Kazaf: The upside down

The journey to the Ruins of Kael'Thar began at dawn. The first rays of sunlight pierced through the twisted branches of Ghostwood Forest, casting long shadows over the group as they prepared to set out.

Kazaf stood at the front, adjusting the straps on his cloak. Beside him, Asma, Rahim, Samir, Harun, Dulla, and Farhan readied their weapons and supplies. Each of them carried a mix of tension and anticipation, knowing the dangers that lay ahead.

Farhan, the one who led them here, remained calm. "The ruins are two days' journey from here," he said. "But the path is treacherous."

Kazaf nodded. "Then we waste no time. Move out."

Through the Ghostwood

The Ghostwood Forest was unlike any terrain they had crossed before. The air was thick with mist, muffling their footsteps as they walked in a tight formation. The trees were ancient, their bark twisted with dark veins pulsing faintly, as if the forest itself were alive.

"This place feels... wrong," Samir muttered.

Rahim kept his hand on the hilt of his blade. "Stay alert."

Asma walked beside Kazaf. Though she said nothing, he could feel her unease.

Farhan led the way, stepping carefully between tangled roots and patches of glowing blue moss. "The ruins are beyond the Silent Hollow," he said. "That's where things get tricky."

Dulla glanced at him. "Define 'tricky.'"

Farhan smirked. "You'll see soon enough."

The Silent Hollow

By midday, they reached a valley where the trees thinned, giving way to a desolate landscape. The ground was cracked, and the air was heavy with an unnatural silence.

"This is the Silent Hollow," Farhan whispered.

As they stepped forward, the silence deepened. No wind, no distant cries of animals—just an overwhelming void of sound.

Kazaf frowned. "This isn't natural."

Then he felt it—a presence lurking just beyond sight.

The ground trembled.

A shadow moved across the cracked earth.

Then, with a sudden rush, they emerged.

Tall, emaciated figures, their skin stretched tight over skeletal frames. Their hollow eyes glowed faintly, and their movements were unnatural, twitching as if controlled by unseen strings.

"The Silence Keepers," Farhan whispered. "Don't let them touch you."

Before anyone could react, the creatures lunged.

Battle in the Hollow

Kazaf was the first to move, his blade flashing as he struck the nearest creature. The impact was like slicing through air—no resistance, no flesh. The Silence Keeper simply reformed.

"Normal attacks won't work!" Dulla shouted, dodging a clawed swipe.

Kazaf gritted his teeth. He focused his spiritual energy, channeling it through his weapon. This time, when he struck, the creature let out a silent shriek and dissolved.

"Use spiritual attacks!" he called out.

Asma unleashed a burst of golden energy from her palms, incinerating two of the creatures. Rahim and Samir fought back-to-back, their combined strikes tearing through the horde.

But for every Silence Keeper they destroyed, more emerged.

"This isn't working!" Harun shouted.

Farhan narrowed his eyes. "We're not supposed to fight them. We need to run."

Kazaf hesitated, then nodded. "Move! Now!"

They sprinted through the Hollow, dodging and weaving between the creatures. Kazaf covered the rear, cutting down any that got too close.

Finally, they reached the other side, crossing an invisible boundary. The Silence Keepers stopped abruptly, watching them from the shadows.

Then, one by one, they vanished.

The Ruins of Kael'Thar

Beyond the Silent Hollow, the landscape changed. Towering stone pillars rose from the ground, covered in ancient carvings. The ruins of a once-great civilization stretched before them.

"We made it," Asma breathed.

But there was no relief in Kazaf's heart.

Because standing at the entrance, waiting for them, was someone else.

A lone figure clad in black robes, his face obscured by a dark veil.

Farhan's expression darkened. "Damn it."

"You know him?" Kazaf asked.

Farhan nodded grimly. "His name is Malik. He serves Jalwa."

The man stepped forward. "You've come far," he said, his voice smooth and controlled. "But your journey ends here."

Kazaf tightened his grip on his blade. "We'll see about that."

Malik raised a hand. A pulse of dark energy spread across the ruins.

Then, from the shadows, the Sentinels of the Lost began to rise.

The Sentinel's Test

Stone armor covered their towering forms, their faces hidden beneath ancient helmets. Their weapons—massive halberds and curved blades—glowed with ominous energy.

Farhan cursed. "They won't let us pass."

Kazaf stepped forward. "Then we make them."

The Sentinels charged.

Kazaf met the first with a powerful strike, his blade clashing against the ancient warrior's halberd. The force of the impact sent tremors through the ground.

Rahim and Samir fought side by side, dodging the sweeping attacks of two Sentinels. Asma's hands glowed with golden energy as she weaved between the warriors, striking at their weak points.

Harun was thrown back by a powerful strike, but Dulla caught him before he hit the ground.

"They're too strong!" Dulla gritted his teeth.

Farhan studied the battle, then called out, "Don't fight to kill! Fight to prove your worth!"

Kazaf realized what he meant.

The Sentinels weren't enemies—they were judges.

He stepped back, taking a deep breath. Instead of attacking recklessly, he moved with precision, dodging their strikes and responding with controlled force.

Slowly, the Sentinels began to acknowledge him.

Asma and the others followed his lead, shifting from aggression to defense. One by one, the Sentinels lowered their weapons.

Then, without a word, they stepped aside.

The path to the Void Shard was open.

The Void Shard

At the heart of the ruins, inside an ancient temple, they found it.

The Void Shard floated above a pedestal, pulsing with an eerie, violet light.

Farhan approached it cautiously. "This is it."

Kazaf reached out. The moment his fingers brushed the shard, a wave of cold energy surged through him.

Visions flooded his mind—Jalwa, standing over a chained prisoner. His father.

Kazaf's heart pounded.

He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip.

Then, everything went black.

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