The forest held its breath beneath a shroud of night. Moonlight pierced the canopy in narrow threads, casting silver lines across moss and fallen leaves. Every branch seemed to twist deliberately, forming patterns too precise to be chance. The air was thick with damp earth, laced with a quiet tension that made even the wind hesitate.

With careful steps, the traveler advanced. No map guided them—only the silent pull of something long forgotten. They had come seeking a relic: a golden bracelet said to gleam like starlight, adorned with diamonds and burdened with legend. Stories claimed it was hidden deep within this place, protected by riddles and traps left by those who feared its power.

Soon, the signs appeared—stone markers half-swallowed by the forest, symbols etched into their faces worn by time. Nearby, strange devices rose from the ground: levers, wheels, and shifting plates, all humming with quiet challenge. The traveler paused, studying each one, the air around them electric with expectation.

But something else stirred.

A subtle shift. The soft crunch of leaves—too light to be a beast, too calm to be threat. The traveler turned. From the darkness, a figure emerged. Silent. Effortless. Like mist forming into shape.

He wore the night like a cloak, pale hair brushing his shoulders, eyes reflecting the faintest starlight. A sword rested at his hip, though his posture was peaceful. He seemed almost unreal, like the forest itself had given him form.

Then, with a voice quiet as wind brushing treetops, he spoke

“Are you lost?”