Chapter 57: Rest for the Wicked
The group stood at the edge of the Blackwood, the towering trees behind them casting long shadows as the sun began its descent. The air outside the cursed forest felt lighter, cleaner—free of the oppressive magic that had weighed them down for what felt like an eternity. They had escaped, but the relief was tempered by the knowledge of what lay ahead. Kane and Dr. Eryx were still out there, and the Nexus, with all its unfathomable power, was still at stake.
Lucian took a deep breath, the cool breeze filling his lungs as he tried to clear his mind. The trials they had faced in the Blackwood had taken a toll on all of them, and they needed to regroup, rest, and prepare for the battles to come. But even as the weight of their recent ordeal began to lift, Lucian knew that this was merely the eye of the storm—a brief moment of calm before the chaos resumed.