The first rays of the sun struggled through the mist, casting long, trembling shadows across the forest. Noona walked silently, her blade sheathed, but every instinct screamed that danger lurked just beyond sight.
Beside her, Lisa and Akin moved with careful steps, eyes scanning the eerie surroundings. The hooded figure's words echoed in Noona's mind: "Only by finding the seal… by facing the origin… can the echoes be silenced."
They had no map, no guidance, only fragments of visions from the blood moon night—the child's scream, the twisting shadows, the ancient symbols pulsing faintly on the battlefield.
Hours passed, or maybe days—time seemed meaningless in the forest's hush. Then, a faint glow appeared in the distance, a pale, flickering light that beckoned them forward.
As they approached, the mist thickened, swirling into shapes that resembled hands, faces, and eyes that had been forgotten by time. Whispers clawed at their minds again, softer now, pleading, guiding them: "Follow… follow… find the heart…"
Noona took a deep breath, gripping her resolve. Lisa's hand rested briefly on her shoulder, and Akin's gaze hardened—they all knew the path ahead would be fraught with danger. The shadows were only the first guardians of a deeper evil.
The glow grew stronger, revealing ruins buried beneath twisted roots and vines. At its center, a stone altar etched with ancient runes pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat trapped in the earth. Noona's heart skipped.
"This is it," she whispered. "The origin. The heart of the darkness that has haunted centuries. The seal… it waits for someone brave enough to mend it."
Lisa and Akin nodded silently. Together, they stepped forward into the unknown, ready to confront whatever lay within.