By the middle of the second day, the forest gave way to a steep, rocky incline of black basalt.
Elena ascended the narrow goat trail that bordered the eastern chasm. The mist here was thinner, shredded by the fierce mountain winds blowing from the high peaks. Below her lay the endless green carpet of the Bloodmoon territory, looking peaceful and distant.
As she reached a wide natural stone archway marking the threshold of the Heart Ravine, Elena suddenly stopped.
Her boots froze mid-stride.
Her sharp gaze locked onto the gray gravel path. Half-buried beneath dry leaves and loose shale lay four flat obsidian stones arranged in a precise diamond formation. Carved into the surface of each stone was a jagged, crimson glyph that hummed with a low, malevolent vibration.
A Blood-Bait Formati
