Lana’s POVI myself didn’t know.The valley stretched before us, a ribbon of shadow and mist, uneven ground hidden beneath a delicate layer of fog. The early sunlight filtered weakly through the cliffs, casting long, fragmented beams across the uneven terrain.Each step was deliberate, each sound amplified. The forest’s whispers were no longer merely wind—they carried subtle vibrations, hints that the valley itself was alive in ways I couldn’t yet understand.Kael stayed close, hand brushing mine when I hesitated at a jagged root. “Careful,” he murmured. “This terrain… it’s deceptive.”I nodded, letting his presence ground me. Even after the vault, even after the Echo-Binders’ warning, every instinct I had screamed that we weren’t fully safe—not yet.Bastion moved ahead, eyes scanning the slopes, knife drawn but relaxed. “Watch the shadows,” he said quietly. “The valley is natural, yes, but hidden currents—energy, echoes—still linger. They can mislead, confuse, or even trap.”Mara mut
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