**Chapter 15: Fractured Reflections**

As they emerged from the chamber, the dim light of the Slough's twilight enveloped them, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Cormag led the way, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a newfound sense of purpose. Sith followed closely, his gaze still haunted by the memories of the crystal formation's pull. The trees seemed to loom over them, their branches like skeletal fingers reaching out to snatch them back. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and Cormag could feel the weight of the Slough's magic pressing down on him. He knew they had to keep moving, to find a way to break the Echo's hold on Sith and shatter the forest's grip on their minds. As they walked, the silence between them grew thicker, like a fog that clung to their skin. Cormag could feel Sith's thoughts churning, his friend struggling to reconcile the memories of his past with the darkness that had threatened to consume him. The forest seemed to be watching them, its twisted limbs and gnarled branches like sentinels guarding the secrets of the Slough. Cormag's thoughts turned to the Echo, her laughter still echoing in his mind like a malignant presence. He knew she was waiting for them, her patience wearing thin as they attempted to defy her control. The Slough's power was a palpable force, a living entity that pulsed with malevolent energy. Suddenly, Sith stopped, his eyes fixed on something ahead. Cormag followed his gaze, and his heart sank. A figure stood before them, its back to them, shrouded in the misty veil that clung to the forest floor. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Cormag and Sith approached cautiously. The figure slowly turned, its face revealed in the fading light. Cormag's breath caught in his throat as he beheld a young woman, her skin deathly pale, her eyes sunken into dark circles. Her hair was a wild tangle of black locks, and her presence seemed to draw the very light out of the air. A faint aura of decay surrounded her, like the scent of rotting flowers. "Welcome, Cormag," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've been waiting for you." Her eyes flickered to Sith, and a hint of sadness crept into her expression. "And for you, dear friend." Cormag felt a shiver run down his spine as he recognized the woman. She was Lyra, a name whispered in terror by the villagers who lived on the edge of the Slough. They said she was a sorceress, a weaver of dark magic who had made a pact with the forest's malevolent forces. Lyra's eyes seemed to bore into Cormag's soul, as if searching for something hidden deep within. "You're searching for a way out, aren't you?" she asked, her voice dripping with an otherworldly knowledge. "A way to escape the Slough's grasp and shatter the Echo's hold on Sith." Cormag hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But something in Lyra's gaze put him at ease, a sense of desperation that seemed to mirror his own. "Yes," he said, his voice firm. "We're looking for a way out." Lyra's expression was a mixture of sadness and determination. "I can help you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it will come at a cost. Are you willing to pay the price?" Cormag exchanged a glance with Sith, and together, they nodded. They knew that they had no other choice, that their fate was tied to the sorceress's words. Lyra's smile was a faint, enigmatic thing, but it was enough to give Cormag a glimmer of hope in the darkness. As they stood there, the forest seemed to hold its breath, the trees looming over them like sentinels guarding the secrets of the Slough. Cormag knew that they were standing at a crossroads, that the choices they made would determine their fate. He steeled himself for what lay ahead, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum. The darkness seemed to be closing in around them, but with Lyra's help, they might just find a way to escape the Slough's grasp and shatter the Echo's hold on Sith.