By midday, the tension had only increased. They had entered the premises of the dense forest of Nocturne. It was like a living labyrinth, twisting and shifting as if it had a mind of its own. The daunting path stretched ahead, the forest of Nocturne swallowing the light as they ventured deeper into its haunting embrace. The trees were ancient, their thick trunks wrapped in moss, and their branches twisted into gnarled shapes that seemed to reach for the travelers.
Elara, though still wary, began to relax as the forest's eerie beauty distracted her. She found herself marveling at the sheer size of the ancient trees, their gnarled trunks and shadowy boughs reaching endlessly upward.
Occasionally, she spotted small birds darting between the branches or strange glowing fungi nestled at the base of the trees. At one point, she even attempted to strike up a conversation with Velene about the history of the forest, though Velene's answers were clipped and vague.
