The group found themselves being led by Seryn deeper into the Heartwood Tree. The glow of the entrance behind them faded with every step, replaced by the dim, greenish light of moss-lined walls and clusters of glowing spores that drifted lazily in the air like drifting embers. The path underfoot felt alive, soft and spongy, as if it breathed with the tree itself.
As they walked, Seryn began to speak again. Her voice was quiet, reverent, and carried easily through the silence of the sacred space.
"The Elders and I are truly grateful for what you have done for us and this forest. Without your intervention…" She paused, placing a hand gently on the mossy wall beside her. "It could have meant the end of everything."
No one spoke. The weight of her words settled over them like a quiet fog. The group had seen what that corruption could do. They had fought its twisted spawn, watched it eat away at peoples minds. The idea of it consuming even more felt too terrible to imagine.
