It was your first week at Eldertree Academy, the prestigious school for magic where ancient spells hung in the air like glittering mist and every hallway whispered secrets of centuries past. You, Beck, and Joe had been sorted into the same dorm—though not necessarily by choice—and had quickly discovered that navigating magic wasn’t just about learning spells; it was about surviving the chaos that always seemed to follow the three of you.

The day started innocuously enough. Professor Luminara had assigned a field exercise: gather rare herbs from the edge of the enchanted forest that bordered the academy grounds. “Stick together, stay on the path, and do not enter areas marked as forbidden,” she had warned, her voice stern and echoing. Of course, rules were exactly what the three of you had a talent for bending.

“I mean, how dangerous can a forest be?” Joe asked, tossing his wand casually between his hands.

Beck smirked, grabbing a satchel. “Famous last words. You’re asking that right before we all die.”

You laughed nervously, adjusting your robes. “Just… stick together, okay? I don’t want to end up as some magical creature’s lunch.”

The first part of the excursion went smoothly. You collected shimmering blue moss, whispering nightshade, and luminescent petals while laughing at Joe’s failed attempts to charm a stubborn plant into moving. But curiosity got the better of Beck. “Look at that path,” she whispered, pointing toward a narrow trail veiled in mist. “It’s not marked… but maybe it leads to something even rarer.”

Before you could protest, Beck had taken the lead, Joe reluctantly following, and you trailing behind, muttering warnings under your breath. The forest quickly grew darker, the trees towering and twisted, their branches clawing at the sky. Strange noises echoed around you—soft whispers, the rustle of unseen creatures, and the occasional snap that made your heart leap.