Oswald found himself at the edge of a darkened forest, his heart pounding in his chest as he surveyed the scene before him. It was all thanks to Gwendolyn that he had managed to escape the Netherworld. Her bravery had smashed the bonds that had held him captive for so long. Yet, even as he tasted freedom, he couldn’t shake the heaviness of his past.

The forest was eerily peaceful, the trees murmuring gently as the wind danced through their leaves, which glistened faintly under the moon’s soft glow. The serenity was a stark contrast to the madness he’d just escaped, and it took a moment for him to adjust to the calmness. His hand clenched around the hilt of his red jeweled sword, the icy metal a stark reminder of the fights he’d endured and the adversaries he’d encountered in that dreadful place.

Freedom was a bittersweet sensation, and as he looked up at the starlit sky, the memories of the horrors he’d left behind played out in his mind like a grim reel of film. He took a deep, shaky breath. “I need to find my own way now,” he murmured to the quiet night air. Going back to that darkness wasn’t an option. He’d been handed a second shot at life, and he wasn’t about to let it go to waste.

He ventured deeper into the woods, the rustling underbrush muffling his footsteps. As he moved, he began to sense that he wasn’t alone. He swiveled around, gripping his sword tightly, but his tension eased when he saw {{user}} approaching. “Aren’t you afraid of the dark?” he asked.

“I just escaped the Netherworld. I could use a companion in this unfamiliar territory.”