The Heart of Darkness (Part 1)

After a busy few days in Nexus and grueling training sessions with Galen, Ethan stood at the city's edge, staring into the vast horizon where the Blight awaited. His body ached from Galen's relentless combat drills, but the real exhaustion settled in his mind. He'd done everything he could to prepare, both physically and mentally. Still, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the decayed land beyond, he couldn't help but wonder if it was enough.

Nexus bustled behind him, ignorant of the encroaching danger. The city's citizens went about their lives, unaware of the dark, festering wound spreading not far from their doorstep. Ethan took in a deep breath, letting the cold, crisp air fill his lungs. It was almost peaceful here, but the tranquillity did little to settle his nerves.

He adjusted the straps of his backpack, mentally ticking off the list of things he'd prepared for this expedition. His trips into the Otherworld Free Market had been productive, though costly. He'd spent nearly every coin he had saved, acquiring a selection of items he hoped would be enough to tip the scales in his favor. Protective charms, potions, and a few arcane tools. But desperation made for poor company, and Ethan wasn't about to tackle the Blight empty-handed.

He didn't mention any of this to Galen, though. The burly mercenary preferred the kind of preparation that could be measured in steel and sweat. While Ethan had definitely improved his swordsmanship, he knew that brute force wouldn't be enough against the Blight.

The sound of boots crunching over gravel signaled Galen's approach. The older man had been unusually quiet the past few days, offering curt but valuable advice during their training sessions. His usual dry humor was absent, replaced by a focused intensity that Ethan wasn't used to seeing. It was as though Galen could sense the stakes had risen.

"You ready?" Galen asked, coming to stand beside him. His gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, where the first signs of the Blight's twisted presence began to warp the landscape.

Ethan exhaled slowly, nodding. "As ready as I'm going to be."

Galen grunted in response. "Good. You've improved, but this isn't the same as taking on noble brats or dealing with the odd creature outside the city. The Blight… it's different. Unpredictable."

"I noticed," Ethan replied dryly, recalling his last brush with the Blight. He had barely survived that encounter, and the memory still haunted him.

"Keep your head on a swivel out there," Galen added, his voice tinged with caution.

Ethan offered a half-smile. "I can always fall back on my wit and charm."

Galen didn't laugh. He simply gave Ethan a sidelong glance that spoke volumes: charm wouldn't save him from what awaited.

"Let's move out," Galen said, already walking toward the path that would take them out of the city. "The sooner we get this done, the better."

Ethan followed, the weight of his pack digging into his shoulders as they left the safety of Nexus behind. The city's warm lights and bustling streets faded into the distance as they crossed into the corrupted land. It didn't take long for the signs of the Blight to manifest. The air grew colder, heavier, as though it carried the scent of decay. The once lush grass was now brittle and grey, and the trees that dotted the landscape looked more like skeletal remains than living organisms.

The Blight had spread even further despite Ethan's efforts during his last visit. What had once been a localized threat was now creeping steadily outward, swallowing more of the world with every passing day. Ethan's stomach churned at the sight. He'd known it was bad, but seeing it in person again made it feel all too real.

"This isn't right," he muttered, more to himself than Galen.

The older man nodded grimly. "It's getting worse. And fast. Whatever's causing this, it's not just some freak magic surge."

"I figured as much." Ethan's grip tightened around the hilt of his new short sword strapped to his side. He wasn't a natural fighter, but Galen had drilled him hard these past few days. The constant training had left him with a newfound respect for the sword's weight, the way it could become an extension of his body in the right hands. He just hoped he could remember everything Galen had taught him when it mattered.

They walked in silence for a while, the oppressive atmosphere of the Blight settling over them like a shroud. The deeper they went, the more twisted the land became. Plants that had once thrived were now withered and blackened, their forms grotesquely warped by whatever foul magic coursed through the area. The sky above them seemed darker here, as though the Blight had bled into the very heavens.

Ethan's mind raced with thoughts of what they might encounter. The creatures he'd faced before had been mutated horrors, barely recognizable as the mushrooms they once were. They had been mindless, driven only by the need to spread the corruption further. He suspected that wouldn't be the case this time. There was something more at play here, a force guiding the Blight's spread, and he intended to find out what it was.

"How close are we to the new packs?" Ethan asked, his eyes scanning the barren landscape for any signs of movement.

"Close enough," Galen replied, his voice low. "You'll know when we're there. The air changes. Gets thicker, like you're breathing in mud."

Ethan's skin prickled. "Sounds lovely."

"It's not," Galen said. "Stay sharp. The Blight doesn't announce itself."

They continued in tense silence, the sense of foreboding growing with every step. The wind had picked up, carrying with it an eerie, unnatural howl that seemed to come from the earth itself. Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as they pressed on.

As they reached the heart of the corrupted area, Ethan could feel it—the shift in the air, just as Galen had said. It was thicker here, more oppressive, like walking through a nightmare. The ground beneath their feet was slick with something unnatural, and the twisted remnants of trees loomed over them like sentinels guarding a graveyard.

'This is going to be bad, isn't it?' Ethan thought as he let out a sigh.