Chapter 85: Darkan vs Silver III
The Forest of Beasts stretched endlessly before them, a large expanse where shadows danced and danger lurked in every gnarled root and twisted branch.
This was no ordinary woodland; it was a realm teeming with countless tribes of monsters, beasts, and monstrosities, each more ferocious than the last.
The air itself seemed alive, thick with a shimmering, ethereal haze, a steam blanket born from the collision of spiritual energy seeping from the forest’s ancient roots.
This energy, raw and untamed, was one of the world’s untouched forces, a power so potent and perilous that it defied containment. It flowed through everything, trees, rocks, flesh, and bone, corrupting and empowering in equal measure. No shield could block it, no armor could deflect it, and for most, exposure meant madness or death.
This spiritual energy was the sole reason the Forest of Beasts remained a forsaken land, shunned by adventurers, armies, and even the bravest of souls.
The monsters here thrived on it, their bodies warped and strengthened by its chaotic essence, transforming them into nightmarish abominations. Claws gleamed like obsidian, eyes glowed with malevolent light, and roars echoed with a primal fury that chilled the blood.
Any human army daring to venture here would crumble not before their resolve were shattered by the relentless assault of both beast and energy.
As the Darkan head and his army approached the forest’s edge, they then understood what Baines’s was telling them. The Darkans, newly reverted to their draconic forms, felt a strange kinship with the wild energy. Their scales, crimson and black, shimmered with a faint resilience, a natural armor against the spiritual tide.
But the humans among them, soldiers, mages, and scouts, fared far worse. Their faces paled, sweat beaded on their brows, and some clutched their chests, gasping as the invasive energy seeped into their lungs, their veins, their very souls. And that was even when they travelled slightly above the steam blanket.
[How are you fine?]
Tasha’s voice, a deep, resonant growl, cut through the tension as she glanced over her shoulder. The massive dragon, her scales a deep ruby red, carried Aires on her back, her wings beating rhythmically to keep pace with the army. Her amber eyes, glowing like twin lanterns, studied the human with a mix of concern and curiosity.