The journey through the dense forest was harder than Evelyn expected. Tall, twisted trees loomed over her and Ronan, their branches like skeletal arms reaching for them as if they wanted to keep them trapped forever. The thick mist that swirled around their feet made every step feel heavier, as if the forest itself was warning them to turn back.
Evelyn clutched her cloak tightly around her, her eyes scanning the shadows. Memories of her childhood in these woods flooded her mind memories she had long buried.
"This forest..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "It holds so many secrets."
Ronan glanced at her, his sharp eyes always alert. "Secrets you need to face, Evelyn. If you want to find the Crystal of Aetheria, you'll have to go back to where it all began."
Evelyn swallowed hard. She knew he was right. The crystal wasn't just a powerful relic it was tied to her bloodline. To her mother.
