At the corrupted forest's edge, the air was cold and heavy. This was completely unlike the warm, vibrant life just a few feet back.
The team stood in a silent line, staring into the tangled grey thorns. The governor and a small, nervous honor guard of militiamen stood a respectful distance away, watching with undisguised awe.
"The samples are one thing," Jonah said, breaking the silence. "But we need to see how the blight reacts to a direct purification. We need a baseline."
Master Fen nodded, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "An excellent proposal! We must test the subject's resistance to the catalyst. Observe the rate of cellular regeneration, or in this case, de-generation!"
Lira just watched, her expression pained. To her, this wasn't an experiment; it was an attempt to soothe a wounded animal.
