Elysiel departed before the sun had a chance to kiss the fields of Elandor with its first rays. She left the castle silently, without alerting the council or her guards. No one could convince her to stay. This journey was hers alone. The darkness within her grew with each passing day, a relentless force threatening to consume not just her magic but her very essence. She needed answers, but she knew she wouldn't find them among those around her.
As she crossed the vast fields and forests, Elysiel noticed how much her kingdom had changed. The once-vibrant trees now stood pale, as if drained of their vitality. The darkness spread like a subtle plague, constant and insidious. The wind that whispered through the leaves carried a coldness that came not from the north but from some deep, unknown place.
