The night had deepened as Elara and her companions set out on their journey to the first of the ancient sites listed in the manuscript. The village was now a distant memory, its comforting glow replaced by the cold, distant twinkle of the stars. The air was crisp and filled with the scent of pine and earth, a stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere of the dark temple they had left behind.
Their destination was a set of ruins deep in the forest, known to locals only as the Whispering Ruins. According to the manuscript, these ruins were once a center of arcane knowledge, a place where powerful magic had been both practiced and contained. Now, however, it was rumored to be haunted by the echoes of its past.
