The sun had begun its descent, casting elongated shadows over the desolate landscape. Elara, Corvin, and Lysander trudged onward, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of ash that blanketed the ground. The air was heavy with the scent of sulfur, a stark reminder of the battles they had fought and the darkness they had dispelled. Yet, an unspoken understanding lingered among them: their quest was far from over.
As they approached the remnants of an ancient forest, the skeletal trees stood as silent sentinels, their charred branches reaching out like twisted fingers. The once-vibrant foliage had long since withered, leaving behind a haunting tableau of decay. Amidst the gloom, a faint glimmer caught Elara's eye—a shard of crystalline light embedded within the trunk of a fallen tree.
