The forest had changed, though nothing within it seemed visibly different at first glance.
The towering trees still stretched toward the sky, their thick canopies weaving together to block much of the sunlight. The ground remained uneven, layered with roots, fallen leaves, and fragments of ancient stone structures that time had nearly erased. Even the air carried the same scent of damp earth and quiet decay, a lingering reminder of the countless battles that had once taken place in these forgotten lands.
Yet the change was there.
Subtle.
Intangible.
Unmistakable.
It was not something that could be seen or heard. It was something that had to be felt, something that pressed gently against the senses without ever fully revealing itself.
