Kaizen stopped in front of the store entrance, feeling the air around him suddenly become denser, as if the very environment was trying to discourage him from continuing. The vines that covered the door seemed to pulse gently, in tune with the breathing of the surrounding forest, and the reigning silence was interrupted only by the occasional rustling of the leaves above. Dusk had plunged the Forest of Shadows into an eerie gloom, making each shadow longer and deeper, as if time itself had slowed down.
"Is this the entrance?" Kaizen murmured, more to himself than to Alaric, as his eyes fixed on the wooden door with no visible inscription or symbol.
Alaric stepped forward, confirming with a nod. "Yes, this is it. Thalion prefers to keep a low profile. He believes that those who really need his services will find their way, regardless of appearances."
