Agnos sighed dramatically, setting his thermos down.
"If you must know, Carl. The Forest Druids of the Forest of the Forgotten Tales are not your average tree-huggers. They're the stewards of this place, guardians of an ancient woodland that's essentially a living library."
"Living library?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Every tree, vine, and flower here contains the essence of stories, myths, and legends forgotten by mortals," Agnos explained, gesturing vaguely to the towering trees around us.
"It's not just a forest. It's a collection of lost wisdom, a repository of the tales no one tells anymore."
"And this Vigor guy is like the head librarian?" I quipped.
Agnos smirked. "More like the bouncer."
He took a slow sip of his tea, his eyes half-lidded as if savoring not just the taste but the moment itself.
"The druids are fiercely protective of this place," he began, his voice low but carrying weight.
