Chapter 4 The Aftermaths

The Aftermath*

Lena sat up, rubbing her forehead, trying to clear the haze from her mind. The forest was quiet, the only sound the distant hooting of owls. She looked around, but the figure was gone, leaving her alone beneath the twisted tree.

As she stood up, she felt a strange tingling sensation in her fingers, like pins and needles. Her mind was foggy, but memories began to surface – flashes of the figure, the Shadows, and the tree. She recalled the feeling of power that had surged through her when she touched the trunk.

Lena stumbled back through the forest, her legs trembling beneath her. She didn't know what had happened, but she felt changed, like she'd crossed a threshold into a new world.

As she emerged from the forest, the village came into view, its cottages glowing softly in the moonlight. Lena felt a sense of disconnection, like she was seeing the village for the first time. The familiarity was still there, but it was tinged with a sense of strangeness.

She made her way back to Elwynn's cottage, her mind reeling with questions. What had happened in the forest? Who was the figure, and what did it want from her? The door creaked open, and Elwynn looked up from her chair, concern etched on her face.

"Lena, where have you been?" she asked, her voice firm but worried.

Lena hesitated, unsure of how to answer. She didn't know what to say, or what she'd experienced. The words tumbled out, a jumbled mix of forest, Shadows, and tree. Elwynn listened, her eyes narrowing, her expression unreadable.

When Lena finished, Elwynn sat in silence, her hands clasped together. The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows on the walls.