They walked for three days.
The corrupted forest thinned out, its twisted, dark trees giving way to gray rock and sparse, hardy grass. The oppressive weight of the air lifted, replaced by a clean, sharp wind that carried the scent of dust and distant mountains.
"So this is the outside world," Jolly said, her voice a mix of awe and unease. She kept a hand near the new mana core Vell had created for her, as if to reassure herself it was still there.
Regina walked with a stiff posture, her sword a constant weight at her side. Her pristine armor was now scuffed and dented, a visible mark of her fall from grace. 'He could have killed me. Why didn't he?'
"It's bigger than I expected," Jia added, her beast-like senses taking in the vast, open landscape. The silence of the plains was a stark contrast to the constant noise of the forest she had known her entire life.
