Although Green Lake is vast, the island is quite small, and the buildings on it are arranged in a very simple manner. The dock is separated from the town by a small grove, with a forest path connecting the two. Even in spring, the trees in that grove remain bare.
Just as Shard had learned in advance, some strange dark shadows were wandering through the fog on the island. Those shadows took on human shapes, but it seemed as if they were wearing full-body rubber suits, including a hood. No matter how close one got, their details remained obscured, and it was impossible to directly interact with them from any angle.
Shard suggested to the apothecary guide that he wanted to observe them more closely, but was met with a cold refusal from the female sorcerer:
"You can waste your time on your own; I am not responsible for waiting here for you."
