Chapter 45

Marcus heaved a sigh of relief as he looked at both the swordsman and the sorceress, then he turned and glanced at his team. Almost all of them were sitting on the ground, exhausted. The merchant had been kept safe from the waves of undead creatures that were summoned by the lich, and somehow, none of them had died. Marcus knew that if the swordsman and sorceress had not been around, it was likely that some of them would have perished that night.

With a cough, Marcus spat out the bloody mess in his mouth. "Hey, great work with that sword... thanks for helping out and killing Zephyrus," he said, expressing his gratitude. "I didn't catch your names earlier. I am Marcus, the adventurer hired by this man here to escort him to Sanctavia." Marcus made a conscious effort to be more polite as he addressed Astaroth and Lalitha.

Astaroth, the swordsman, wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded in acknowledgment. His eyes held a steely determination, a testament to his skill and experience. "You can call me Astaroth," he replied with a slight nod. "It was my duty to protect the innocent, and it seems we make a good team, Marcus."

Lalitha, the sorceress, gracefully straightened herself, her cloak billowing in the wind. Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of amber, sparkled with an otherworldly power. "I am Lalitha," she introduced herself, her voice carrying an air of mystery. "It is fortuitous that our paths have crossed. Together, we can face the dangers that lie ahead."

Marcus looked at both of them curiously. Somehow, the brief introduction given by the swordsman and the sorceress seemed like fake identities, but in a world filled with people who concealed their true selves, it wasn't entirely surprising. Setting aside his suspicions, Marcus cleared his throat and asked, "If you don't mind me asking, where are you heading? If you're going towards Sanctavia, perhaps we could travel together."

The swordsman exchanged a glance with the sorceress before responding. "Sanctavia is indeed our destination," he replied, his voice steady and measured. "But my partner and I would prefer to travel on our own." Astaroth rejected the offer from Marcus.

"I understand. I will be honest with you," Marcus said. "With your skills, there should be no problem for you and the sorceress to travel on your own. I am simply trying to ensure the safety of everyone by gathering skilled individuals to travel together."

Marcus grinned sheepishly and then continued in a more serious tone, "I have witnessed your abilities, but you need to be aware of the strange occurrences that have been happening. We are dangerously close to the Forbidden Forest, and for that lich to suddenly appear here, so near Sanctavia..." Marcus's voice grew softer as he mentioned the forbidden forest and the lich.

"What lies within the forbidden forest?" Astaroth asked, his voice betraying a mix of trepidation and intrigue. Marcus, a seasoned traveler, looked at him with a solemn expression.

"No one truly knows," Marcus replied, his voice hushed. "The forest was deemed forbidden by the Pope of Sanctavia, declared off-limits to all. Venturing inside could result in the arrest of the relentless templars, who will not hesitate to throw you into jail. But I must warn you, Astaroth, something sinister lurks within those shadowed depths. We have already encountered a malevolent manticore, and even a lich and we are not even in that forest yet.."

As they discussed the mysterious forest, the merchant approached them, his steps hurried and his face filled with gratitude. "Thank you for saving me," he exclaimed. "I couldn't help but overhear that you're also journeying to Sanctavia. I would be willing to hire you as temporary guards until we reach our destination. What say you?"

Astaroth glanced at the merchant, his eyes filled with skepticism. "We shall not be traveling together," he stated firmly, his voice unwavering. "I have already made it clear to your companion that I prefer to traverse this path alone." Without waiting for the merchant's response, Astaroth turned away, Lalitha following closely behind, their determined footsteps leading them toward the direction of Sanctavia.

Soon, Astaroth and Lalitha reached the edge of the forbidden forest. They could tell that the atmosphere of the forest was vastly different from any other forest they had been to. The air was colder, and an eerie sense of somberness hung in the surroundings. Astaroth looked behind him, ensuring that the merchant and his hired men hadn't caught up with them. He then turned his gaze to Lalitha and said, "Let's take a detour before we enter Sanctavia. I can sense a powerful force at work here."

Lalitha, her eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of concern, nodded in agreement. She trusted Astaroth's instincts implicitly, for the demon king possesses an uncanny ability to perceive and harness the hidden energies that flowed through the realms they traversed. Together, they veered off the main path and ventured deeper into the outskirts of the forbidden forest.

As they delved further into the forest, the towering trees seemed to close in around them, their gnarled branches forming an ominous canopy overhead. The once comforting songs of birds were replaced by haunting whispers that echoed through the dense undergrowth, sending shivers down their spines. The air grew heavy with unsettling energy as if the very atmosphere itself was conspiring against them.

Astaroth, the demon king could sense the presence of something otherworldly at play. He muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the eerie sounds that enveloped them. "There are some magical forces at play here," he murmured, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of curiosity and caution. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a faint glow that emanated from his index finger, casting a soft light that illuminated the darkness around them.

Lalitha observed her master's actions, her eyes wide with a combination of awe and concern. She could feel the curse energy within her own body react to the malevolent aura that hung in the air. "The curse energy in my body is rioting," she confessed, her voice tinged with unease. "It seems that there is also a curse at work here in this forest. Should I attempt to break it, master?"

Astaroth paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on Lalitha. He understood the risks involved in confronting such powerful curses, but he also knew that their very presence indicated something far more sinister at play. With a firm resolve, he nodded. "Yes, my dear apprentice. I have yet to see the power you have stolen from the king. It may be imperative that we break this curse and uncover the secrets hidden within this forest. But be cautious, for the forces we are about to face may be unlike anything we have encountered before."

Lalitha took a deep breath, steadying her nerves as she prepared to channel her magical abilities. With focused determination, she channeled her inner strength, feeling the surge of power course through her veins. Closing her eyes, she extended her hands toward the surrounding darkness, her fingertips glowing with a faint, ethereal light. The curse energy within her resonated with the malevolence in the air, guiding her toward the epicenter of the curse.

As Lalitha's hands drew closer together, the glow intensified, forming a pulsating orb of radiant energy. With a sudden burst of power, she released the energy towards the heart of the curse, watching as the orb collided with an unseen barrier. A deafening explosion reverberated through the forest, causing the very ground to tremble beneath their feet.

The explosion had cleared a path, revealing a hidden glade nestled deep within the forest's unforgiving depths. Astaroth beheld the ominous sight before him. In the heart of the glade, a sinister-looking stone altar stood proudly, its surface adorned with grotesque carvings that seemed to writhe with malevolence. It emanated an aura of ancient power as if whispering dark secrets to anyone who dared approach.

Compelled by curiosity, Astaroth extended his hand, allowing his fingertips to trace the intricate carvings etched into the surface of the stone altar. To his astonishment, he recognized the markings as the ancient script of Eldoria, a language long forgotten by all and it should not have appeared here in Arcania.

As his eyes followed the curves and lines, a shiver ran through him, for the words inscribed on the altar conveyed a dire warning. "This is the resting place of the entity of destruction, the one who was worshipped as the bringer of doom," Astaroth murmured, his voice barely audible against the hushed whispers of the forest. "Any trespasser who dares to disturb his eternal slumber shall be cursed for all eternity. Their descendants will forever be enslaved to him when he awakens once more."

Lalitha gazed at Astaroth, her eyes filled with curiosity. "Master, these carving, I cannot recognize the words… who do you believe lies entombed here? This forest lies within the boundaries of Sanctavia, where the people devoutly worship the goddess. To have such a curse embedded in this sacred land... it feels out of place."