Shadowed Power

The Reckoning

The grove trembled beneath them, its pulse dark and relentless, like a beast breathing beneath the soil. Overhead, the sky twisted into unnatural shades of purple and black, swirling with malevolent energy. Each heartbeat of the earth sent a tremor through their bones, as though the very ground was alive, hungry, waiting for a sacrifice. The heart of the grove—the core of its ancient evil—loomed before them, suffocating in its power.

The rogue stood at the center of the group, his gaze locked on the twisted, pulsating tree at the heart of the grove. His knuckles whitened around the hilt of his blade, but still, he did not draw it. Tension coiled around his muscles, the air thick with unspoken decisions.

"You know what must be done," the druid hissed, his voice raw with centuries of failure. He took a step toward the rogue, his eyes wild. "This is what we came for. There is no other way. If we don’t destroy it now, there won’t be another chance."

The rogue’s jaw clenched, his voice a r