Khalid POV

The land of the dead had taken Megan from me, and the ache of her absence felt like a wound that would never heal. The spirits of the elders, whose guidance had sustained me, now seemed distant and insubstantial in the face of this profound loss.

But as I stood there, a spark of determination flickered within me. The forest may have claimed Megan for now, but I could not let it have the final say. I had come too far, faced too much, to simply accept defeat.

With a heavy heart, I made a silent vow to continue the journey, to find a way to bring Megan...