The forest loomed like a sleeping beast, thick with fog and shadows that moved when they shouldn't. Cornelius stood at the edge of the Black Forest, his fists clenched, eyes fixed forward. His brown eyes gleamed with something new—determination, not just to survive but to uncover the truth behind everything that had cursed his life.
He hadn't spoken since the last battle, not even to Mira or Aziel. The silence had become his armor, shielding him from the storm that brewed inside. Guilt from the deaths of his stepmother and brothers lingered, even though it wasn't truly his fault. It was the beast inside—the part of him he still couldn't fully control.
Behind him, Mira stepped forward, her hand hovering near his shoulder but not quite touching.
"We don't have to go in yet," she whispered, her voice almost drowned by the wind.
Cornelius didn't turn. "We're already in it," he said simply. Then, without waiting, he stepped into the shadows.
The Black Forest was alive. Trees groaned like ancient creatures waking from slumber. Eyes—red, green, gold—watched from the darkness. The group moved cautiously, each step crunching twigs, echoing louder than it should have.
Aziel gripped his blade tighter. "This place feels cursed."
"It is," said Mira. "Some say it's where the first witch died. Her soul still walks here… angry."
Cornelius didn't flinch. His senses were sharp—more than usual. The deeper they went, the more the forest whispered to him. Voices—soft, familiar. One sounded like his mother. Another, like his father… a man he never met.
He stopped suddenly. The group froze behind him.
"What is it?" Aziel asked.
Cornelius raised a hand for silence.
A soft crying echoed through the trees.
Mira's face turned pale. "No way… not her…"
From behind a twisted oak, a figure stepped into view. A girl, pale as snow, wearing a torn white dress stained with ash. Her hair floated around her like mist, and her eyes… were completely black.
"Who are you?" Cornelius asked, his voice low.
The girl smiled, but it wasn't a kind one. "You're not supposed to be here, Cornelius. Not yet."
Aziel drew his sword. "How does she know your name?"
The girl raised her hand and with a flick of her finger, the forest bent to her will. Vines sprang from the earth, wrapping around Aziel's legs, yanking him down. Trees groaned louder. Something monstrous stirred in the distance.
Cornelius's eyes flared. "Let him go."
"You think you're strong now," the girl whispered, stepping closer. "But you don't even know what's inside you. You're not the hero of this story… you're the beginning of its end."
Suddenly, the ground cracked. A massive claw broke through the soil, followed by another. From beneath, a beast emerged—ten feet tall, covered in bark and bone, with hollow sockets that burned blue.
Mira screamed a spell, fire bursting from her hands. It singed the monster, but it barely flinched.
Cornelius took a step forward, his body trembling—not in fear, but in transformation. His hand twitched as claws began to form. His veins pulsed with power.
The girl laughed. "Yes… become the monster. Let him out."
Cornelius resisted the shift, but only barely. He needed control. If he lost it here, he'd kill everything—including Mira and Aziel.
The monster lunged.
Cornelius jumped, faster than a blink. He tackled the beast midair, slamming it into the trees. Claws met bark, and the forest shook with the force of the impact.
Aziel broke free from the vines, rushing to Mira's side. "What is that thing?"
"A guardian," Mira said, "of the forest's secret. If we're fighting it… we're close to something huge."
Cornelius roared—not like a man, not like a wolf. Something in-between. He slashed at the creature, taking blow after blow. His shirt ripped, his skin cracked with shifting patterns. His human side and beast side were fusing.
And still… he held on to his mind.
With a final cry, he drove his claws into the creature's chest and pulled it apart. The beast crumbled into ash.
The girl clapped, amused. "Impressive. But the deeper you go, the harder it gets. You'll lose yourself, Cornelius. One way or another."
Then, just like that, she vanished.
Silence fell again.
Cornelius turned to Mira and Aziel. "We keep going. There's something in this forest. Something I need to see."
"But what if it's a trap?" Mira asked.
He looked at her, then at the shadows ahead.
"Then let it be."
They continued walking, deeper into the forest—toward secrets, toward danger, toward a truth long buried in blood and bark.
And somewhere far away… Lucas watched through a mirror of black flame, his red eyes narrowing.
"It's finally beginning," he muttered.