The silence that filled the forest after the battle was not one of peace, but of mourning. The smell of blood still permeated the air, mixed with the icy chill Amelia had left behind. The trees, twisted and wet with the night dew, seemed to watch the four travelers—the princess in the center, protected by the three guardians.

They walked to a small clearing where the ground was not covered in corpses and uprooted roots. There, finally, Irelia stopped and took a deep breath, wiping away the dried blood that still dripped from her arm. Amelia and Sylphie approached, the princess staying close to the natural mage, as if her presence were a safe haven.

Irelia broke the silence first:

"We must decide now which path to take." Her dark eyes swept the forest. "Today's ambush proves we are not safe. Someone knows we are taking the princess to Azalith."

Amelia raised an eyebrow, resting her staff on the frozen ground.

"It's no surprise." Her voice was calm, but ironic. "A princess from another kingdom, three women of rising reputation… of course there would be hunters after us. The question isn't if, but how many are still waiting."

Sylphie, her hand still resting on the princess's shoulder, took a deep breath and said,

"There are two main routes. The northern road, longer but relatively safe, with villages and rest stops. And there's the Black Valley Trail, a shortcut that cuts almost ten hours off the journey… but passes through regions even hunters avoid trespassing."

The princess looked up, distressed.

"And… what lives in this black valley?"

Sylphie didn't answer immediately. The wind blew, stirring the leaves, before she finally said,

"Magical creatures. Beasts that have never been tamed. It's a land where the forest itself hunts intruders. A good place despite the problem." Irelia crossed her arms firmly.

"If it's faster, we'll go through the valley. Every day we spend here is a chance of being tracked."

Amelia let out a dry laugh.

"Of course, always the suicidal one. She'd rather fight monsters than men."

"I'd rather not risk the princess on an open road, full of eyes and spies. Especially without Kael with us, we're still very different from him..." Irelia countered, her tone harsh.

Sylphie intervened, her voice soft but firm.

"You're both right. The northern road offers too much visibility. The dark valley, too many dangers."

She stared at the princess.

"The decision must be hers."

Silence fell. The young princess, her face still pale with shock, trembled as she felt all the eyes on her. Her fingers clenched the fabric of her cloak, her heart racing.

"I..." she began hesitantly. "I don't want to delay our journey. Azalith is the destination, and every hour matters. If the valley takes us faster, then… we'll go that way."

Irelia nodded firmly. Amelia sighed, running a hand through her frozen hair.

"So be it. But don't complain when we're being torn apart by hungry beasts."

…

The forest grew denser as they advanced. The air was heavy, thick with humidity and a sweet scent reminiscent of decaying flowers. The roots in the ground intertwined like snakes, forcing them to rise and fall with each step.

The moon barely penetrated. The darkness forced Amelia to keep her staff lit, but the bluish light created even more grotesque shadows around her, like arms reaching for them.

Irelia walked ahead, sword in hand, every muscle on alert. Sylphie stayed close to the princess, her eyes closed at times, listening to the whispers of the forest. Amelia followed behind, muttering softly as each twig snapped beneath her feet.

Hours dragged by.

At one point, Irelia broke the silence:

"We can't afford to fail." She spoke mostly to herself, but her voice carried a weight they all heard. "I've lost too many people by trusting the wrong paths."

Amelia snorted.

"And now you place all our lives in the hands of a girl who barely knows what this world is like." She looked at the princess with disdain. "Courage is no substitute for experience."

The princess bit her lip, but Sylphie stepped forward, her voice sharp as ever:

"She made a difficult decision, Amelia. And I respect that. You should do the same."

For a moment, tension grew between the three of them. But then, the silence of the forest was broken by a distant sound. A howl. Low. Prolonged.

Everyone stopped.

"Wolves?" the princess whispered.

Sylphie frowned, feeling the air.

"No. Something bigger. Much bigger."

Another howl answered, coming from a different direction. And then a third, even closer.

Irelia raised her sword.

"Get ready. We are not alone."

The bushes stirred. From within them, glowing eyes emerged, reflecting the blue light from Amelia's staff. A pair, then two, then five. Slender creatures, with skin as dark as night itself, sharp teeth, and long claws. Their bodies resembled wolves, but there was something distorted about them—limbs too long, mouths too wide, eyes that didn't blink.

The princess took a step back, choking with fear.

"Stay behind me!" Irelia advanced, brandishing her sword.

Amelia raised her staff, a circle of runes glowing beneath her feet.

"Let's see if the cold will silence even the forest."

Sylphie held out her hands, the surrounding roots trembling in response to her call.

"Protect the princess. I'll hold the flanks."

The creatures roared in unison and charged.

Irelia was the first to collide, her sword slicing through the air and severing the head of one with lethal precision. But the decapitated body continued moving for a few seconds before falling, black blood splattering onto the stones.

"Damn things!" she screamed, dodging the leap of another.

Amelia unleashed a blast of pure ice. The cold exploded against three enemies, freezing them in midair, their bodies transformed into grotesque statues that shattered as they hit the ground.

Sylphie, in return, called the forest to life. Twenty roots emerged from the ground, whipping at the monsters, gripping them by their limbs. The smell of damp earth mingled with the putrid stench of the creatures.

But there were too many. More and more eyes glowed in the darkness, surrounding the group.

The princess clutched her cloak to her chest, retreating step by step, while Sylphie kept the roots protecting her like walls.

Irelia slashed, stabbed, retreated, but there were already scratches on her arms. Amelia gasped, her staff trembling from the amount of mana expended in such a short time.

"They won't stop!" the ice mage shouted, raising another icy wall. "It's like the entire forest has spat these things out!"

Sylphie closed her eyes, sweating, her green aura glowing brighter.

"No… it's not the forest. It's something beyond it. Someone… is guiding them."

The princess's heart raced.

"You mean... it's a trap?"

Before they could answer, a colossal shadow rose behind the creatures. A massive form, seemingly made of bones and intertwined roots, with eyes like glowing embers. The ground shook as it advanced.

Irelia cursed, raising her sword.

"Now we're in trouble."

Amelia raised her staff, the runes burning a deep blue, even as sweat trickled down her forehead.

"Then we'll turn this black valley into a cemetery of ice."

Sylphie took a deep breath, raising both hands.

"And I will make the forest itself remember who rules it."

[Elsewhere…]

The clearing was silent.

The ground still bore the marks of the conflict: disturbed earth, dark blood stains, and trees snapped like twigs. The moon illuminated the wreckage with its silvery light, giving the place an almost solemn air.

Most of the witches had already left, following orders or simply seeking safety after the chaos. Only Exelia, the general, and a few subordinates remained, standing around her, firm and disciplined, as if still in battle formation.

Kael adjusted his cloak on his shoulders, breathing heavily, eyes fixed on the horizon. His heart pounded with the need to move on, but something held him still.

Exelia watched him silently, arms crossed, her expression impassive as ever. But there was something in her eyes—a shadow of concern that not even the most hardened general could hide.

"So... is that it?" she broke the silence, her deep voice echoing across the deserted field. "Are you going to run like a madman after them?"

Kael took a deep breath, not looking directly at her.

"I can't stand still." His eyes narrowed. "Irelia, Amelia, Sylphie… they're on the move. And if something goes wrong, I won't forgive myself for not being there."

Exelia snorted, a tired half-smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"You say it as if it were simple. Finding three women in a forest infested with enemies…" She stepped closer, the weight of her presence ever imposing. "And if I can't?"

Kael finally looked at her, smiling.

"No need to be jealous," he joked. "I'll be back later, don't worry."

For a moment, only the night crickets filled the silence. Exelia's subordinates looked away, as if the exchange were too intimate for them to witness.

Exelia sighed, shaking her head.

"You always had that stupid glint in your eye." She moved closer until she was just a step away from him. "I'm not jealous."

Kael smiled amusedly at her blush.

"And I'm a normal guy."