drawing her blades.
Ashfall unsheathed his sword, the light within it flaring to life. **"We're not alone."**
The voidspawn advanced, their forms shifting and flickering like smoke. Their eyes were locked on the Wardens, and the air around them crackled with dark energy.
**"Hold the line!"** Ashfall shouted, raising his sword.
The battle began in an instant, the clearing erupting into chaos as the voidspawn attacked. Kera moved with deadly precision, her twin blades flashing as she cut through the shadows. Tides stood at her side, his magic rippling through the air as he unleashed torrents of water to push back the voidspawn.
Sable, though exhausted, summoned her strength and raised her staff. She channeled her magic into a barrier of light, holding the voidspawn at bay as Ashfall charged into the fray.
The voidspawn were relentless, their forms constantly shifting, making them difficult to strike. But the Wardens fought with everything they had, their teamwork honed by years of battle.
Ashfall's sword glowed brighter with each swing, the power within it pushing back the shadows. But even as they fought, the whispers of the forest continued, growing louder and more desperate.
In the midst of the battle, Ashfall caught a glimpse of something beyond the void
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone