Nathaniel stood at the side of the ship, staring at the dreamlike island ahead, his breathing shallow and restrained.
Sunlight filtered through the branches of towering ancient trees, scattering mottled light across the moss-covered ground. The air was thick with the fragrance of strange blossoms—sweet like honey, yet carrying a crisp coolness that made every breath feel unreal.
Behind him, the soldiers were no longer able to restrain themselves. Weapons clattered to the ground as hands reached out to touch dangling vines, each one strung with crystal-clear fruits that glimmered like amethysts in the sun.
“Your Highness, look at that tree!” a soldier cried, pointing.
The distant trunk was etched with spiral patterns, winding upward like a natural staircase. Pale fungi glowed faintly within its hollow knots, spreading a soft radiance that washed the ground in daylight.
Above, several winged squirrels leapt from branch to branch. As their wings beat, tiny sparks of light scattered in the air, landing on soldiers’ armor and sticking like faint stars.
Nathaniel descended the springboard, his boots brushing over moss that rustled underfoot. He bent, plucked up a wide leaf—edges traced in gold, veins fine as embroidery—and turned to hand it to the general.
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