The air around the forest was heavy, a mix of damp earth and an unsettling chill that made Zoe’s skin prickle. The group moved cautiously, the dense trees swallowing most of the moonlight, leaving them with only faint glimmers to guide their way. This was a test, Ellara had said - a chance to prove they could handle themselves beyond the safety of Nighthaven’s walls. A retrieval mission for a lost artifact wasn’t supposed to be dangerous, but Zoe could feel the tension radiating from everyone.
“Stay sharp,” Dominic whispered, his voice barely audible. He walked close to Zoe, his movements fluid and alert, his dark eyes scanning the shadows.
They had been traveling for hours when they reached a clearing, the artifact - a simple-looking obsidian orb - lying on an altar at its center. It p
