WESLEY
I shivered as I followed Seraphina deeper into the Blightwood, cursing myself with each step. The forest was exactly as the legends described—a sentient, malevolent entity that seemed to breathe around us. With each step, the temperature dropped until I could see my breath forming misty clouds in the air.
"This is madness," I whispered, my voice sounding unnaturally flat in the dense atmosphere. "We should turn back."
Seraphina didn't even slow her determined stride. "You're free to leave, Wesley. The path back is still visible... for now."
I glanced behind us. The narrow dirt trail we'd followed was already fading, tree roots slowly creeping across it like skeletal fingers. Leaving wasn't an option anymore.
"You know I can't," I muttered.