The sun dipped beyond the horizon, leaving streaks of crimson across the sky. As dusk faded into night, the air grew colder. Leaves rustled — not from wind, but from something else... something unseen.

The group's pace slowed as they crossed a crooked wooden bridge and entered the dense shadow of towering trees.

Logan: peering up "We've crossed into it..."

Faith: shivers lightly "The Whispering Forest..."

Vance: tries to lighten the mood, failing "Charming name. Probably earned it for all the happy memories made here."

Alice: flatly "No. It's because of the voices."

The trees around them twisted unnaturally, some gnarled like knotted hands reaching from the earth. Thick vines hung like nooses. Mist hugged the ground, glowing faintly blue in places — and through it all, a soft sound lingered.

Whispers.

Not loud. Not clear. Just... persistent. Just enough to make one doubt their own thoughts.
Faith: tense "Why do they sound like they're right behind us?"

Elias: quietly, almost to himself "They're not behind us. They're inside."

Logan: half-joking, half-concerned "Inside what?"

Elias: without turning "Our heads."

Vance: "Okay, that's it. Next vacation spot, not haunted."

Alice: "There's a reason no caravan dares cross this path after dark. The forest tests you. It whispers truths, lies, regrets — anything to unravel your mind."

They pressed on. Every footstep crunched over dead leaves and brittle bones of fallen wildlife. The forest seemed to move with them — trees subtly shifting position, shadows creeping in ways they shouldn't.

The group moved deeper.

The whispers grew clearer.

They no longer felt random. They carried names. Regrets. Memories.

Faith stumbled slightly, her eyes wide, fixated on something in the mist.

Faith: softly "Mom...?"

She stepped forward, away from the group. A figure shaped like her mother stood beneath a twisted tree, arms wide open. Her voice — warm, sweet, impossible.

Dante: "Faith? Faith, wait!"

But it wasn't just Faith.

Logan heard his brother, screaming in pain — the one he couldn't save.

Vance heard applause. Adoring cheers. He stood frozen, smiling like he was on stage again, basking in love he hadn't felt in years.

Alice stared into the fog. "No... she's gone," she whispered. But her dead sister stood there, bleeding, reaching out with trembling hands.

The forest split them. Turned their minds into cages.

And Elias...

He saw Dorian, bloodied and lifeless. He saw Faith in chains, begging him to run. He saw himself — eyes blackened, Nyxoth's shadow whispering, "This is your truth."


Suddenly, the forest twisted. Shadows wrapped around them. Out of the ground, dark specters formed — not monsters, but figments of their worst fears.

Dorian's voice echoed in Elias' head: "Focus, Elias! The forest's magic is illusion-based. It uses your fears as weapons. Fight them — or they'll consume you!"

One by one, the team started to break free. Faith, clutching her dagger, stepped through the fake vision of her mother. Logan screamed and punched through his brother's image. Alice cried but drew her blade, cutting down the illusion of her sister. They were already warned by dorian about these circumstances.

Elias faced his own twisted reflection. It spoke in Nyxoth's voice.

Fake Elias: "You'll lose them all. And then... you'll be mine."

Elias: glaring, voice calm "No. You don't own me."

He drove his blade through the illusion, and the mist screeched, pulling back violently like a curtain.

The forest went silent.

The team collapsed to their knees, gasping, exhausted.

Vance: voice shaking "That was not... a normal forest."

Logan: "Is anything normal anymore?"

Faith: quietly, to Elias "You okay?"

Elias: nods, but his voice is low "Yeah... just tired of losing."

As the mist thinned and silence settled in, Faith suddenly froze.

Elias : turning quickly "Wait. Where's Dante?"

The group turned. No sound. No footsteps. Just the low groan of the trees and faint whispers trailing in the air like fading breath.

Alice: "He was right behind us... right?"

Logan: "He—he never made it through."

Panic struck.

They turned back, running through the fading fog. Then—there he was.

Dante, frozen in place, eyes wide and glassy. Tears ran down his face. His body trembled as he whispered one word, over and over:

Dante: "Elias... Elias... no..."

In front of him was a horrifying illusion — Varik the Flayer, standing with a bloodied dagger, having just impaled Elias, who lay motionless.

The forest was feeding on Dante's worst memory — twisting it, amplifying it.

Thick, black roots began curling around Dante's feet, snaking upward like serpents, preparing to drag him into the forest floor.

Faith: "DANTE!!"

Elias: gasping "No—!"

He ran.

Branches slashed at him like claws. One struck his side. Another wrapped around his leg mid-sprint.

He tripped.

His face hit the dirt hard.

He looked up, pain surging—but the roots were only inches from Dante now.
Suddenly—

A gust of air.

A blur.

Vance, faster than anyone expected, had zipped past Elias. He slid to a stop in front of Dante and kicked through the shadow roots with a snap of lightning around his legs.

Vance: gritting his teeth "Not today, nightmare."

Elias looked up, breathing heavy. Their eyes met for a second — Vance gave him a slight nod. Just enough.

Faith reached Dante next, wrapping her arms around him. "It's not real! You're okay, we're all okay!"

Dante blinked. Then gasped — like waking from drowning.

Dante: choking "I... I thought... I lost you again..."

Elias knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm here, Dante."

Logan looked around warily as the fog finally started to dissipate.

Logan: murmurs "This forest... it doesn't kill you with teeth. It breaks you with truth."

Alice: quietly "Or lies that feel like truth..."

After the encounter with Dante, the group took a moment to catch their breath.

But Elias... he stood still. His vision blurred, the whispering around him growing louder — no longer vague, but almost... familiar.

Suddenly—
The forest darkened around him.

He was no longer standing among the others.

He looked down.

He was tiny.

Barely able to walk.

His arms, small and chubby. His feet, dangling.

He was sitting... on a cold stone floor, wrapped in a soft blue cloth. The world around him was hazy, flickering like candlelight.

In front of him — two figures.

A woman, tall and cloaked, her voice gentle like warm wind.

A man, broad-shouldered, in armor. His presence strong... protective.

He couldn't see their faces. Just silhouettes.

The woman knelt, brushing his hair aside.

Unknown Woman: softly "You're going to be alright, Elias."

The man leaned in, his voice calm but hurried.

Unknown Man: "We'll be back, son. Until then... you be quiet. You stay strong. You stay good."

The woman kissed his forehead. A warmth surged through him.

Then—

Darkness.

Like the forest shut the memory away again, locking it behind some door.

Elias gasped, stumbling back into reality. He looked around—his team was still here, watching him closely.

Faith: concerned "Elias? You okay?"

Elias didn't respond at first.

He placed a hand to his chest, where the warmth from the memory lingered.

Elias: softly, almost to himself "...They called me son."

END OF CHAPTER 8 : WHISPERING WOODS.

Hey everyone! If you're reading this, please drop a comment—anything at all, whether it's positive or negative. I just want to know there's someone real out there reading this. I see the views, but it's hard to tell if anyone's truly here. So please, say hi or share your thoughts! Even one single comment will give me motivation to write.