The sun's first rays seeped through the thick canopy of trees, casting a faint golden glow over the forest. Sevastian stirred at the sound of hurried footsteps crunching the leaves.
Sevastian groaned as he sat up, feeling his muscles tighten and his body ache as if it had been battered by stone. Lyra watched him from a distance, her lips pressed into a thin line as he struggled to get to his feet. He ran a hand through his messy dark hair, trying to fix it, and wiped his glasses with the hem of his shirt before adjusting them on his nose. Lyra wondered if the dragon could see without his glasses, as he seemed to rely on them.
Rohan stood nearby, checking the straps of his bag, his expression grim. Without another word, the trio gathered their belongings and set off toward the Cave of Darkness.
The path narrowed as they neared the cave, the trees thinning until they stood before its dark, eerie entrance.