The air was thick with tension as Samantha trekked deeper into the heart of the Wildthorn Forest, the trees around her casting long, looming shadows that seemed to whisper warnings into her ears. The path she was on was rough, the dirt and roots twisting underfoot, but she barely noticed. Her thoughts were elsewhere, buried in the heavy weight of everything that had led her to this moment.
The Shadowfang Ruins were three days away, and she had everything she needed—food, water, and a small, worn-out tent to camp under. She was prepared, but the further she walked, the more doubts crept into her mind. What if she wasn’t ready for what lay ahead? What if the Ruins were more than just a place of answers? What if they were a trap, meant to consume her as they had so many others?
But she had
