A deadly clash

As Strax cautiously advanced, his senses heightened as he approached the obstruction on the road. The trees seemed to close in around him, their dense foliage creating a nearly tunnel-like effect. He could feel the eyes of the forest upon him, an unsettling sensation that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Damn..." he muttered as he neared the source of the disturbance—a massive fallen tree blocking the path. But it wasn't an ordinary tree; it was enormous, its trunk as wide as a small house, with twisted, knotted roots as if it had been ripped from the ground by some immense force. "This isn't a natural tree," he murmured. "Magic? No... there's something wrong..." he thought as he activated his eyes.

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