The group looked around as they shook off the water from themselves.


    “Where are we now?”


    Methild narrowed her eyes as she looked around but she couldn’t make out anything. She could see her companions close by but her naturally sharp elven senses couldn’t penetrate the darkness surrounding them. The place they were in was dark, unnaturally so. Just experiencing something similar to this, Methild quickly came to the conclusion that this darkness was created by something or someone. As she tried to get a touch with others, Morrigan tackled her to the ground.


    “Dodge!”


    Something fast passed above their heads.


    “Everyone, be careful! This is how Father used to train me! This darkness is his doing! It dulls our senses!”


    Morrigan held Methild’s hand and helped her stand up. She quickly guided her to Nocturna and Amaterasu.


    “Does this mean that he is here? Or at least his memory?”


    Nocturna asked the question eating Morrigan ever since she realized where they were. Of course, she would like to see her father once again but she was also scared. What if he doesn’t approve of her? What if seeing him again just makes her own weakness and incompetence more obvious?


    “It is possible. But he can’t really communicate to us in a meaningful way as he is a memory, a repetition of the past.”


    Methild explained. The group moved forward, dodging and blocking attacks from time to time.


    “This is a pretty harsh training.”


    Methild complained as she stumbled several steps back after blocking an attack.


    “It was necessary for me to survive in the real world.”


    Morrigan defended. She sounded uncharacteristically offended, something that Amaterasu her childhood friend caught on easily. Amaterasu knew that it was because Morrigan took Methild’s words as a criticism of her father.


    “Whifur wasn’t as safe as today when we were growing up. We had to learn how to fend for ourselves quickly.”


    Amaterasu placed a comforting hand on Morrigan''s shoulder, understanding the underlying tension in her words. She knew all too well the struggles Morrigan had faced growing up in Whifur when it was newly founded. Not only beastkin had to take care of their basic necessities like food, water, and shelter in this new place, but they also had to fend off slavers and monsters.


    "I know, Morrigan," Amaterasu reassured, her voice gentle yet firm. “Uncle Adriel did what he thought was necessary to protect you, just like mine did.”


    Morrigan nodded, grateful for Amaterasu''s understanding. As they continued to navigate through the darkness, each step forward felt like a triumph against the oppressive shadows that threatened to engulf them. Morrigan remained vigilant, her senses honed to their limits as she anticipated the next attack from her father''s memory.


    And then, finally, they emerged into the light, the darkness receding like a distant memory as they stepped into the warm embrace of daylight. While they were in a forest with trees long enough to block out most of the light, after their experience in that darkness they were happy for it.


    Morrigan sighed with both relief and disappointment since she didn’t get to meet with her father. She quickly shook her head and focused. She had to find out which memory they were in. The forest they were in was unfamiliar despite it being her memory.


    However, her unfamiliarity ended as she saw a cart wheeling away with beastkin walking behind it with chains binding them.


    “My first kill…”


    She muttered to herself. As Morrigan watched the scene unfold before her, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over her. The sight of the beastkin slaves being carted away, their faces etched with resignation and despair, stirred something deep within her. It was not long after she ran away from Whifur to avoid her responsibilities. She had found some dungeons and cleared them by herself so she felt good about herself.


    That was until she came across these slavers. It felt like a slap to her face. Maybe it was a way of karma coming back to her. Or maybe it was Ancestors showing her what avoiding her duty led to. At that time being younger and less experienced, Morrigan didn’t think that. The only thing she thought was killing those slavers. Her guilt only fueled her anger.


    “Morrigan?”


    She didn’t hear Ama calling to her. She leaped forward becoming a black lightning as her claws severed the heads of the slavers before they could react. Others rushed to join her as she stood surrounded by the corpses and beastkin begging to be set free.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    As Morrigan stood amidst the carnage, her breaths coming in ragged gasps, she felt a mix of satisfaction and guilt wash over her. The adrenaline of battle still coursed through her veins, mingling with the weight of her actions. She had killed monsters before but this was different, killing another sapient being was different.


    “By killing someone you rob them of their future and whatever that future holds.”


    That was what her father said to her with a serious expression on his face. Morrigan didn’t understand how heavy of a statement this was at that time. She thought that if she killed a bad person she would stop them from doing bad things forever and a part of her still thought like that.


    But Poyraz and the things she lived through changed that. It was true that some people couldn’t be reasoned with but killing wasn’t some kind of miracle solution. She couldn’t just blindly murder everyone standing in her way.


    "We can''t stay here," Methild urged, breaking Morrigan out of her reverie. “We need to move forward.”


    With a heavy heart, Morrigan nodded. They walked until they started to notice tendrils coming out of the ground. They pulsed and let out an ominous light. Morrigan eyed the tendrils warily, a sense of foreboding settling over her like a shroud. She knew instinctively that they were a manifestation of something dark and sinister, a looming threat that lurked just beneath the surface of her memories.


    “Guess we are close to the marker.”


    Methild also examined the tendrils but didn’t dare to touch them.


    “Didn’t you say that the marker was a small and passive thing?”


    Nocturna asked, her voice filled with concern.


    “It used to be like that before it got activated. It is active now.”


    Methild explained as they walked deeper into the twisted landspace. As they ventured deeper into the twisted landscape, the air grew heavy with a palpable sense of dread. The aggressive spikes protruding from the ground seemed to reach out like gnarled fingers, ready to ensnare anyone who dared to tread upon them. The sky above took on a muddy, murky quality, casting an eerie pall over the desolate landscape. Morrigan gulped as she was reminded of the muddy prison she was trapped in.


    Out of nowhere, the ground beneath them came alive, tendrils bursting out everywhere to impale them.


    “Looks like it won’t go down without a fight!”


    Methild shouted while all mages cast their magical barriers to block the attack. Something dark dripped down from the sky in front of them. Morrigan’s eyes widened as she recognized the shape the thing was taking. It was the same being she saw in her dreams. She stared it down as mouths filled with teeth and countless eyes stared back.


    The creature loomed before them, its grotesque form twisting and writhing in the dim light.


    “Fireball!”


    Ama was the first one to recover and fired her spell. The Fireball hit the middle of the creature but it didn’t seem like it took damage. Its body shifted to form spiked tendrils and came down on the group.


    “Stone Wall!”


    “Moonlight Shield!”


    Nocturna and Methild defended against the attack while Ama created numerous fire arrows. Morrigan gripped her daggers quickly as she danced through the chaos, her agile movements like a graceful ballet of death as she struck with pinpoint accuracy. However, despite the attacks raining upon the creature the group found themselves being pushed back. What’s more, Nocturna called out to others in panic.


    “I don’t think I can stay here any longer!”


    Morrigan looked back and saw bat beastkin’s form fluctuating in and out of reality. Morrigan tightened her grip. They were still in her mind and it rejected the others as they were outside existences. The use of their powers only seemed to speed up the process. Nocturna, weakest among them was to first one to be thrown out of her mind.


    “Morrigan! Come closer! Before I am kicked out!”


    Nocturna held onto Morrigan’s mind as tightly as she could while arcane symbols made out of silvery mana formed in front of her. Even though Morrigan didn’t know what those symbols were, she trusted Nocturna enough to rush to her side.


    “This is the best buff I can give to you. I am sorry for not being able to help more. Please win, all of Whifur trusts you!”


    Nocturna’s form disappeared after she used all of her remaining mana to buff Morrigan. With a burst of speed, Morrigan charged towards the creature, her daggers gleaming with a fierce determination. She leaped into the air, her blades growing by drawing the surrounding shadows to themselves. The creature''s tendrils lashed out in a desperate attempt to stop her, but Amaterasu''s relentless fire and Methild''s magical barriers kept them at bay.


    "Now, Morrigan!" Methild urged, her voice filled with encouragement. Morrigan''s daggers plunged into the creature''s core, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The creature let out a deafening screech, its body convulsing violently as dark energy erupted from the wound. Morrigan held her ground, her grip on her daggers unwavering as the creature''s form began to dissolve into nothingness. Finally, with one last shudder, the creature disintegrated, leaving behind a dark, swirling void where it had once stood. Morrigan stumbled back, breathing heavily as the adrenaline began to wear off. She turned to her friends, relief washing over her as she saw their determined faces.


    "We did it," she said, a small smile breaking through her exhaustion.


    Methild sighed.


    “I swear if I have to fight another amorphous dark being once more… But not yet.”


    Methild said, her voice cutting through the brief moment of respite. "The marker is still active. That creature was just a manifestation of its power. We need to destroy the marker itself to end this once and for all."


    Morrigan nodded, understanding the gravity of their task. She looked at the dark void left by the creature, knowing that the true challenge still lay ahead. With her friends by her side, she felt ready to face whatever horrors awaited them.


    As they prepared to enter the void, the tendrils around them began to recede, creating a narrow path that led deeper into the twisted landscape of Morrigan''s mind. The air grew colder, and the oppressive sense of dread intensified with each step they took. In the distance, a faint, eerie glow marked their destination. Morrigan could feel the marker''s presence, a dark beacon that pulsed with malevolent energy. She tightened her grip on her daggers, her resolve unshakable.


    "We need to be careful," Methild warned, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. "The marker will defend itself with everything it has."


    Finally, after a long walk through memories, they reached the heart of the marker''s power. Seeing them being in front of them, Morrigan flashed her teeth and growled while Ama scowled.


    “Welcome, child. I missed you.”


    The marker was in the shape of Grandpa Adonis, their mentor corrupted against his will. He looked exactly like how he looked when they fought against him months ago.


    It felt like a cruel twist of fate, designed to break her spirit.