Essence Gates

The surroundings opened up into a vast environment with towering trees and their thick canopies. A spewing darkness covered the woods, with hundreds of tiny fireflies blinking in and out of existence, gently illuminating the place.

"Where is this place?" Klein asked, fearing he might have been dragged back to the wilderness once again. 

"Elderglade," Siona muttered from his side. She sheathed her blade, scanned the surroundings, then moved in one direction. "Come on."

Klein followed her as Siona meticulously led him through the dark forest. Honestly, the place lacked the menacing vibe he had felt during the last two nights in the wilderness. Yes, the trees were thick and gnarled in places, the canopy caging the world in shadow, yet all of it gave the sense of a nurturing presence rather than a murky, oppressive darkness.