The journey east, deep into the ancient Black Forest, was filled with unease. Lyra, Kaelan, and Elara, supported by scouts from the Ice Pack and a few warriors from the City of Whispers, felt the increasing darkness the closer they got to their destination. The forest, once full of life and song, was now silent, enveloped in a dark aura that seemed to drain the light. The air was heavy, saturated with the scent of decaying leaves and something else… hatred.
"The Black Forest Pack… was once the guardian of one of the greatest Hearts of the Forest," Kaelan whispered as they passed through dense, dark thickets. "Their Alphas were known for their wisdom and unwavering resolve. But this place… is different."
Elara, who was staring into the darkness ahead, added: "The Eyes of Memory showed that their memories were not erased, but distorted. The Shadow of Oblivion used their hatred to corrupt them. These are not mindless shadows. These are our brothers and sisters who have lost their way."
Lyra felt the weight of responsibility. Fighting beings who were conscious but distorted by the enemy was different from fighting an impersonal void. She also felt Seraphina's growing presence, like an icy breath on her neck. She knew Seraphina would exploit this situation.
Finally, they reached the center of the Black Forest. It was a place of grim, almost gothic beauty. Gigantic, ancient trees, their branches twisting into macabre shapes, formed a natural canopy that blocked the sun. Their leaves were blackened, and their bark was covered with dark, creeping patterns. In the center stood the Heart of the Forest – a powerful, majestic tree, but now it was sickly pale, its bark cracked, and a dark, hateful aura emanated from its core. This was not the aura of the Shadow of Oblivion, but the aura of a corrupted, distorted Song of Life.
"This is their Heart of the Forest," Kaelan said, a note of pain in his voice. "Corrupted."
From the shadow of the trees emerged members of the Black Forest Pack. Their fur was dark, and their eyes, instead of glowing with a natural light, burned with a reddish, hateful fire. Their postures were gaunt, but their movements were swift and violent. Their Alpha, a powerful, black wolf with menacing eyes, stepped forward. His name was Varg.
"Intruders!" Varg snarled, his voice deep and full of contempt. "What are you doing on our land? Have you come to steal our power? Our memories?"
"We have not come to steal," Lyra replied, her voice calm but firm. "We have come to help you. The Shadow of Oblivion has warped your memories. It feeds on your hatred."
Varg laughed, but it was a joyless sound, permeated with darkness. "Lies! We control our hatred! It gives us strength! Because of it, we are stronger than ever! We don't need your empty promises. You are weak! Naive!"
"I saw your memories," Lyra said, trying to reach him. "In the Eyes of Memory. I saw your ancient covenants, your wisdom. The Shadow of Oblivion turned it into hatred. It turned your Song of Life into a cry of vengeance. Is that your true strength?"
Varg growled. "This is our strength! A power you fear to use! Let your Blood Moon Luna know that we will never fall! We will rule what remains of this world!"
Suddenly, from the shadow behind Varg, a figure emerged. It was Seraphina. Her eyes gleamed with triumph, and a dark smile played on her face. "Welcome, Luna," Seraphina hissed. "So you've arrived. I thought you would perish along the way. But I see you have a talent for avoiding destiny."
Lyra looked at her, and pain and sadness settled in her heart. "Seraphina. What are you doing? Have you given yourself to the Shadow of Oblivion?"
Seraphina laughed. "To the Shadow of Oblivion? No. I control it. I have understood its true power! It erases weaknesses! It erases pain! It grants power! And all of you, with your sentimental Songs of Life, are just an obstacle! Varg and his pack… they understood. They embraced true power. And now together, we will destroy all that is weak! Starting with you, Luna!"
Seraphina raised her hand, and a stream of dark, purple energy shot from her palm – this was not the Shadow's magic, but corrupted, warped Primeval Magic. The same that Lyra felt in the Black Forest's Heart of the Forest. It was the Song of Life turned into a weapon.
Varg and his warriors charged. This was no ordinary fight. It was a brutal, desperate confrontation. The Black Forest werewolves fought with savage fury, their attacks faster and more ruthless than anything Lyra had seen before. Their strength grew with every drop of hatred.
Kaelan and Elara plunged into the fight, shielding Lyra. Kaelan hurled blasts of pure, green energy, trying to repel the enemies, while Elara, with fury in her eyes, fought to reach the Heart of the Forest.
Lyra knew she couldn't fight them in a traditional way. Their memories were warped, and their Song of Life was distorted. She had to reach their true essence. She had to cleanse them, not just defeat them.
She raised her hands and began to pour the Song of Life into the Black Forest's Heart of the Forest. This was the most demanding form of the Song she had ever attempted. She had to penetrate layers of hatred and distortion to reach the core of Primeval Magic.
Seraphina's purple energy and the Black Forest Pack's dark Song of Life clashed with Lyra's Song of Life. The confrontation was powerful, shaking the entire wilderness. Trees trembled, and the ground cracked.
Seraphina laughed. "Your weak Song cannot defeat ours! We are stronger! We have hatred!"
But Lyra did not relent. She felt the pain of the Black Forest werewolves beneath the layer of their hatred. She felt their true, suppressed memories. She saw how the Shadow of Oblivion manipulated them, using their past grievances and resentments to strengthen the darkness.
Then, Lyra called upon the Songs of all the packs she had cleansed – the echoes of the City of Whispers' joy, the Desert Pack's strength, and the Ice Pack's warmth, which they had only just regained. All these Songs merged into one powerful symphony.
A wave of pure, white light shot from the Heart of the Forest, clashing with the dark aura of the Black Forest Pack. The hatred-corrupted werewolves screamed in pain, and their eyes briefly regained their natural glow before being enveloped by darkness again. It was only for a moment, but Lyra knew it was enough.
Seraphina, surprised by the power of the Song of Life, was thrown backward. Her dark magic began to recede. "No! This is impossible!" she screamed, a note of panic in her voice. "The Shadow of Oblivion is stronger!"
Lyra, though exhausted, felt she was winning. She just had to continue. This was a battle for souls.