The forest’s energy had begun to change. Days after the ritual, a calmness settled over the land, though it was far from the vibrant, thriving force it once was. The scars of the shadow’s corruption remained visible, but for the first time, the whispers carried an undercurrent of renewal rather than despair.

Lyla wandered through the edges of the forest that morning, taking in the sights of subtle recovery. Small saplings were sprouting where barren patches of land had once been. The ...