In the dining hall of the inn where Moverick was staying, the afternoon atmosphere was warmed by the aroma of food and the light conversation of the guests. The wooden tables were filled with travelers, merchants, and a few royal officials who had stopped by to rest. Moverick sat in a corner of the room, a bowl of hot soup in front of him, but his thoughts were far from the food.He observed the people around him. Some were talking about the weather, about trade, about news from the capital. No one mentioned the Forbidden Forest.Moverick decided to ask.He called over a passing waitress, a middle-aged woman with a friendly face. “Excuse me, I’d like to ask something.”“How may I help you, sir?” the waitress replied.Moverick lowered his voice. “I’ve heard about the Forbidden Forest nearby. Does anyone know any stories about the creatures inside?”The waitress furrowed her brow. “The forest creatures?” She shook her head. “We don’t talk much about that here, sir. It’s a haunted place.

"What are you two doing here? Did you enter the Forbidden Forest?"Davina and Moverick turned quickly. Before them stood Aldric with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp. His black cloak fluttered gently in the night wind."What were you doing in there?" Aldric demanded.Davina let out a sigh, then raised her arm and pulled back her sleeve slightly, revealing the raw, red wound on her forearm. "I was searching for a rare herb. For a remedy for my body. This injury—" she pointed to her arm, "—I don't know, perhaps it's an allergy, or some dark magic caused it."Aldric stared at the wound, then met Davina's eyes as she strove to maintain a calm expression. "You entered the Forbidden Forest just to search for herbs? There are countless renowned healers across the Shadow Realm. Why take such a massive risk?"Davina paused briefly, then shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't want to bother anyone else. Forget it."Aldric studied Davina intently, then let out a breath. "Come with me. I know a healer

Davina awakened to the dim light penetrating the fissures of the rock face. The sky of the Shadow Realm had transitioned from pitch black to a silvery grey—marking the onset of morning here. The celestial crystals emitted a faint light, just enough to illuminate their faces, yet lacking the warmth of the sun in the world Ellara constantly dreamed of.Davina blinked, attempting to recall where she was. Her body felt stiff and cold. Then she registered the warmth enveloping her frame—a thick cloak draped over her shoulders and back, shielding her from the biting cold of Mount Obsidian.She turned her head. Moverick was asleep in another corner of the rock alcove, curled up without his mantle. His sleeves were thin, and he shivered in his sleep. The morning air on the mountain was indeed bitterly cold.Davina stared at the cloak wrapped around her, then looked at Moverick. A wave of guilt washed over her. Last night, while she had fallen asleep exhausted, Moverick must have removed his c

Sylara stepped into the center of the chamber, her movement light despite having just broken free from decades of imprisonment. Her faded white gown began to shimmer faintly, akin to a flower blooming anew after a prolonged drought. She gazed at Davina and Moverick, her green eyes blazing with renewed brilliance."The Obsidian Serpent is no ordinary creature," Sylara spoke. "It is the natural guardian of Mount Obsidian, an ancient beast born of stone and fire since time immemorial. It was not created by anyone—it is an intrinsic part of the mountain itself. Its scales cannot be pierced by any weapon, and its power is nearly limitless as long as it remains near the Mistbloom."Davina knit her brows. "Then how do we defeat it?""You do not defeat it through force," Sylara answered. "You distract it. The serpent is bound to the Mistbloom—it cannot venture too far from the plant. Yet it is deeply sensitive to one thing: light.""Light?" Moverick raised an eyebrow. "Neither of us possesses

That night, Arven walked along Azure Bay alone. The night sky over Valdoria was dusted with shimmering stars, and tiny waves rolled softly onto the shore. The air felt crisp, the sea breeze carrying the sharp scent of salt and damp sand.He had lost track of how far he had walked. His eyes were fixed solely on the endless shoreline, his mind consumed by thoughts of Aldric, the portal, and the otherworldly realm said to lie beyond it all.His feet kept moving, carrying him further from the village, further from home, until he arrived at a spot entirely unfamiliar to him, a low cliff made of jagged black rocks he had rarely seen before.And there, he saw it.A swirling light, faint yet distinct, emerged from beneath the rock fissures along the cliff. A vortex spun slowly like a whirlpool in a river, yet it was not made of water. It was forged from shimmering, silvery-blue light, resembling a living mist.Arven froze, his heart hammering against his ribs. “Is this ... a portal?” he whisp