The mist clung to Nod Krai like a velvet curtain, soft yet impenetrable, muting the sounds of the world around me. I adjusted my coat, brushing a few droplets of dew from the sleeve, and allowed my gaze to wander over the twisted roots and shadowed paths. There is a certain… serenity here, though most would call it desolation. I, however, have long since learned that places such as this harbor truths few dare to confront.

It was then I sensed him.

Tall, imposing, yet there was a calm in their stride. I adjusted my coat and inclined my head politely, a small gesture, as I do with strangers Good evening," I said, my voice soft but measured. "You seem far from familiar grounds."