Kael's determination to protect Valtoria burned bright, but the knowledge that the void's influence might stretch across realms weighed heavily on his mind. The morning light brought little comfort as he and his companions began their new journey, this time directed to the Whispering Woods—a forest long shrouded in mystery, lying beyond the northern reaches they had explored. Tales of strange sounds and eerie visions had come from those who ventured too close, a place where, some said, the very trees bore memories of ancient conflicts and curses.
The path through the forest was narrow and twisted, branches reaching overhead like fingers clawing toward the sky. Sunlight barely pierced through, casting long, eerie shadows that danced across the ground. Morgana held her staff aloft, a soft light emanating from its tip, casting a protective aura around the group.
