They stood at the edge of a vast, circular clearing, carved into the heart of a jungle that seemed to pulse with its own ancient heartbeat. Massive, moss-covered stone animal statues ringed the space, their sightless eyes watching the center where a pedestal of white crystal rose from a pool of impossibly clear water.

On that pedestal stood a woman. Her robes were the color of twilight, and her silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of moonlight. She held a golden staff topped with a glowing, crimson gem. Her gaze was ancient, kind, and utterly certain.