The heirloom pendant felt heavy while it was hanging around Aveline's neck, and she and Gabriel stood before the ancient shrine. It was hidden very deep inside the forest, its stone decoration outside cracked and overgrown with vines. The rogue elder had led them here, claiming the pendant's shine would guide them to the answers they were looking for.
"This place feels… wrong," Gabriel uttered, his hand resting on the handle of his blade.
Aveline nodded, her fingers holding the pendant as its light vibrated faintly. "But it's the only lead we have. Whatever the council is planning, the answers are in there."
The group exchanged cautious looks before stepping inside. The air was thick with the scent of wet grounds and something metallic, like blood. The shrine's walls were designed with delicate carvings, their designs lighted by the soft glow of the pendant.
