Chapter 35 The Forbidden Path
There was a lot of anxiety in the air at night. Sienna's breath came in short bursts as she ran through the thick woodland, her cloak blowing behind her. The trees shook and the wind howled, as if trying to warn her, but she didn't listen. She felt that each step she made brought her closer to the truth. She couldn't get rid of the woman's words, the blackness, or the mark on Ryder's hand. It stayed with her.
She couldn't stop thinking about how he looked lost and obsessed by something she didn't comprehend. Sir Valen and his troops stood a polite distance behind her. Their presence was a reminder that the safety of the kingdom was still at stake, even though she was going through a personal tempest. She couldn't let her feelings get in the way of her judgment right now, when everything rested on the decisions she made.
"Your Highness," Valen yelled, and his voice cut through the sound of the trees rustling. "We're getting close to the frontiers." The road ahead is dangerous. I think we should stop until morning. "Traveling at night is perilous." Sienna's eyes narrowed when she turned to look at him. The man was really worried, but she could feel how strong her own resolve was deep down. "I'm not waiting, Valen," she said in a harsh tone. "Every second we waste could cost us everything." Valen didn't say anything else, but it was clear that he was hesitant. The darkness was closing in, not simply from the adversary, but from something much more intimate.
Sienna could feel the deeper, darker force that Ryder had gotten into. She needed to know. Before it was too late, she needed to know what had happened to him. The gang kept going, and the shadows grew longer as they went down into the hollow below the cliffs. The air got colder, and the fragrance of death hung in the breeze. The cold air didn't just bother Sienna; it was the developing feeling that they were heading further into a world that wasn't theirs.
The trees had strange shapes and their bark was black and smooth, like polished obsidian. It felt like something living was pulsing under their feet, something that wasn't from this world. "Do you feel that?" Sienna asked, her voice low and quiet as she slowed down. Valen nodded sadly. "This land is cursed. It's a little of the old magic. "The farther we go, the more deadly it gets." "Why are we still traveling, then?" Sienna's comments were full of anger.
"You claimed this was the only way to find him." Valen said, "We can't go back now that we've come this far." "But be careful, Your Majesty. We can't easily beat the dark magic here. It changes everything. "Even the smartest minds." Sienna's fists tightened as wrath rose inside her. "Valen, I don't care about magic. Finding Ryder is important to me. The troops looked at each other nervously, but none of them said anything. Sienna's words stayed in the air, sharp and steady. She had made up her mind, and nothing could stop her now. The trees seemed to get even denser as they walked down the short road. Their branches twisted and gnarled together above them to make a canopy.
The candles made strange shadows on the ground, and Sienna couldn't shake the impression that someone was watching them. But there wasn't enough time to think about it. She kept going even though uncertainty and anxiety were eating at her every step. She knew Ryder was somewhere ahead. Valen suddenly halted and raised a hand to tell the others to stop. "We've made it to the heart of the forest," he murmured gently, with a hint of worry in his voice. "The ground here is holy." We need to be careful. Sienna's eyes got smaller as she gazed about. The air here felt different, thicker and heavier.
The air seemed motionless, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. "What will happen if we don't take care?" Sienna asked, her voice icy and planned. Valen's face turned grim. "We'll get caught up in the magic." The spirits that live here don't like it when people come in. We could be stuck here forever if we're not careful. Sienna's heart stopped for a second. Forever stuck. The words echoed in her head, reminding her of how important this trip was. Something far older and more dangerous than she had ever thought was going to happen to Ryder.
But she couldn't, and she wouldn't, go back now. She pushed forward without saying anything, her eyes scanning the area as the party carefully made their way along the small route. The quiet was heavy on them, with only the sound of leaves rustling or an owl hooting far away breaking it. The woodland seemed to be alive, watching them and waiting for them to mess up. Then, just as Sienna's breathing started to calm down, the ground moved under her feet. There was a deep rumble in the trees, and she felt a sharp pull in her chest. Before she could do anything, the ground below her burst open, sending a pulse of energy across the woodland.
"What's going on?" Valen yelled and reached for his sword as the gang fell back. The ground under Sienna's feet fell apart as a black hole opened up in front of her. She didn't have much time to respond. The air was filled with black energy, a force that could be felt and that appeared to change the very nature of existence. "Stay tight!" Valen yelled, his voice strained as he grasped Sienna's arm and pulled her back from the brink. But Sienna could still feel the darkness pulling her in, like a magnet. "Ryder," she said in a whisper that was hard to hear. "What have you turned into?" She thought she saw a spark of movement in the distance.
A human stood at the brink of the abyss, their shadow just apparent against the whirling shadows. Was it Ryder? Or was it something else? Something much more dangerous? A voice broke the silence before she could do anything. It was quiet, like a whisper, yet there was no doubt about it. "Sienna." Hearing her name made her shiver. She turned to face the voice, her heart beating. Ryder was standing at the edge of the abyss. His face was pale, his eyes were dark, and the emblem on his right palm was the same one the woman had shown her. The same sign that kept her up at night. He moved onward, but with every step, the ground appeared to shake as the shadows surrounding him grew darker. "Ryder," Sienna said, her voice shaking.
"What are you up to?" "Come back." But Ryder didn't say anything. Instead, he reached out, his hand shaking as if it weren't really his own. As he accomplished this, a wave of dark energy shot up from the abyss and shook the woodland. Sienna felt the power hit her chest and knock the air out of her lungs. "Get back!" Valen yelled, but it was too late. The energy from Ryder's outstretched palm hit the group and knocked them all to the ground.
Sienna's eyesight become blurry, and she had a hard time staying awake. She could see Ryder's form through the anguish, standing at the edge of the abyss with his eyes set on hers. "I'm sorry, Sienna," Ryder said in a voice that sounded far away and empty. Then, with one last burst of energy, the ground beneath them began to give way, pushing them all toward the dark hole that had opened up in front of them.