---
**Early Morning – Edge of the Corrupted Ring**
The light of dawn barely touched the forest floor. Mist clung to the trees, thick and unmoving, as if reluctant to witness what had transpired the night before.
Elira poked at the blackened sigil with a stick.
"So," she said, with more sarcasm than confidence, "this is fine. Just a demonic summoning circle in the middle of a haunted forest. Totally normal."
Yuki stood nearby, his massive form coiled like a living fortress. He stared at the ground, his claws idly raking grooves into the earth.
"It wasn't a demon," he muttered. "It was… warped spirit magic. Something old. *Forgotten.*"
Sylvaeria hovered between them, expression tight. "There were stories of beings sealed beneath this forest—half spirit, half void. Created during the Chaos Wars to serve as guardians… until they turned."
Elira's brow arched. "You mean cursed Frankenstein tree-spirits are real?"
Yuki rumbled in agreement. "And one of them just woke up."
Elira took a cautious step back. "Okay, but real talk—how many more of these twisted spirit rejects are lurking under our feet?"
Sylvaeria hesitated.
"…A forest's worth."
---
**Meanwhile – Human Camp, Nearby Ridge**
Kael crouched on a high branch, peering through his spyglass. The morning mist obscured most of the terrain, but he could *feel* the change.
"The forest is heavier today," he murmured.
Brann was below, munching on a dried meat strip. "Heavier? What, like it gained weight overnight?"
"I'm serious," Kael muttered. "Something big happened out there. I saw a light in the distance last night—red, like fire but… not fire."
Lumi piped up while packing her gear. "I felt a pulse. Like the forest shuddered."
Brann stood, brushing his hands together. "All right, enough creepy vibes. Let's just find Elira and get the hell out of this spirit maze."
Kael tightened his grip on the branch. "If she's still alive."
---
**Deepwood Caverns – Beneath the Sigil Site**
Unseen by any of them, the blackened roots under the summoning ring twisted deeper into the earth. An ancient tunnel system yawned wide, filled with decayed stone and forgotten carvings. Pulses of faint green light blinked along the walls—like a heartbeat.
And in the darkest hollow of the cavern, a voice stirred.
**"The door is open… the vessel awakens."**
Cracked stone shifted.
Chains of old spirit-seal magic pulsed… then flickered.
---
**Back at the Surface – Later That Morning**
Yuki had led Elira and Sylvaeria to a ridge overlooking one of the deeper parts of the forest—a region he rarely visited. The trees here twisted into strange shapes, bark silvered and leaves glowing faintly.
"This is the Deepwood," Sylvaeria explained. "One of the oldest parts of the forest. If we're to understand what's awakening, we need to start here."
Elira peered into the dense fog. "Looks like a place that eats people."
Yuki's eyes glinted. "It does."
"Glad we're on the same page."
They advanced, careful and quiet, until the forest began to whisper again—snippets of voices, half-syllables, old tongue.
**"He waits…"**
**"The blood will call…"**
**"She walks again…"**
Elira gritted her teeth. "Are those voices supposed to be in *my* head or everyone's?"
Yuki shook his head. "Only those touched by the spirit weave."
Sylvaeria gave Elira a long look. "And you're becoming more entwined with it than you realize."
Elira groaned. "Great. Do I get a cool spirit nickname too? Something like 'Mossblade' or 'Daggerleaf?'"
Yuki rumbled in amusement. "How about 'Wanders-Into-Trouble?'"
"Rude."
---
**Final Scene**
As they reached a ridge that opened into a vast hollow filled with glowing blue mushrooms and ancient stones, Elira stopped. Her eyes widened.
In the center of the grove stood a monolith carved from obsidian wood, covered in pulsing sigils—the same as the one from the summoning circle.
And at its base… a figure.
Tall. Cloaked in spirit flame and shadow.
It turned its head toward them.
Yuki stepped forward, protective, his claws glowing.
The figure smiled—and vanished into mist.
---