Chapter 218: Walking

As they left the ancient city behind, Emily, Mara, and Calem found themselves walking through an overgrown forest. The trees were taller here, ancient and twisted, their branches arching above them like the ribs of a colossal beast. Shadows danced in the underbrush, and every rustle of leaves felt like a whisper from something unseen.

They had journeyed far, and with each step, the weight of the relic grew heavier on Emily's chest. She could feel it pulsing, a steady rhythm, but now it was different. Since her experience with the mirror, she felt connected to it in a deeper way. It no longer felt like an object of mere power but a guide, a presence that reached out to her, almost as if it were alive.