The perimeter of Oakhaven was a sharp and absolute line drawn between life and death. Inside the shimmering dome of the World Tree the air was sweet and smelled of silver grass. Outside the barrier the purple smog choked the ancient forest and turned the snow into a toxic sludge.
Silas crouched on the thick branch of an old oak tree just fifty yards outside the safe zone. The Wolf Prince was in his hybrid form. His body was covered in dense silver fur. His claws dug deeply into the frozen bark to maintain his balance. He breathed shallowly through his nose to filter the foul taste of the demon smog.
He was leading a short-range scouting mission. Three White Lotus Paladins stood in a defensive formation at the base of the tree. They held their new holy glaives at the ready. Their white armor was already stained with the purple grime of the corrupted woods.
"Do you see anything, scout?" the lead Paladin whispered loudly into the fog.
