Elara's POV
The coastal rainforest was a breathing, living entity. After the burned shell of the Heartwood and the jagged peak of the Apex, this felt like returning to the main womb of the world. Giant trees draped in moss filtered the sunlight into a green, underwater glow. The air was thick with humidity and the scent of vibrant life and decay. And the new energy field? Here, it wasn't a disruptive hum like the mountain, it was a symphony. It sang in the water, pulsed in the trees, whispered in the mist.
It was also amplified, as we quickly learned.
On our second day in the deep woods, Rylan, scouting ahead, triggered a patch of glowing fungi. A cloud of sparkling spores erupted. Where they touched his skin, his own energy flared in response. For a terrifying minute, he lost control
