The chorus of roars echoed through the forest for several long moments before gradually fading into the distance. Then silence filled with tension followed. Leaves drifted lazily to the ground.
Broken branches creaked overhead where the Crystal Talons had crashed moments earlier. The scent of fresh earth lingered in the cool evening air.
Atheline slowly lowered his bow; he had switched to his bow when the attacks became too annoying. An emerald ribbon of Wind faded from the string before disappearing completely.
The arrow he had just released had already vanished over the treetops, carrying enough force to pierce three charging beasts before finally embedding itself deep within an enormous oak several hundred meters away.
He walked over and effortlessly pulled it free.
"A little too much force."
Lilith glanced at the splintered trunk.
"I’ve seen worse."
He smiled sheepishly before returning the arrow to his quiver. The little fox cautiously emerged from behind a fallen log, sniffing the air before deciding it was safe enough to continue walking.
For several minutes, nothing attacked. The forest seemed almost peaceful once more, yet neither ruler allowed themselves to relax. There had been too many attacks and too many coincidences.
The deeper they traveled, the more subtle changes began revealing themselves. The trees grew closer together, and the undergrowth became thicker.
Vines stretched between enormous trunks like natural curtains, forcing Atheline to cut pathways through them whenever the trail disappeared.
Even sunlight struggled to reach the forest floor now. Although evening had not yet arrived, the surrounding woods already resembled twilight.
Lilith slowed slightly.
"The Aether..."
Atheline looked toward her.
"What about it?"
"It feels..." She searched for the right word. "...denser like when you enter the High Elven Kingdom but slightly different. "
He closed his eyes briefly. She was right. The ambient Aether throughout the forest had gradually become richer than anywhere else they had visited since arriving on the Demonic Continent. As though countless generations of untouched wilderness had allowed natural Aether to accumulate.
"It shouldn’t be this abundant."
Lilith nodded.
"Not in an ordinary forest."
A sudden whistle split the air. The little fox barked sharply. Atheline reacted immediately. His bow was already in his hands before the warning had fully registered. Three arrows appeared between his fingers.
He released them almost simultaneously. Each arrow became wrapped in compressed Wind. The projectiles disappeared into the trees.
Three muffled impacts echoed somewhere high above, then heavy bodies crashed through the canopy. Gigantic creatures struck the forest floor with enough force to shake the ground.
Their bodies resembled oversized panthers, though each possessed six legs instead of four. Dark crimson fur covered powerful muscles while rows of blade-like bone protrusions lined their spines. Their tails ended in wicked hooked blades that sliced cleanly through saplings whenever they moved.
Lilith recognized them immediately.
"Crimson slicecats."
One was already dead, but the other two continued charging.
Atheline’s eyes narrowed.
"They survived?"
The first volley had pierced directly through their chests. Normal beasts would have died instantly; instead, these creatures ignored their injuries entirely.
One bounded between the trees with frightening agility while the other climbed vertically up a nearby trunk before launching itself downward.
Atheline inhaled.
Lightning Aether surged through his body. His next arrow crackled with brilliant energy. The instant he released it, lightning exploded. The arrow struck the descending beast squarely between the eyes.
Electricity erupted through its entire body before arcing toward the second Razorcat. Both creatures collapsed simultaneously.
Lilith never needed to move.
A third Razorcat emerged from the shadows behind them. She merely flicked one of her daggers. Dark Aether wrapped around the blade. It vanished into the creature’s shadow. A heartbeat later, the dagger erupted upward from beneath the beast itself. The Razorcat froze, its body slowly sliding apart before collapsing soundlessly.
Lilith raised one hand. The dagger dissolved into darkness before reforming neatly within her grasp. She returned it to its sheath.
"That’s becoming repetitive."
Atheline couldn’t disagree.
They continued onward. Minutes later... Another attack. This time, enormous serpents dropped from the branches overhead. Ash-gray scales shimmered beneath the fading sunlight while streams of smoke escaped from between their fangs.
"Ash Serpents."
One lunged directly toward Atheline. Rather than dodging, he calmly drew another arrow. Fire Aether gathered around its tip. The shaft glowed orange.
He released. The arrow struck the serpent’s open mouth, and the compressed flames erupted internally. The creature exploded in a shower of burning scales.
The remaining serpents attacked Lilith simultaneously. Darkness pooled beneath her feet. The surrounding shadows stretched upward like living creatures. Each serpent disappeared into black mist before reappearing in scattered pieces several meters away.
The forest returned to silence.
Atheline rested his bow across one shoulder.
"I’ve lost count."
"So have I."
Lilith looked back the way they had come. The path behind them had become littered with corpses belonging to creatures that should never have occupied the same territory. It made no ecological sense whatsoever.
"The forest should be empty by now." Atheline frowned. "Instead..."
Another distant howl interrupted him. Lilith finished the sentence.
"...another group arrives."
As the afternoon finally surrendered to evening, the attacks continued. It wasn’t continuous, but often enough that they were never truly able to lower their guard.
Sometimes beasts emerged from underground, other times they burst through dense bushes, and others attacked from above with almost suicidal determination.
The little fox proved invaluable. Her ears twitched moments before each ambush, her nose caught scents long before either ruler noticed them, and several times her warning allowed Atheline to eliminate flying beasts before they even entered visual range.
After one particularly large flock of winged birds fell from the sky, he smiled while scratching beneath her chin.
"I think you’re doing more work than we are."
The fox puffed out her chest proudly. Lilith actually laughed.
"She certainly believes so."
During one of the longer quiet stretches, Atheline finally voiced the question both had been considering.
"Corruption?"
Lilith shook her head immediately.
"No. Every beast we’ve examined possessed healthy dark Aether. They’re all perfectly normal."
He considered another possibility.
"Territory?"
"Different species. They shouldn’t cooperate nor share hunting grounds."
He nodded slowly.
"What about... a Forest lord?"
Lilith thought for a moment.
"Possible but unlikely; even dominant beasts don’t command every species. They inspire fear but don’t erase instinct."
Atheline sighed.
"So we’re back where we started. How about ancient defensive magic?"
She looked toward the dense forest surrounding them.
"It fits better. The attacks began only after we found the stone markers and every beast... comes from ahead."
He stopped walking.
"So far... none have attacked from behind."
Lilith realized he was right. Every ambush, charge, or aerial assault always came from the direction they intended to travel. Never once had anything attempted to pursue them from the rear. Almost... As though the forest itself were trying to push them backward.
Neither ruler liked that conclusion.
The sky had begun turning shades of orange and crimson by the time they reached another small clearing. At its center stood a weathered stone pillar, half-buried beneath roots, almost identical to the ones they had discovered earlier.
Lilith approached it first, her expression gradually changing.