The forest had never felt this alive. Every rustle of leaves, every shift of light seemed deliberate, as if the very trees were conspiring.
Liora's fingers grazed the pendant, now glowing steadily. "It wants us to follow," she whispered. Kael nodded silently, his eyes scanning the shadows with a soldier's vigilance.
They moved carefully, stepping over roots that twisted like serpents and past pools of water that reflected not just the sky, but fleeting visions of what might come.
The stranger walked ahead, silent, their cloak brushing the ground. Finally, they stopped at a clearing where the air shimmered with an unnatural light.
"This is the first test," the stranger said. "To move forward, you must confront what you fear most. Only then will the path open."
Liora felt a chill but squared her shoulders. "We've faced darkness before," she said, "and we survived. We will do it again."
As the pendant pulsed brighter, shadows began to gather, forming shapes from memory and dream—friends, foes, and regrets. The forest held its breath.
And the whisper grew louder.
"Are you ready?" Kael asked softly.
Liora took a deep breath. "We have no choice. The world depends on it."
And with that, they stepped into the shadowed path, where every fear could become real, and every choice could change destiny.