There Elena stood at the edge of a great planes staring down an even greater forest a sense of selcouth washed over her from trees taller than low ranging mountains strung along in a meticulous yet desolate row that seemingly spanned out for miles, below the vast greener an amber glow layed elena swallowed she had no combat abilities her only card was healiny magic so offcourse elena was skeptical about entering this wire cage of trunk and leaf not to mention the longer elena stared the more alien the whole thing began to feel regardless this was the quickest way back home according to whatever minimal knowledge she possesed. Elenas hand reached down and unzipped a leather bag that stretched across her chest the inside was pretty soft and smooth remembering the man who gave it to her elena thought that it must have cost a pretty penny elena mentally thanked him once more, reaching her hand into the leather pouch grabbing a a round metalic object contrast by a clear glass at the face this was a compass

"North, alright." Elena muttered to herself, tucking the compass back into her pouch and zipping up the leather bag. She forced a worried smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. With a deep breath, she stepped into the forest.

The ground was thick with fallen leaves, and dense shrubs crowded around her. Small trees had begun to grow, their twisted limbs reaching for the sky. As she ventured deeper, Elena couldn't help but notice how ancient the forest felt. The trees towered above her, some so massive that their trunks seemed to stretch up for hundreds—perhaps thousands—of years. A strange chill crawled down her spine. This place felt… wrong. Every bone in her body screamed that she didn't belong here.

But there was no turning back now. Elena had little choice. The fear she felt wasn't unfounded; the forest was notorious for its dangerous creatures—both minute and monstrous. But most of these nightmarish beasts only ventured out under the cover of night. If she stuck to the compass' direction, she'd make it out before dusk.

At least, that's what she hoped.

With a deep breath, Elena picked up her pace. Part of it was the knowledge she had about the forest's dangers, but most of it was pure, unrelenting fear. She forced another smile, one more convincing than the last. But in her heart, she knew—she wasn't staying here a second longer than she had to.

Elsewhere in the forest, a small green creature wandered aimlessly. Lost, separated from its horde, it scurried through the underbrush in search of food. If today were any other day, it would likely starve. But today, luck seemed to be on its side. From the corner of its eye, a flash of blue caught its attention, a streak moving through the trees.

Curiosity overtook it, and it silently followed the blue blur. As it crept closer, it saw the source of the strange light: a girl, walking alone. She was small and petite, young, but the creature didn't care. Even the slightest source of sustenance was a prize, and it had learned not to underestimate its prey.

Only a few weeks ago, it had joined a group of its kin in an attack on a passing carriage, but their victim had unleashed a mysterious blue light. The creature and its friends had barely escaped with their lives, and now, it knew better than to rush into an ambush again. It crouched low in the shadows, waiting, watching.