The Forest Spirits

Previously

…The path ahead remained unclear, the ultimate source of the corruption still a mystery. But Branden was no longer alone in his struggle, not truly. He had the memory of the Sun Deer’s blessing, the tangible warmth of the charm, and the growing understanding that this forest, for all its suffering, was still a place of wonder, a place worth fighting for. He tightened his grip on his sword hilt, not out of fear, but out of a renewed sense of duty. The battle was far from over, but he now faced it with a glimmer of light in his heart, a light gifted by a creature as radiant as the dawn. He would not falter. He would not yield. He would see this through.