The forest grew darker as they ventured deeper, the trees closing in around them. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the only sound was the crunch of their footsteps on the forest floor. But as they pressed on, Lira began to notice something strange—the shadows seemed to shift and move, as if alive.

"Do you see that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kael nodded, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his dagger. "Stay close," he said. "Something's not right."

They moved cautiously, their senses on high alert. The shadows twisted and writhed, forming shapes that seemed almost human. Lira's heart pounded as she realized what they were—spirits, trapped between worlds, their forms distorted by the Veil.

"We're close," Kael said, his voice tense. "The gateway must be near."

As if in response, the shadows surged forward, surrounding them in a swirling mass of darkness. Lira's breath caught in her throat as the spirits closed in, their whispers filling the air.

"Leave this place," one of the spirits hissed, its voice a chilling echo. "The Veil is not for the living."

Kael stepped forward, his dagger drawn. "We mean no harm," he said, his voice steady. "We seek only to pass."

The spirits hissed again, their forms shifting and contorting. "The price must be paid," another spirit said, its voice dripping with malice. "The dead do not forgive."

Lira's mind raced. The spirits were testing them, just as the Threshold had. But this time, she wasn't sure what they wanted. She glanced at Kael, her eyes wide with fear.

"What do we do?" she whispered.

Kael's jaw tightened. "We stand our ground," he said. "We don't back down."

The spirits surged forward, their forms coalescing into a single, towering figure. Its eyes burned with a cold, malevolent light, and its voice echoed like thunder.

"Prove your worth," it demanded. "Face the trial of the Veil."

Before Lira could react, the ground beneath them gave way, and they were plunged into darkness.