Page 40 of Whispers of the Magical Forest

"The ritual chamber," Bas said grimly. "They're channeling power through the entire complex and using these tunnels like magical circuits. And based on these energy patterns..." He trailed off as he studied the purple light that seeped from the walls.

"Based on what?" I prompted, though I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say.

"The magical frequencies are converging," Gadross added, his face pale as he studied the pulsing energy. "Like tributaries flowing into a river of power."

"Based on this power, we're not approaching a ritual chamber," Bas replied. "We're walking into the heart of whatever they're building. And it's already active."

Lovely. Just bloody lovely. Another fun day out with the Backside of Forty crew. Although I had to admit, even for us, this was getting a bit excessive. We were weaker without Aislinn, and it terrified me.

The tunnel ahead opened into what had once been a natural cavern beneath Hambledon. The limestone walls were carved with runes that pulsed with that sickly purple light. Each symbol looked like it had been etched with acid and pain rather than proper tools. The physical stench of decay made my nausea worse.

"Anyone else getting horror film vibes?" Fiona asked. She flinched as another wave of corruption tried to seep through her wound. Bas's power automatically reached out to push it away. "Because I'm fairly certain this is the part where someone says 'what could possibly go wrong' and then everything goes completely tits up."

"Don't," I warned her, though I agreed. The cavern ahead felt like something out of one of those late-night films they show on Channel Four when they're trying to be edgy. "I swear I'm going mental just being near this place. Everything natural has been turned inside out."

"The process is accelerating," Bas observed. His aristocratic features were tight with disgust as he studied the magical currents flowing through the chamber.

A scream cut through the air. One I recognized. Aislinn's voice was filled with pain and fury. Thesound made my magic surge beneath my skin. And golden fire erupted around my hands without conscious thought.

"I'm not sure how close that is," Argies snarled. His dragon fire lit his eyes. The temperature in the cavern rose several degrees as his control slipped. "But something's wrong with the acoustics. The sound's being redirected and magically amplified."

"The chamber's architecture," Gadross noted grimly, "it's designed to channel and amplify magical frequencies."

He was right. The scream seemed to come from multiple directions at once. It bounced off the corrupted walls in ways that defied normal physics. Why make anything simple when you could be dramatic about it? "They're using her pain to power something," I realized as my magical senses picked up patterns in the energy flows.

Fiona nodded and gestured ahead of us in an arc. "Each scream feeds into these circuits they've built. It's all connected. The vessels, the ritual, even these bloody walls. They've turned all of Hambledon's underground into one massive magical machine."

"And we are the battery they need to power it," I finished. Her face was pale but determined despite the corruption trying to eat through her defenses. "As soon as they get us, they'll be able to activate it fully."

Another scream echoed through the chambers. This one cut off abruptly. The sudden silence was somehow worse than the sound had been. The purple light pulsing through the runes intensified. I could feel power building throughout the complex like pressure before a storm. "We can't go running after the sound. It's a trap to lure us in," I warned Argies.

"You're right. But time is running out," Thanos said unnecessarily. "We need to move. Now."

"Should we split up?" Fiona asked. "Cover more ground?"

"Not bloody likely," I replied. "Have you never seen a horror film? Splitting up is exactly what they want us to do. Besides, I've got a better idea." I reached for my phoenix fire, letting it build until golden flames filled my vision. "These tunnels are connected, yeah? Part of their magical circuit?"

Understanding dawned in Bas's eyes. "If we disrupt the flow in one section..."

"It'll ripple through the whole system," I confirmed with a grim smile. "It might even give us a clearer path to Aislinn. Though I imagine they'll have something to say about us mucking about with their careful planning."

"Let them try," Argies growled. His form started to shimmer with barely contained dragon power. "I've got some things to say about them taking my mate."

I gathered my power and allowed the phoenix to rise within me. At my side, Thanos's blade pulsed in harmony with my flames while Bas and Argies prepared their own assault on the magical circuits. Gadross positioned himself strategically, ready to analyze any weaknesses our combined attack might reveal.

"Ready?" I asked, though it was a bit of a redundant question. None of us were really ready for this level of madness, but when had that ever stopped us?

"Let's try not to bring the whole of Hambledon down on our heads," Fiona suggested as she gathered what power she could despite her wound.

"No promises," I replied and then released my power into the nearest cluster of corrupted runes.

The effect was immediate and violent. My phoenix fire hit the magical circuit like a hammer to glass. It sent fractures of golden light racing through the purple corruption. The backlash nearly knocked me off my feet. Thanos cut through the stone. Grey lightning sparked across the surface. Bas's Fae magic targeted specific nodes andArgies's dragon fire provided raw power. Fiona's magic twined with mine to enhance my assault.

For a moment, it seemed to be working. The corruption retreated and revealed cleaner passages beneath its taint. Then, the shadows erupted from the walls like geysers of liquid darkness. They formed into nightmare shapes with the faces of previous victims twisted in their depths.

But it was Argies who turned the tide. His fury at Aislinn's capture finally broke free. He transformed into his full dragon form despite the confined space. The rest of us scrambled to the edges of the room. The cavern could barely contain him, but that didn't seem to matter as his fire melted stone and shadow alike.

The magical circuit was overloaded under our combined assault. Victory turned to horror as I realized the corruption wasn't retreating. It was being drawn deeper into the complex. Our power was feeding something that had alarm bells clanging in my head. Aislinn's scream echoed through the chambers then. It had changed somehow. It was no longer pure. The sound made my heart ache even as it urged me to burn everything.

---