After leaving the shrine, Elara and Kaelen made their way to a small village hidden deep within the forest. It was called Varenden, a place that seemed trapped between light and darkness. The village was filled with peculiar inhabitants—elves with shadowy features, humans with strange auras, and creatures Elara had never imagined existed.
"Welcome to the Village of Shadows," Kaelen said as they entered. "This is where many who have been affected by the Rift come to find answers, or at least safety."
Elara noticed the villagers staring at her, their gazes filled with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. She was clearly an outsider, and that made her presence dangerous. One old woman approached, her eyes cloudy with age yet sharp with recognition.
"You carry the mark," the woman said, pointing to Elara's hand.
Elara looked down and gasped. A faint, glowing symbol had appeared on the back of her hand, identical to the ones she had seen on the ancient shrine. It pulsed softly, as if alive.
"The mark of the Rift," Kaelen said quietly. "It means you're connected to this world now. More than you know."