The forest thickened as Xavier, Aria, and the duo pressed onward. The trees grew taller, their twisted branches clawing at the sky, blotting out the moonlight. The air was damp, heavy with the scent of moss and decay. Each step sank into soft earth, muffled by layers of fallen leaves.
Xavier walked ahead, his cloak brushing against the undergrowth, his daggers hidden but close. His senses sharpened with every stride. The silence of the forest was unnatural—no birds, no insects, only the faint rustle of unseen things moving in the dark.
Aria followed, her silver hair catching stray beams of moonlight that pierced the canopy. Her eyes scanned the shadows, her presence calm but alert. Neither spoke. Words felt too loud here, too fragile against the weight of the silence.
Ezra and Lyra moved in sync, no expression on their face as they followed Xavier and Aria deep in the forest.
