"So, I see you all are ready to work together," said Ainorrh. "I have other duties to attend. Alliot should be a great guide."

  "Thank you for your trust, High Shaman," Alliot said before Ainorrh left. Then, he addressed Aira and Li. "Are you ready? The High Shaman didn't doubt you'd find it. It's hard to do that by walking around. The pce is very powerful. It has its own protes."

  Aira nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. They started moving in a dire that felt familiar in the beginning. The forest closed in around them, t branches knitting overhead like fingers weaving a secret. The air pulsed—not just thick, but charged, like the crackle before a storm. There was no wind but leaves rustled on unseen currents, whispering in voices just out of reach. Aira g Li, eared equally intrigued by the enigmatiature of the forest.

  Li whispered to Aira: "By the roots, do you think Ainorrh's been keeping this tucked away on purpose? Feels like we've been cirg this pce without ever stumbling upon it."

  Aira shrugged, transmitting to Li: "Maybe. I'm not sure. But I'm yet to sense any malicious i in her as. I already feel the differen the ambient magic here. Do you sense anything?"

  Li halted mid-step, her breath hitg like a caught thread. She pressed her palm against a tree trunk, as if grounding herself, her amber eyes narrowing.

  "'t put my finger on it, but…" she said. "It's like a dozen eyes are peeking through the leaves. Gives me the shivers. It's weird. But is that normal? I mean, it's are, right? I shouldn't even be feeling anything."

  "Who knows, it's not like you 't experiehe sequenagic use," said Aira. "We are expl something pletely new here. It feels more like this pce has a very special energy pattern. It's almost like it didn't want us to find this area before we were ready. Before I was ready."

  As if he uood the exge between two women, Alliot ented: "Heart of the Forest shows itself when you're ready. Not hidden. Just takes attu."

  "I'm sure you se before," he added looking at Aira. "But you probably weren't able to separate it from other energy patterns of the city, of our forest."

  Aira and Li followed Alliot. Only the e they established between each other allowed Li to be an active partit. That was a fragile link that had to be supported by Aira's magic. Still, it was better than leaving Li alone.

  "By Elder's breath, how did all this even e to be?" asked Li. "I don't think any pces of… power… existed before the Fall."

  "I have no clue," said Aira. "Really… Magical arrays and structures aren't a new cept to me. But I 't say I'm an expert. I alreferred a more kiic approach. And you know I'm an outworlder. What happened here is as much mystery to me as it is to you."

  "So, the only way for us to learn is to hope that either Ainorrh or Alliot to drop breadcrumbs for us?" asked Li. "Sounds like a slow way to get answers."

  "It's like a game," answered Aira. "robing each other, sharing bits about the past and trying to find a path forward. But as we just don't know where we are heading, it may be that Ainorrh isn't fully entrusting us with their agenda. Maybe she also thinks we are keeping something from her. In any case, you are right, new information should be helpful for our quest."

  "Is it hard for Li?" asked Alliot. "I could speak the human tongue turies ago. But this skill has been long lost to me. Most of the memories of my old life are gone."

  "I do my best to help her," Aira said. "And she was there for me wheuation was reversed. But anyway, it's possible only when I'm near. On all other occasions, she's expl alone and with almost no way to unicate with your unity. I uand that you've already had some experieh that, right?"

  "That's true," said Alliot. "She had joined our training. It was… an iing experience. I have never sensed a human participating in our activities before."

  "You're one of the younger ones, yeah?" asked Li through Aira. "That means you don't remember the old world at all?"

  "That's right. I've beeed much ter. Several hundred years ter, to be more precise," said Alliot.

  "Do you remember anything about that?" asked Aira. "Or about your old life. Even you haven't retaihe old human nguage, maybe there's something else? Ainorrh told us that she and some other elders retain at least some memories of the old world. Isn't it the same for you?"

  "No. Most younger enlightened don't remember," said Alliot. "Why? I don't know. Maybe the transformatio. It doesn't matter. I have plenty of memories from this life. That's what ts."

  "I'm sorry if I upset you," said Aira. "I didn't want to pry. It's just that your world is so different pared to mine. And the effects of yid ways you i with the Nexus are also quite unusual. I want to learn as much as possible about all of that."

  "And what about your old world?" asked Alliot. "Do you have any people like us there?"

  "Well, in a way," said Aira. "We have elves, who live hundreds of years. And we have undead, who are… undead, you know. As in not alive. But both of these races are usually not the most pleasant to beings to i with."

  "I'm not sure I like to be beled as a not alive being," said Alliot. "But it would be good to learn more about these elves ter."

  "That's why I was a bit upset when I was finally able to read my own status and realized that in this world I'm an undead," said Aira. "But still, it's a bit strahat my skills hint that the enlightened are undead. And I'm yet to figure out what that means."

  "I fidently say that we are not undead," said Alliot. "I'm sure all my peers would also prefer if you don't call us that."

  "Sure, I was just curious," said Aira. "New world, you know."

  "But you, oher hand, the Nexus beled you as an undead," said Alliot, as if nothing happened and he didn't voice his dislike of the word just moments ago.

  "How did you recile with that?" he asked. "How do you feel as an undead?"

  "I tell you that I feel much better than at the very beginning," said Aira. "When I had all the downsides of being undead and nothing to gain. I feel sooooo much better now. And a lot of that is thanks to Li, she was very supportive during these past months. Finding a friend in such dire situation is the best you hope for. Well, truly it's much more than you could even hope for."

  After briefly pausing to gather her thoughts, Aira tinued: "Of course, I'd like to return to my old self. But the experience I get in this world is invaluable. I've learned so much about myself and the System, and I wonder how that would influence me when I'm finally back."

  "I've never veoo far from our city," said Alliot. "It would be strao go on a journey. But here we are, almost at the Heart of the Forest."

  Aira and Li looked around. But not much ged in their surroundings. It was still the same trees and forest paths. At least for Aira, there was a difference if she used her magical senses.

  "I guess it demands some expnation," said Alliot, taking in the incredulity of his guests. "Let me show you. Our cities? They grow around power sources. Here, in this pce, it is Air. It defihe pce. Defines us."

  "So, your source, the Heart of the Forest has Air affinity?" said Aira.

  "Yes, that's right," answered Alliot. "Due to the specificity of these fvors, the enlightened who live and who are attracted to these cities usually share the same inations in magi our case, it's air. The High Shaman has most of her skills ected to the Air element. I have, as well. All of my peers have it the same way. And that's what you sensed during your meditation st night. When you followed the flow of the air currents."

  They approached a clearing in the forest. It didn't look much different from any other pces Aira and Li had seen here. But through her heightened senses, after the previous night's experiments attuned more fio Air affinity magic, she could feel the characteristic power in the air.

  At first, the clearing looked like any other—a break irees, dappled light spilling aossy ground. But then, Aira felt it. The air here wasn't just still—it was listening. The glow wasn't light but movement, a slow ripple of energy that breathed in tandem with the earth itself. Trees leaned inward, their roots pulsing like veins feeding a single, unsee. A presence. Waiting.

  Finally, even Li was able the differehe clearing was bathed in a soft, ethereal glow. The trees around it seemed to bend slightly towards the ter as if drawn to an invisible force. Aira took a deep breath, feeling the energy e into her body through her lungs, resonating with her very being.

  Aira nodded, her gaze fixed on the ter of the clearing. "So, this is the heart of your power. It's beautiful and overwhelming at the same time. It is s it isn't surprising it affected my probing."

  Alliot stepped forward, his expression reverent. "This is where ic is stro. It is the essence of our e to the Air. Here, we truly uand and harhe power of the wind."

  Aira saw that even Li was feeling something. That powerful the energy of this pce was. The human raised her hands to show Aira that all the small hairs stood on their ends.

  "By the roots, it feels like the sky's about to split open!" Li excimed. "But there's not a storm cloud in sight. The air's got a charge to it like it's… alive. I don't know how else to say it."

  "Magic is a part of this world," said Aira. "Even if you 't manipute it, it affects you."

  "Elder's breath, Aira, I've seen you weave yic plenty of times. I've even had it tickle my skin when I jumped into that game with Alliot and his lot. But this?" Li ran a hand down her arm, shivering slightly. "This isn't just some flicker of power—it's like standing at the heart of a storm, feeling the air hum with something bigger than us. The whole pce is alive with it. I swear, if I had a liagic, I'd be buzzing like a caught firefly right now."

  "This is what unites all of us," said Alliot. "What gives us the power to grow this amazing forest. And live our lives as we are used to. And, of course, protect ourselves."

  As Aira went closer to the ter of the opening, approag the Heart of the Forest, she felt a familiar surge of energy wash over her. It was a sensation she hadn't experienced since acquiring the Rune in that distant dungeon. The Ruhat now was dissolved into her very being and maed as a tattoo or a sort of birthmark on her wrist.

  The resoween the Heart of the Forest and the Rune was unmistakable. The symbol, which was dormant for many months, began pulsating with light. The ambient magic of the area seemed to resoh it.

  Alliot took a sharp step back, his fiwitg—a barely restrained reflex, like a bird resisting the urge to take flight.

  "What? What is it?" he whispered through the party interface.

  The flow of magic was undeniable and unstoppable. Aira and Alliot were able to trol its influehrough their magical abilities. Still, for Li, it was like low electric currents passed through her body. They lifted her hair up and then, when iy lowered, the hair flowed down. Only to return to the electrified state moments ter.

  Alliot was watg both women with astonishment.

  "It 't be!..." he muttered. "How is that even possible that you are attuo this pce even more than the shaman?"

  After a brief iion, the two sources of power seemed to harmoheir energies iwining in a way that filled Aira with a profound sense of purpose and e.

  She closed her eyes, not resisting anymore, letting the energy flow through her. It was as if Heart of the Forest eaking to her, its a wisdom and strength merging with her own. The feeling was both exhirating and f, a reminder of the incredible journey she had uaken and the possibilities that y ahead.

  Li, standing nearby, watched in silent awe. Even without any magic, she could sehe boween Aira a of the Forest. A e that transded the physical and tapped into something far deeper.

  "This pce... it's incredible," Li whispered, her voice filled with wonder. "What's happening?"

  Aira opened her eyes a Li's gaze, her eyes shining with newfouermination.

  "The energy here... it's so simir to what I felt ing from the Rune," she said. The Rune is resonating with it, even now, when it's dissolved in me."

  A sudden surge of static crackled through Aira's radio, jagged and sharp like a storm breaking aetal. The device flickered, recalibrating, its signals swallowed aten by the forest's pulse. Then, through the distortion, the System's voice broke through:

  --- pleted Quests ---1. Explore the Heart of the Forest (Rewards: 300,000 XP, Skill)2. Make tact with the undead (Reward: 100,000 XP)3. Defend the base (Reward: 300,000 XP, Skill)[...]

  "Ha! You called it, Aira!" Li excimed. "We made aep in yrand quest of 'figure out what the hell is going on'!"

  "You don't say! Major it is!" Aira joined her. "And 500,000 XP! That's a lot!"

  --- Current Status ---Health: 563/563Mana: ???/???SP Used: 66,058SP Avaible: 2,498XP: 68,556,400 / 69,141,000 ( Level: 101, Legendary)

  "What's happening?" asked Alliot, seeing the excitement of the two women. "Am I missing something?"

  "What did you just do?" Ainorrh suddenly intervehrough the party interface.

  "Why? What did you sense?" asked Aira.