Dila's hand trembled slightly as she wrapped her fingers around the cold metal knob. The door creaked as it slowly turned, the sound echoing unnaturally in the silence behind her. Her breath came out in shallow wisps, fogging faintly in the chill air that seeped from the darkness beyond.
As the door swung open, a black forest stretched before her, tall, gnarled trees twisting into the shadows, their outlines barely visible in the dim light. The wind whispered through the branches, carrying a faint, eerie rustle that made her skin crawl. Every step she imagined taking would crunch on invisible leaves, yet the forest remained ominously silent.
Dila's voice barely rose above a whisper, shaky and uncertain. "Nari… why… why is it a forest? Last time… it was a corridor…"
From the staff, Nari's voice chimed softly, almost hesitant. ☆ I… don't know, master… ☆