Bab 14: 14: The Whispering Path**
**Chapter
The moon hung low in the sky, casting silvered light over the forest as the Wardens pressed forward, their steps muffled by the undergrowth. The air was thick with tension, the memory of the greater shadow's presence still fresh in their minds. Every rustle in the trees, every flicker of movement beyond the path, set their senses on edge.
Ashfall walked at the front, his sword strapped across his back. His mind was restless, replaying the battle over and over in his head. The greater shadow had been powerful, more dangerous than anything they had faced before, but it had also been strategic. It had tested them, retreating and attacking only when the voidspawn were close enough to swarm them. It was more than just a mindless creature of darkness.
He glanced back at the others. Kera followed behind him, her sharp eyes constantly scanning the woods. Tides walked beside Sable, who looked exhausted, her magic reserves depleted after the intense fight. Even though they had survived, Ashfall couldn't shake the feeling that the true danger still lingered, like a shadow at the edge of his vision.
**"We should rest soon,"** Kera said, breaking the silence. **"We've been pushing hard since the fight, and we need to recover before we reach the Arcanum."**
Ashfall nodded. **"We can stop once we clear the next ridge. The higher ground will give us a better vantage point in case we're followed."**
They continued in silence, the forest thinning as they climbed the gentle slope of the ridge. The trees began to open up, revealing a narrow trail bordered by jagged rocks. As they crested the hill, Ashfall stopped, his gaze sweeping across the dark landscape below. The horizon was lined with mountains, their peaks shrouded in mist, while a winding river cut through the valley, its waters gleaming in the moonlight.
**"This should be good enough,"** he said, turning to the group. **"We'll camp here for the night."**
Tides sighed in relief and dropped his pack to the ground. **"Finally. I feel like I've been dragging a mountain behind me."** He sat down heavily on a flat rock, stretching his legs out in front of him. Sable followed suit, leaning against a tree with her eyes half-closed.
Kera, however, remained standing, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. **"Something doesn't feel right."**
Ashfall frowned and joined her, scanning the trail beyond the ridge. At first, he saw nothing out of the ordinary—just the same quiet forest, the same shadows playing tricks in the moonlight. But as he focused, he noticed something strange. The air ahead of them seemed to shimmer, almost like a mirage, as if the path itself was alive and shifting.
**"What is that?"** he muttered, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.
Kera shook her head. **"I don't know. But it wasn't there a moment ago."**
Tides, overhearing their conversation, pushed himself to his feet and walked over. **"What's the problem now?"** he asked, his tone edged with fatigue.
Ashfall pointed down the trail. **"The path. Something's wrong with it. It's not natural."**
Tides squinted, then raised an eyebrow. **"A distortion? Like a portal?"**
Sable joined them, her face pale but alert. **"No. It's not a portal. It's something else. I can sense it."**
Kera drew her twin blades, the moonlight reflecting off the steel. **"If there's trouble, we need to be ready. I don't trust this place."**
Ashfall stepped forward, his sword half-drawn, as the shimmering path began to ripple, like waves of water cascading over a hidden barrier. The air around them grew colder, and a faint whispering sound echoed from the trees, as if the forest itself was speaking in a language too ancient to understand.
**"We need to go carefully,"** Ashfall said, his voice low. **"There's magic here. Strong magic."**
Sable took a deep breath, steadying herself. **"I've heard stories about places like this. Whispering Paths. They're rare, but when they appear, they lead to places outside of our world. Realms hidden from normal sight."**
Tides narrowed his eyes. **"Like the Void?"**
Sable shook her head. **"No, not the Void. These places are different. They don't belong to the darkness or the light. They exist between."**
Ashfall glanced down the path again, the shimmering light now pulsing in time with the whispers. **"And where does this one lead?"**
Sable closed her eyes, focusing on the energy emanating from the path. Her brow furrowed as she concentrated. **"It's hard to tell,"** she admitted. **"But it feels like it's trying to lure us in. It's ancient, but… not hostile. At least, not yet."**
Kera gripped her blades tighter. **"I don't like it. We don't have time to be chasing down strange paths that could get us killed."**
Tides stepped forward, placing a hand on Kera's shoulder. **"Maybe we don't have a choice. If this is a Whispering Path, it could be the only way to reach the Arcanum faster. We've already lost time dealing with the voidspawn. If this is a shortcut, we should take it."**
Ashfall considered Tides' words carefully. The battle with the voidspawn had already cost them valuable time, and the shadows were growing stronger. Every moment they delayed, the Arcanum moved further out of reach, and with it, their chance to stop the darkness from spreading.
**"We can't stay here much longer,"** Ashfall finally said, sheathing his sword. **"If this path leads us closer to the Arcanum, we have to take the risk."**
Kera looked unconvinced but nodded nonetheless. **"If we're doing this, we go in prepared. No distractions, no splitting up."**
Tides grinned, though the exhaustion in his eyes was evident. **"Wasn't planning on getting lost in an alternate dimension today, anyway."**
Sable stepped forward, her staff glowing softly in her hands. **"I'll take the lead. If something goes wrong, I'll sense it first."**
Ashfall gave her a nod of gratitude. **"Stay close. We don't know what lies ahead."**
As they stepped onto the shimmering path, the air around them seemed to shift, the whispers growing louder, more insistent. The trees on either side of the trail bent inward, their branches forming an arch overhead, creating a tunnel of shadow and moonlight. The farther they walked, the more the world around them seemed to change.
The forest, once dark and foreboding, began to soften, its colors fading to muted tones of silver and gray. The air became thick, almost liquid, as if they were walking through a dream. The whispers grew louder, forming words that danced just out of reach, teasing the edges of their understanding.
Sable's steps slowed as she strained to listen, her brow furrowed in concentration. **"It's trying to tell us something,"** she whispered. **"But I can't make out the words."**
Kera, her blades still drawn, scanned the shifting trees with suspicion. **"I don't like this. It feels like a trap."**
Ashfall remained silent, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he focused on the whispers. There was something familiar about them, something that tugged at his memory. It wasn't a language he knew, but it resonated with him, like an echo of a forgotten dream.
Suddenly, the path ahead of them split, branching off in two directions. Both trails shimmered with the same strange light, but one seemed darker, the whispers emanating from it sharper, more urgent.
**"Which way?"** Tides asked, his voice tight with unease.
Sable hesitated, her eyes scanning both paths. **"The left path feels safer,"** she said slowly. **"But the right… the right is calling to us."**
Ashfall looked down the darker path, the whispers swirling around him, growing louder, more insistent. **"Then we take the right,"** he said firmly.
Kera shot him a sharp look. **"Are you sure about that? The safer path sounds better to me."**
Ashfall's eyes narrowed as he stared down the dark trail. **"Something's pulling us this way. I don't know what it is, but I think it's important."**
Tides sighed and shook his head. **"Great. More danger. Just what we needed."**
Without another word, Ashfall took the first step onto the dark path, the others following close behind. As they walked deeper into the shadows, the whispers intensified, forming words that Ashfall could finally understand.
**"The Arcanum waits… but not for long."**
His heart quickened. Something—or someone—was guiding them. But whether it was friend or foe remained to be seen.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone