The ashen hues of the forest near Nightshade Castle were stark against the dark twilight sky, the trees standing like silent guards watching over a scene of tense concern.
The ground was carpeted with fallen leaves, adding a soft rustle to the murmurs of the gathered guards.
In the midst of this somber setting, Silvia and Kayla stood eerily still, their hands clasped tightly together as if holding onto each other was their only anchor in a storm.
Kayla's face was pinched in an expression of pain, tears streaming down her cheeks, her eyes squeezed shut against some unseen horror. Beside her, Silvia looked out into nothingness, her eyes wide and glassy, trembling as if she had glimpsed something too frightful to comprehend.
