The academy grounds were still alive with faint chatter, but Lira slipped away quietly after a short rest. Her heart beat with a mixture of anticipation and caution. Behind the main buildings, where ivy curled thick around stone walls and few students dared to wander, stood an old, worn wooden door almost swallowed by moss and vines. Most thought it led nowhere, just a forgotten relic of the past, but Lira knew better.
She pushed it open with a soft creak. The air shifted instantly—warmer, denser, filled with the scent of wild earth and flowers unseen. Beyond the doorway stretched a narrow, half-forgotten path, winding deep into the thick forest. Branches interwove overhead, letting only specks of light filter through. The silence here was different than in the grove—less calm, more watchful, as though unseen eyes followed her every step.
