The Forgotten Path

The forest had been dense, suffocating in its own way, but what lay before us now was worse. The moment we crossed into the wasteland, I felt a shift. It was as if the land itself was rejecting life, pushing us away. The trees were nothing more than twisted skeletons, their branches clawing at the gray sky. The ground beneath our feet was cracked and dry, devoid of any trace of life. The crystal in my pack felt heavier with every step, its weight a constant reminder of our burden.