Chapter 22 The Dark Forest

Author's thoughtIf you have any suggestions or if you are curious about something, do write in the comments. I will definitely consider it.

The blood-red sky, veiled by black clouds, occasionally flashed with streaks of black lightning, amplifying the eerie dread that hung over the forest.

The oppressive silence was unnatural—no rustling leaves, no wind, no chirping birds or insects, just a suffocating stillness.

As evening descended, the darkness deepened, and a shadowy figure crouched atop a tall, gnarled tree. The tree's twisted canopy and roots extended like ghostly claws which added to the sinister atmosphere.

The figure, stealthy and calculated, stalked a vulture nest perched at the tree's peak. Just as it prepared to pounce, a chill ran through its body, instincts flaring with the imminent sense of danger.

But before it could react, a streak of black light struck its head with unerring precision, piercing it cleanly. The shadow collapsed and it was dead before it even understood what had happened.

The creature's true form was revealed as it fell from the branches, a fourteen-foot-long panther-like beast with sleek, jet-black fur that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Its muscular frame was adorned with four tusk-like fangs and claws that gleamed ominously.

The blood-red sunset lent a macabre brilliance to its lifeless body, even as the ground beneath drank its black blood with unnatural speed.

A green crystal knife protruded from its skull, a black chain attached to the hilt stretching into the shadows.

Moments later, the knife was retrieved, vanishing in a wisp of black smoke as it recoiled along the chain.

From the depths of a nearby bush, a young man emerged, his long, violet hair disheveled and framing his striking features. His crimson eyes glinted with cold focus as he glided towards the fallen beast with spectral-like movements.

One moment he seemed to be far and in the other, he was already beside the corpse.

Just as he crouched to inspect the dead beast, the ground beneath trembled. Black, tentacle-like roots shot toward him with terrifying speed, aiming to entangle and crush him.

Ethan's POV

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath, instinctively summoning my chains. Three black tendrils burst from my palms, their ends seamlessly connecting with the trio of knives sheathed at my sides.

I directed the knives with a flick of my hand, their blades flashing a ghostly green as they slashed through the incoming roots in precise, crisscrossing arcs.

The sharp edges shredded the attacking tendrils effortlessly, but the sheer volume of roots pressed forward relentlessly.

A guttural, enraged growl resonated through the air. My gaze snapped to the grotesque, bark-like face twisted into the side of the massive black tree.

Its hollow eyes burned with malevolence, and the low hum of its wrath sent a shiver down my spine.

I clenched my fists. Destroying the tree outright was impossible. Its sheer size, coupled with my limited magic reserves, made such an endeavor futile.

My focus shifted instead to retreat. Activating my self-invented Shadow Spectre movement technique, I darted through the forest floor like a phantom, leaving only faint ripples of darkness in my wake.

The panther's corpse was too valuable to abandon. With a thought, a fourth chain burst forth from my palm, forming a jagged black hook.

It latched onto the carcass, allowing me to drag it along as I glided through the oppressive forest. The tree's roots gave chase, snapping and writhing like serpents, but my knives kept them at bay, carving a path through the dense undergrowth.

I moved like a wraith in the darkness, my affinity with darkness granting me heightened night vision. The forest around me, with its tangled trees and ominous silence, felt alive with hidden dangers.

I deftly avoided snakes coiled under gnarled roots and scorpions lurking in the underbrush. After ten minutes of near-silent running, I reached the mouth of a dark cave nestled between jagged rocks.

Entering cautiously, I used my magic to conjure a small flame. While the fire element was not my specialty, basic proficiency in all elements came with being a mage.

The flickering light pushed back the oppressive gloom, revealing the rugged walls of the cave. After rolling a massive boulder into place to block the entrance, I set up a crude fireplace and began roasting the huge panther I had hunted earlier.

As the aroma of cooked meat filled the air, my thoughts drifted. Today marked my thirteenth birthday, three years since I had been torn away from my family and thrown into the harsh wilderness of the dark forest.

These years had hardened me, forcing me to survive and grow stronger in such a perilous environment where even the smallest mistake could mean death.

Once my magic power was restored and my mana veins had healed, I had ventured deeper into the cave, eventually discovering the exit after tirelessly searching for many days in its maze-like passages.

That exit opened to a sheer precipice overlooking a valley filled with trees of black branches and leaves tinged in violet and crimson. It was a view that had felt both haunting and strangely beautiful.

Before leaving the cave for good, I had taken the time to sift through the contents of my spatial storage artifact, gifted to me by Grandpa as part of my initiation ceremony.

He had instructed me to open it only after my awakening had been completed.

Within the artifact were some of my daily clothes, my crystal knives, and something that instantly caught my attention, a snow-white egg about the size of an eagle's egg.

The egg radiated a faint static charge, and when I touched it, I felt a mild shock course through my fingers. My heart swelled with joy as I immediately recognized it as the egg of Hunter, Grandpa's magnificent Storm Eagle.

Yet, I also noticed something unusual: black spots had started to form on its pristine surface.

I was been worried about the change, fearing it might signify something wrong and like everyday I tried to infuse and concentrate darkness in my eyes to see if I could glean any clues for its change.

However, suddenly a seven-coloured light glowed in my soul space and the dormant Eterna Nexus which had fallen silent three years ago after granting me the Eternal Eclipse Ascension ascension art quivered once more.

The monotonous voice of Auralis Prime echoed once more

The revelation left me stunned, my worry replaced with excitement. I reached out to the Eterna Nexus again, my thoughts forming a question about this mysterious feature it had just revealed.

The resulting answer left me stunned.