The deeper they pressed into the woods, the more the forest seemed to swallow them whole. The light of the torches barely reached beyond the trunks, their flames trembling against the pressing dark. Every step felt wrong, as though the earth itself resented their intrusion.
Arden walked near the front, his hand tight on the hilt of his blade. The demon inside him stirred, restless. "You feel it too, don't you? This place reeks of blood and fear. Just let me out, I'll show you what hunts here."
He clenched his jaw, forcing the voice aside.
Maya, walking beside him, glanced up. "You're tense," she whispered.
"I'm fine," he muttered, but even to his own ears, the words rang hollow.
A sudden snap echoed through the undergrowth. The group froze, weapons raised. Only silence followed, thick and suffocating. The torches crackled, their flames casting nervous shadows.
"Probably just a deer," one of the hunters said, though his voice shook.
They pressed on. After some time, the path opened into a small clearing. There, under the pale glow of moonlight, lay the carcass of a stag. Its body was torn apart, ribs jutting like jagged spears, but no blood stained the ground. Every drop had been drained. The hunters swore under their breath.
"What… what could do this?" one asked.
Arden's vision blurred. The smell of iron hit his senses like fire, burning through his veins. The demon's voice deepened, hungry. "Yes… yes. I can taste it. Just a little more and you'll break"
"Arden."
Maya's voice broke through the haze. Her hand brushed against his arm, grounding him. He sucked in a breath, forcing the hunger back down into the pit where it belonged.
Before he could speak, the forest itself seemed to shift. Branches rattled though no wind stirred. From the shadows, low growls emerged too deep, too guttural to belong to any animal they knew.
The first creature lunged from the dark.
It was no wolf, though it moved on four legs. Its body was twisted, its skin stretched too thin over bone, and its eyes glowed with a sickly crimson light. Behind it, more shapes moved, slipping between the trees like nightmares given flesh.
The hunters cried out, loosing arrows, brandishing spears. The beasts struck with feral speed, slamming men to the ground, tearing into shields.
Arden drew his blade, parrying the first strike. The impact rattled his arm, stronger than anything he'd fought before. Another beast circled, snarling, and his pulse thundered in his ears.
"You can't win like this," the demon sneered. "Give me control. Just for a heartbeat, and I'll rip them apart."
"No," Arden hissed under his breath, slashing at the beast.
But his strength faltered. His blows landed clumsily, weaker than they should have been. The creatures pressed harder, red eyes gleaming.
"Arden!" Maya's voice rang out, fierce and desperate. He looked up, saw her swinging a torch at one of the beasts, driving it back. For an instant, the fog lifted.
He tightened his grip, forcing himself to fight not with the demon's strength, but his own. He struck, blade flashing, and one of the creatures fell back with a shriek.
The fight dragged on, chaos spilling through the clearing. And then, as suddenly as it began, the beasts retreated, melting into the shadows of the trees.
The hunters stood gasping, bloodied but alive.
Arden dropped to one knee, his chest heaving. Inside him, the demon purred, disappointed. "You're weak, boy. Without me, you'll die. But with me… oh, you'd be unstoppable." He pressed a hand to his chest, trembling.
But then, another voice whispered, one that wasn't his demon. A voice that echoed from deeper within the forest, low and commanding.
"Come to me, vessel…"
Arden's blood ran cold. The demon inside him went silent, as if listening.
Whatever lived in this forest wasn't just a beast. It was calling to him.
Arden staggered to his feet, his breath misting in the cold night air. The hunters gathered in the clearing, shaken and bloodied, whispering about the creatures.
"They weren't wolves," one muttered, clutching a torn arm. "Wolves don't vanish into the shadows."
"They came from the north," another said, his voice grim. "Near the Black Hollow. I told you nothing good ever crawled out of there."
The mention of that place sent a shiver through the group. Even the elders rarely spoke of it.
Maya's eyes never left Arden. She'd seen him freeze, seen his struggle. "Arden…" she whispered, stepping closer. "What happened to you back there? You looked like you weren't yourself."
His mouth opened, but no words came. How could he tell her the truth when she was the only person keeping him anchored?
Before he could answer, the voice returned.
"Come… vessel…"
This time, it wasn't just in his head. The trees themselves seemed to hum with the sound, low and vibrating, as if the entire forest was speaking.
Arden clutched his chest, staggering back.
"Arden!" Maya caught his arm, alarm flashing in her eyes. "What is it?"
The hunters turned too, suspicion now twisting their faces.
"He hears something," one said, his tone sharp. "Did you see the way he froze? Like he knew those things before they came."
"Don't be ridiculous," Maya snapped, but her grip on Arden tightened.
"Deeper," the voice coaxed. "I await you… bring me the boy who carries the flame of ruin."
Arden's heart pounded. His demon stirred again, but this time, instead of mocking, it went quiet, almost reverent. That terrified him more than anything.
The hunters were arguing now, some wanting to push on, others insisting they return to the village at once. Fear gnawed at the group, but Arden barely heard them. His gaze was fixed on the dark path ahead, where the trees seemed to arch into a tunnel of shadows.
The voice whispered one last time, soft and insistent.
"Come, vessel. Your fate begins here."
Arden's knees buckled. Maya caught him as the torches flickered violently, as though the forest itself was warning them to turn back.
The elders called for retreat, dragging the group away from the clearing. But even as they stumbled back toward the village, Arden knew the truth.
The real danger hadn't even revealed itself yet. And it was waiting for him.