Grace stared at the treeline, the cold feeling of demonic presence still crawling up her spine.
"I don't see anything," Diana muttered, scanning the shadows with her sword drawn.
"They're out there," Grace insisted. "I can feel them."
Willow signaled her Earth-Tenders to maintain their defensive positions around the ritual circle. The purification had been successful—all the villagers were healed—but the tension in the air remained thick.
"Why aren't they attacking?" Alia whispered, hiding behind Zephyr.
"Good question," Diana replied, eyes never leaving the forest edge.
A sudden flicker of light drew Grace's attention away from the treeline. The barrier around Ivy's tree pulsed, becoming transparent for a split second before solidifying again.
"Did you see that?" Grace pointed at the massive tree.
Diana frowned. "See what?"
"The barrier—it wavered!" Grace took a step closer, watching intently. "There! It did it again!"
