The darkness that had converged toward the lake had vanished completely, leaving the atmosphere cleansed. The oppressive aura was replaced by an overwhelming sense of purity, the kind that reminded me of being in pollution-free air—crisp and untainted.
I glanced around, taking in the transformed surroundings. The dark, eerie energy was gone, leaving behind a serene forest filled with harmless fauna. It almost seemed like an ordinary place now, its sinister secrets washed away by the cleansing.
In the center of the crater, a soft glow caught my eye. I floated closer, drawn to the source of light like a moth to a flame. A small, opal-shaped stone rested there, glowing faintly with a greenish-blue hue. Its size—about that of a small child's fist—belied the immense energy it seemed to hold.
