The next morning, Selene packed a flashlight, a notebook, and the diary before heading back into the woods. The air was heavy with an eerie stillness, the kind that made her footsteps feel too loud.

She followed the trail carefully, her eyes scanning the forest for anything that might resemble Lydia’s hollow tree. The deeper she went, the more the world seemed to shift. The shadows between the trees stretched unnaturally, and the air grew colder, sharper.

After nearly an hour, she found it.

The tree was massive, its gnarled roots twisting outward like grasping fingers. The trunk was hollow, a dark cavity stretching deep into the earth. Selene approached cautiously, her heart pounding.

Carved into the bark above the hollow was a single word: Courage.

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She crouched down, shining her flashlight into the opening. The beam revealed a narrow passage, its walls lined with roots and damp earth. Her instinct screamed at her to turn back, but something stronger—the pull of E, of the letters—kept her rooted.

Taking a deep breath, she crawled inside.

The passage was tight, forcing her to move slowly on her hands and knees. The air grew colder the further she went, the light from the entrance fading behind her. Just as panic began to creep in, the tunnel opened into a small, circular chamber.

At its center sat a wooden box, weathered and worn with age.

Selene hesitated, her fingers hovering over the lid. Something about the box felt sacred, almost forbidden. But she couldn’t leave without opening it.

Inside, she found a bundle of letters, tied together with a faded ribbon. The paper was yellowed with age, but the handwriting was unmistakable—it was E’s.

The top letter bore her name:

"Selene,

You are not the first to seek answers, but you may be the last.

What you hold in your hands is the key to understanding.

But be warned—knowledge comes with a price.

Read carefully.

Yours,

E."

Selene’s breath caught as she stared at the stack of letters.