The forest stretched endlessly before them, a labyrinth of shadows and whispers. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, and the moonlight barely penetrated the dense canopy overhead. Elena led the way, her grip firm on her sword hilt as she moved silently through the undergrowth. Behind her, Kael, Serin, and the rest of the group followed with equal caution. Their mission was clear: track the raiders, find their camp, and put an end to their reign of terror.
The man they’d rescued from the village had given them a starting point—a direction the raiders had taken when they left. He hadn’t known much more, his memories clouded by fear and exhaustion, but it was enough. Elena had learned to work with fragments, piecing together a path from the faintest of clues.
“Tracks he
