The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention the moment we reached the hilltop. Something about this place felt wrong—terribly wrong. I glanced at Seraphina, who was approaching the strange tree-like structure with the fascination of a scholar discovering an ancient text.
"Be careful," I warned, my voice carrying on the night breeze. "We don't know what these Altars are capable of."
Regina stood nearby, arms crossed, her hybrid senses clearly on alert as well. At least she had agreed to accompany us as protection. I wasn't sure if her presence would be enough if something went wrong, but it was better than nothing.
"It's incredible," Seraphina whispered, her fingers hovering just above the gnarled surface of the Altar. "These markings... they're not like the others we've seen."
Moonlight spilled across the clearing, illuminating the strange symbols carved into the twisted wood. From this distance, they looked almost like letters, but in no language I'd ever encountered.
