Two blue moons hung high in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the forest as slow, chilling winds rustled through the trees.
Rees and Leon trudged deeper into the woods, their weapons at the ready, senses sharpened against the encroaching shadows.
Rees gripped a long wand in his left hand, its tip humming faintly with one offensive pre-cast spell and one defensive barrier primed for instant activation.
Leon held Nyxter fully sheathed, invisible mana threads coiled around each blade like taut spider silk, ready to unleash the sword in a heartbeat.
"This area of the forest... it's unnaturally silent," Rees murmured, channeling a scanning spell that pulsed outward, probing the surroundings for hidden threats.
"The crickets are still chirping, and those birds circling above suggest no predators are around," Leon replied in a hushed tone, his eyes locked on the winding path ahead, every muscle coiled for action.
