Leo hesitated at the threshold of the portal, the strange symbols shimmering around the edges of the massive carved doors. His pulse pounded in his ears.
Whiskers—his unlikely guide—flicked his tail impatiently.
WHISKERS (thoughts) "Starwood Hollow needs you..."
Taking a deep breath, Leo stepped forward.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, everything changed.
The cool, musty scent of the hidden chamber was replaced by crisp, enchanted air.
The ground beneath him softened—no longer wood and stone but moss and earth. When he looked up, towering trees stretched endlessly toward a glowing sky, their leaves swirling with hints of gold and silver.
Fireflies blinked lazily in the twilight, and deep within the forest, faint whispers echoed.
LEO (thoughts) "It feels.. Magical.."
LEO (thoughts) "this can't be real.. Right? It's like a dream.. No it has to be real. Mrs. Snapp was way too strict for it to be a dream"
The air shifted.
The magic—the energy pulsing through the air—felt… broken. Weak.
LEO (muttering) "what is this..?"
He didn't know what he had expected, but the uneasy feeling curling in his stomach told him Starwood Hollow wasn't thriving.
Whiskers leaped onto his shoulder, his usual smirk replaced by something more serious.
WHISKERS "See those trees? They're supposed to glow brighter. And that river over there? It used to shimmer like the stars. But now…"
Leo followed his gaze. The trees barely glowed, their light flickering like dying embers. The river looked normal—just like any other in the real world.
WHISKERS "The magic is fading, And if we don't fix it soon, this place… everything… will disappear."
LEO (swallowing hard) "How do we fix it?"
Before Whiskers could answer, a new voice—low and ancient—rumbled through the forest.
??? "The boy must prove his worth."
Leo spun around.
Emerging from the shadows, a massive deer stepped forward. Its antlers gleamed like polished silver, and its eyes—deep, knowing—watched Leo carefully. The air crackled around the creature, as if it held the last remnants of Starwood Hollow's power.
DEER "If you wish to restore the magic, you must complete the Trial," the deer continued. "Only then will the forest accept your help."
LEO (thoughts) "Damn it… I promised Grampa Roy I wouldn't cause trouble— Wait, what about Jace?!"
His fingers tightened around the faded paper in his pocket. He had never imagined his curiosity would lead him here—to a talking squirrel, a magical forest, and now, some sort of trial.
He wasn't sure he was ready.
But something told him he didn't have a choice.
WHISKERS (sighing) "Guess it's time for you to face the hardest part, kid."
LEO (cautiously) "And what's that?"
The deer lowered its head slightly.
"Yourself."