Bab 6: The Grove of Echoes
The path to the Grove of Echoes stretched like a gnarled vein through the wilderness, overrun with roots and brambles that seemed determined to trip Lennox at every step. He trudged along with all the enthusiasm of a cow marching to market, grumbling under his breath.
"I bet Elara's sea serpent doesn't make her hike through this mess," he muttered, swatting at a branch that had the audacity to slap him across the face. "She's probably gliding over a lake somewhere, drinking magical fruit juice."
Trailing beside him, the black cat—his beast, if it could even be called that—glided effortlessly over roots and puddles. Its movements were silent, almost elegant, and its fur, maddeningly, remained spotless despite the mud. Occasionally, it glanced back at Lennox, its expression unreadable but somehow smug.
Lennox glared at it. "Oh, don't look at me like that. This is your fault. If you'd been literally any other animal, I wouldn't be stuck on a quest for a shiny key in the creepiest place in Eldoria."
The cat flicked its tail and kept walking, as if to say, Keep up, mortal.
By the time they reached the edge of the Grove of Echoes, the sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows that twisted like claws across the ground. The grove itself loomed ahead, its trees unnaturally tall and hunched, their branches clawing at the sky. A faint hum filled the air, like the buzz of unseen wings, punctuated by soft whispers that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.
Lennox hesitated at the threshold. "This place is giving me second thoughts. Actually, third and fourth thoughts."
The cat, of course, showed no hesitation. It padded into the grove without a backward glance, its tail held high like a flag leading the charge.
Lennox sighed. "Great. Just follow the cat into the haunted forest. What could go wrong?"
Inside the grove, the air was thick and heavy, like walking through honey. Every step made the ground squelch, and the trees seemed to lean closer, their gnarled trunks alive with twisting knots that resembled faces. The whispers grew louder, words just on the edge of comprehension, teasing his ears.
"Do you hear that?" Lennox whispered. "Or is the grove already messing with my head?"
The cat didn't respond, but it paused to sniff the air, its ears twitching. Then it darted ahead, weaving through the underbrush with an urgency Lennox hadn't seen before.
"Hey, wait!" Lennox called, scrambling after it. "You're not supposed to leave me behind!"
He caught up to find the cat sitting in front of a massive tree, its roots spread wide like a skeletal hand. Nestled between the roots was a faint glow—a small, silver key pulsing softly with light. The whispers seemed to converge around it, their tones almost reverent.
"That's it," Lennox breathed, stepping closer. "The Key of Whispers."
The cat sat back, curling its tail neatly around its paws. It didn't seem interested in the key, instead watching Lennox with an intensity that made his skin prickle.
"Alright," Lennox muttered, crouching down. "Let's just grab this thing and—"
The moment his fingers touched the key, the whispers stopped. The air grew still, and the grove fell silent.
Lennox frowned. "That's… unsettling."
And then the ground began to shake.
"Oh, fantastic," Lennox groaned, stumbling backward as the tree roots twisted and writhed like living things. From the shadows behind the tree, a massive figure emerged—a wolf-like creature made entirely of black mist, its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Lennox.
The beast growled, a low, guttural sound that vibrated in Lennox's chest.
"Well, this escalated quickly," Lennox said, gripping the key tightly. He glanced at the cat. "Uh, any ideas?"
The cat yawned.
"Are you serious right now?" Lennox shouted as the shadow wolf lunged.
He threw himself to the side, rolling to avoid the beast's snapping jaws. Scrambling to his feet, he bolted, weaving through the trees. The wolf followed, its movements fluid and terrifyingly fast.
Lennox's heart pounded as he darted behind a tree. "Okay, think, think! How do you fight something made of shadows?"
The cat appeared beside him, looking infuriatingly calm.
"Great," Lennox panted. "You're here to mock me in my final moments. Lovely."
The cat's eyes glinted in the dim light. Without warning, it leapt forward, landing directly in the wolf's path. Lennox watched in horror as the wolf snarled and lunged at the tiny creature.
And then the cat moved.
It wasn't a leap or a dodge—it was a blur. One moment, the cat was in the wolf's path, and the next, it was behind the beast, its claws glowing with an eerie blue light. The wolf howled as the cat swiped at it, the glowing claws slicing through its shadowy form like a hot knife through butter.
Lennox's jaw dropped. "What… what are you?"
The cat didn't answer. It darted forward again, its movements impossibly fast, each strike releasing bursts of light that chipped away at the wolf's form. The wolf stumbled, its growls turning into pained whimpers, and with one final swipe, the cat tore through its core.
The wolf dissolved into mist, fading back into the shadows. The grove was silent once more.
The cat turned, sauntering back to Lennox with its usual air of indifference. It leapt onto his shoulder and sat there like it had done nothing out of the ordinary.
"You… you just…" Lennox stammered, still clutching the key. "You're not a normal cat, are you?"
The cat blinked slowly, then meowed—a soft, innocent sound that felt like mockery.
Lennox sighed, slumping against a tree. "Of course. My beast is an enigma wrapped in fur. I don't even know why I'm surprised anymore."
As the whispers in the grove began to stir again, Lennox stood, key in hand, and started walking back the way they had come. The cat perched comfortably on his shoulder, its tail flicking lazily.
"Next time, you can grab the magic key," Lennox muttered. "I'll stay home and nap. See how you like it."
The cat purred softly, and Lennox had the unsettling feeling that it found his complaints deeply amusing.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone