Round 2

The Whispering Woods stood like sentinels, their twisted branches grasping for the sky like skeletal fingers. In the fading light, the ancient rune-covered gate seemed to absorb the surroundings, its dark energy pulsating with a malevolent life of its own. Halie watched from the periphery, her blue-grey eyes narrowed in concern as she held up the Silver Holy Symbol of the Goddess of Light, its gentle glow illuminating the dark recesses of the woods. The air was heavy with tension, the group's collective unease palpable.