The ground rumbled beneath them, not with violence, but with purpose. A low hum rose, surrounding them, filling their ears, their bones. Trees bent inward, their branches forming arches above. The veil shimmered, and then slowly… parted.
Beyond it lay another space.
Not a forest. Not the clearing.
A vast glade of crystal grass and floating petals, where the air shimmered with memory. Shadows danced in the light, not ominous, but curious. There were no walls, only endless bloom. In the center, a new tree had formed - smaller than the original Heart Tree, but glowing with familiar golden light. Beneath its branches stood a single figure.
Alara.
She was not naked now, but wrapped in a dress of living leaves and starlight, her hair crowned in blossoms that pulsed with soft warmth. Her expression was serene, proud. She extended her hands to them.
"You have crossed the veil," she said. "Now you must claim what lies beyond."
