"Alysia!" A sharp voice pulled her back. Turning, she met the stern gaze of her best friend, Kael, his arms crossed and brow furrowed.
"Relax, Kael," she said, waving dismissively. "I'm just going for a walk."
"A walk? Through the Cera Forest? Are you out of your mind?" He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "You know what they say about that place. People don't just wander in there for fun, Alysia."
She sighed, rolling her eyes. "It's not for fun. It's research. You wouldn't understand."
Kael grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stop. "No, you're not doing this. Whatever you think you'll find out there, it's not worth your life."
Her gaze hardened. "Let go of me, Kael. I'm not a child. Besides, I'm a witch, remember? I can handle myself."
Kael's grip loosened, but his worry remained etched in his face. "You're my best friend. Don't make me stand by and watch you do something stupid."
Alysia hesitated. She knew he meant well, but the pull of the forbidden forest was too strong to ignore. "I'll be fine," she said softly. "Trust me."
Without waiting for a reply, she slipped into the shadows of the city, the scroll clutched tightly in her hands.
---
Scene: The Edge of the Cera Forest
The trees loomed like silent sentinels, their gnarled branches twisting toward the starless sky. Alysia took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. She had read the warnings, heard the tales, but something about this place called to her.
"Just a quick look," she murmured to herself. "In and out."
The forest was eerily quiet, the only sound the crunch of leaves beneath her boots. The deeper she ventured, the heavier the air seemed to grow, as if the forest itself was alive, watching her every move.
"Foolish girl."
Alysia spun around, her heart pounding. "Who's there?"
Silence.
She shook her head. "Great. Now I'm imagining things."
But as she turned back to her path, a low growl echoed through the woods. She froze, her hand instinctively reaching for the small dagger at her belt.
The growl grew louder, closer. From the shadows emerged a creature unlike anything she had ever seen—its eyes glowing like embers, its body a twisted amalgamation of fur and scales.
"An oglin," she whispered, her voice trembling.
The creature lunged, and Alysia barely managed to dodge, the swipe of its claws grazing her arm. She stumbled back, clutching her injury, as the oglin circled her.
"Stay back!" she shouted, summoning what little magic she could muster. A faint glow emanated from her hands, but it was weak—too weak.
The oglin snarled, preparing to strike again, when a sudden roar shook the forest. The ground trembled beneath Alysia's feet as a blinding light erupted from the darkness.
The oglin whimpered, retreating into the shadows, and Alysia turned to face the source of the light. Her breath caught in her throat.
Before her stood a massive stone structure, its surface etched with ancient runes that pulsed with an otherworldly energy. The air around it was electric, humming with raw power.
"The tomb," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
She stepped closer, the pull of the structure irresistible. As her fingers brushed against the cold stone, the runes flared to life, and a deafening crack split the air.
The door to the tomb began to open.
"Alysia," a deep, guttural voice rumbled from within, sending shivers down her spine. "You should not have come."