The storm outside had begun to subside, leaving the sky shrouded in a heavy mist that seemed to cling to the treetops and smother the village below in a grey haze. Emily and her companions were huddled inside an old stone cabin, where flickering candlelight cast elongated shadows on the walls, adding a sense of gravity to their latest discovery.
After their encounter with the Keeper and the invaluable knowledge he'd shared, Emily felt an urgency swelling within her. The journey had changed direction; they were no longer simply trying to evade the Shadow Order. Now, they were actively piecing together a much larger tapestry of power, sacrifice, and ancient conflict.