Twenty-Seven

The forest extended out before them, a maze of old trees and tangled undergrowth. The air was thick with the fragrance of pine and greenery, and the canopy covered their way in a quiet dusk. Clara, Luna, Ethan, Selene, and Isolde moved with reason, their mission clear:

look for the Pillars of Creation and revive the Heart's power.

But the experience with the cloaked stranger waited in Clara's intellect, their caution a frequenting reverberate that refused to blur. She pushed the memory aside, centering instep on the way ahead and the assignment at hand.

---

As they navigated the dense forest, Clara felt a growing sense of unease. The shadows seemed to shift and dance at the corners of her vision, as if alive with a malevolent will. She shook off the feeling, reminding herself of the Heart’s light and the strength of their bond.

Luna strolled adjacent to her, her faculties adjusted to the inconspicuous energy of the forest. “Do you feel it too?” she inquired, her voice a whisper on th