Elle floated ahead with an infectious grace, leaving a trail of small blue and golden sparks that gently dissipated into the fragrant air of the Guild tree.
She guided Dan and Sam along the suspended walkways of living wood that connected the internal branches of the imposing headquarters tree of Astralis Requiem.
The setting was spectacular, with bridges made of braided vines shimmering under the light filtered through the canopy's pale leaves, and small beds of exotic flowers blooming directly from the bark of the ancient trunk, giving off a magical mist that soothed the visitors' senses.
For the two brothers, who had spent the last month surrounded by gray dust and the suffocating heat of the volcanic zones, walking through that sanctuary felt like an illusion.
Dan gripped his black wooden staff tightly, his clouded eyes taking in every decorative detail with a mix of admiration and wariness.
