Of Wild and Wither

Camdyn never wanted to lead. But when his brother is killed and their community begins to fracture, he’s forced into a role he was never meant to fill. As the Withering spreads, twisting creatures and devouring the land, Camdyn sets out to find a way to stop it.

In the wreckage of human civilization, magic has reawakened, and with it, old beings long forced into hiding. Camdyn forges an uneasy alliance with Flora, a tree nymph sworn to protect the wilds, and Saelune, a Sirin haunted by visions of ruin. Together they uncover a devastating truth: the Withering is not a disease, but the symptom of a world whose ancient source of balance has been broken.

To heal it, they must journey into the Verdant Deep, where salvation comes at a price and the cost of restoring harmony may demand more than any of them are ready to give.

Content Warning: Biological/creature horror elements are depicted throughout the story.

“Camdyn froze.
The creature stepped into view. It had once been a stag, but now it was something else—mutated and rabid. Its head hung crooked on its neck, its coat patchy and matted, blackened with disease and decay. Its eyes locked onto his, hollow and haunting. Even the ground seemed to rot under its tread.
He’d seen it before. Once. With his brother.
The creature wasn’t the same, but the sickness was.”