Aria tightened her cloak over her shoulders as she walked deeper into the forest.

The deeper she went, the more intense the pull became. She frowned as she moved, the wind carried no sound, only silence and the sinking reality of her situation.

She was lucky that she still had not met any of the creatures that inhabited the forest. With her enhanced senses, she had heard some sounds, but whatever creatures were out there, they seemed to fear whatever path she was walking on.

The WhiteVale might be quiet, but it was far from peaceful. The deeper she walked, the more the forest physically changed.

The trees became taller,...