Just when Gwendolyn thought they would never escape the twisted forest, they stumbled into a clearing, where the sunlight streamed through the branches above, casting a warm glow over the snowy landscape. The contrast between the bright light and the cold, white surroundings was almost surreal, as if they had stepped into a different world entirely.
She breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be free of the oppressive darkness.
"I guess the worst is behind us now," she said, glancing at Malgarius.
"Not quite," he replied, his gaze fixed on something ahead.
Gwendolyn's heart sank as she followed his gaze, her eyes landing on a towering wall of ice, stretching as far as the eye could see. The barrier seemed to reach into the sky itself, its icy surface glimmering in the sunlight.
"How are we going to get past that?" she asked, her voice filled with despair.
Malgarius' expression was unreadable. "I'm not sure," he admitted.
