Noelle led Alice and her friends forward into the dense woodland as several houses built in the tall trees came into view.

“We're here, everyone!” Noelle cheered, turning around to the other girls. “Welcome to Gloomhand Forest! As you all can see, it is a dense woodland with mountains off in the distance, and this forest is decked out with treehouses where the population lives and enjoy the high quality of life. It experiences mild to warm summers and cold winters, and the sky is usually cloudy or overcast. As for the population, there's a diverse mix of humans, angels, elves, fairies, and witches, who live amongst each other in relative harmony. The cool part about this town is how it's all connected by tree bridges, walkways, and trails, with a network of rivers and creeks flowing right here, at the ground level. Isn't it amazing?”

“It's insane,” Blair chirped, looking at the vibrant city in the treetops. “I wanna go up there now!!”

“Then let's. There's currently a meeting happening at the Town Hall between the members of the Elder's Council. This is a great time to get familiar with the townspeople!”

The girls made their way up into the treetops to the village above, standing several hundred meters above ground as they looked around at the towering, dense woodland, its trees and brush blanketing the ground beneath in an eerie darkness. The air was cool and crisp, with small patches of fog swirling around the outskirts of the forest. As Alice and her friends trekked deeper into the forest, they came across a large, towering tree at its center, its leaves giving a faint glow and its largest branches taking the shape of five long fingers pointing to the heavens, giving it the appearance of a hand.

Huh, I can see where this place gets its name from… Alice thought.

“Holy Tiff, this place is so cool!” Blair cheered with a toothy grin.

“Yeah, like nature and magic became one,” Sharline added.

“So Noelle, what are the main landmarks of this town?” Zalgo asked.

“Sure thing! You have the Gloomhand Tree, also known as the Heart Tree: The tree at the center of the forest that acts as the main source for the forest's life and magical energy, and also serves as the forest’s main source of light. Next, you have the Fairy Falls: A large waterfall that is said to possess cleansing and purifying properties, and serves as a popular destination for visitors and residents alike, especially the local fairy population. Then there's the Gloomhand Public Library, which acts as a repository for books of lore, knowledge about the forest and its inhabitants, as well as general information about the region as a whole. It can be a popular place for scholars and academics to gather and study, as well as a place for people to find hidden information and lore about the various races and the forest itself. And of course, the Forest Village: The main residential area of the forest, where most of its inhabitants live.”

After Noelle's explanation, the girls then found themselves surrounded by an ominous presence coming from behind. The dim light that cut through the trees was dispelled by the eerie darkness enveloping the area, and all around them they could hear whispering voices and see ominous figures in the shadows.

“Wait, what the fu–” Rachel began before being caught off guard by the dark aura increasing tenfold for a moment. A tall, shadowy figure emerged from the darkness and levitated above them, looking down at them with cold, unfeeling eyes.

Noelle stepped forward, summoning her staff and standing tall before the entity. "Who are you…?" she whispered.

The figure remained silent, its face as cold as ice and its presence chilling the air around them.

Noelle's stance straightened as the seconds went by with no answer, but she narrowed her eyes and stood her ground. The figure spoke at last, yet its voice was strangely muffled and distorted, as if it was speaking from beneath a thick blanket. The figure's voice was deep and raspy, and it sent shivers running down everyone's spines.

"I am merely a messenger," the figure spoke, its voice detached and devoid of emotion. "The Darkness is coming, and the tree will soon fall. If you do not cease its spread, gloom will take hold of this forest, and all who live here will be lost.”

"Then what should we do if the Darkness is coming?" Noelle asked, her voice remaining steady despite the ominous presence. "How can we stop it?"

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The figure stayed silent once more, its presence still looming over everyone as it refused to give a straight answer.

"We must seek advice from the Elders," the figure concluded, its voice still distorted and muffled. "They will know what to do to stem the spread of the Darkness."

Noelle then stepped back, lowering her stave and nodding towards the girls. "Let's go then.”

…

Alice and friends reached the Town Hall, a grand building made of wood and stone, the trunks of the trees around it carved with intricate designs to create a unique and picturesque atmosphere. The girls then went inside, where they were met by several members of the Elders’ Council.

They found themselves in a large circular room made entirely of wood and stone. The ceiling was high with an arch-like design, and the walls were decorated with intricate carvings that depicted various figures and beings from nature and magic. Around the perimeter of the room were several chairs, where one member of the Elders' Council had taken his seat. The Elder sat at the head of a long, intricately carved table made of dark stone, with the Elder dressed in dark robes that matched the colors of the room.

The counselor took one look at the five Ephemerals and their guide, and the atmosphere became much more tense and ominous. His gaze was firm and authoritative, giving off a tense aura that made Alice and the others feel on edge.

"A group of outsiders…” Magnus, the chief of the humans, spoke with a deep yet bombastic voice. "What business do you have here?”

"We are here to help…” Noelle began with a hesitant voice, keeping up a front of boldness as she stood straight with a stern expression. “We have reason to believe that the Darkness is coming for the tree, and we've been told to come and seek advice from this Council!”

Magnus seemed to ponder this for a moment before speaking, his yellow eyes narrowing as he brushed his brown hair out of his face. "If what you say is true, then an attack is imminent. But first," he continued, his unfeeling tone remaining steady. "Why should we believe that you mean us no harm?”

"We come in peace. We do not mean any harm, we promise." Blair blurted out, her usual loud and aggressive nature seeming to be subdued. "We wish to lend our assistance in resolving this crisis and preventing it from infecting the tree any further.”

"Hmm…very well..." Magnus sighed, his stern facial expression remaining unchanged. "But you will remain under our supervision until we are certain your intentions are pure and you do not wish us harm.”

"Now, what do you know about this Darkness?" Magnus inquired, a hint of coldness in his voice. "Where did it come from?"

"We are unaware of the origins of this Darkness, all we know is that we heard it has begun to spread and infect the Tree." Noelle replied with a hint of nervousness in her voice. "We were told by a messenger that its spread is a great danger, and that we must seek advice if we are to stem its onslaught and save the tree.”

Magnus nodded his head as he took this in. "Indeed, the message is correct. The Darkness is a dire threat, a power that threatens all life in the forest and its surrounding areas. If it is allowed to spread, all who live here shall be lost. Our Elders' Council must convene and discuss a course of action to stem the Darkness' spread, and we require your presence. Now, follow me closely.”

The Elder led the way, with Alice and her friends following him. They went through a maze of passageways made from the tree branches, the trees weaving together to create bridges and walkways. The treetops were a sea of greenery and branches, with the occasional treehouse visible in the distance.

They eventually reached the Elders' meeting room, where they were greeted by the other Elders sitting at a long table set in the center of the room. There were four Elders besides Magnus, each representing a different race that lived in Gloomhand Forest.

"We have brought guests before us, I see." Hecate the High Witch of the Witches, spoke. Her voice is soft and gentle despite her mysterious nature and appearance. Her deep brown eyes and flowing red hair contrasted well with her pale skin, and her witch hat matched the black robes that the Council members wore.

"Indeed, we have." Magnus agreed with a stern expression. "We have been informed that these outsiders are here to assist us with the Darkness that has begun to spread, but I am...hesitant as to their motives.”

"We cannot dismiss them entirely, you know." Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, said with a slight smirk, her blue eyes looking down at the girls as she twirled her blonde hair. She took a calm and relaxed stance despite the tense atmosphere surrounding her.

"They could indeed prove to be of worth to us, and their intentions may or may not be good.” Ophelia, the Lead Archangel of the Angels, added with a sly gaze, her orange eyes piercing through the girls as she flipped her long, cobalt blue hair.

"I...agree as well..." Galadriel, the Head Priestess of the Elves, chimed in. Her platinum blonde hair flowed down to her elbows, her icy blue eyes giving Alice and friends a cold, aloof stare. "They seem to have…good intentions, at least in appearance…. We should at least give them the chance to assist us."

"I suppose..." Magnus sighed, his stern expression softening. "But we shall give them no more than the benefit of the doubt. If they prove to be a danger to us or the forest, we will have no reservations about taking action. After all, we heard all about how dangerous the Ephemerals are.”

“That was just the media though,” Hecate replied. “They don't seem dangerous to me.”

"We sure ain't," Blair agreed, her boisterous nature returning despite the grim setting. "We just wanna help anyway, so yeah, that sounds reasonable.”

"Understood." Magnus sighed, as if letting out a breath he was unaware that he was even holding. "But for now, our focus should be on the Darkness at hand. The forest and all who live here are in danger, and we must work together to stem its onslaught."

"Right, we agree." Hecate nodded in agreement, her gentle tone remaining stoic and firm. "We must work together to stem the spread with all haste."

"Time is of the essence~" Titania added, her voice remaining soft with a hint of teasing.

"Indeed it is..." Magnus concluded with a stern expression. "Now, let us begin the discussion and find a course of action to prevent the Darkness from infecting the forest any further.”

“Will do,” Alice replied, letting out a mental sigh.

…

Once the discussion was complete, Magnus announced the conclusion of the meeting. “We have come to a decision, and we believe it to be a viable one. We are confident that with proper preparations and action, we shall be able to stem the spread of the Darkness and prevent its encroaching ruin from taking over the Forest. Now, let us take action immediately and prepare for what lies ahead.”

“Yes, we shall prepare right away.” Ophelia agreed.

“Agreed, it is time to show those dark forces at the Heart Tree who's really boss~!” Titania added, her smirk spreading further.

“We will begin making preparations as soon as possible.” Galadriel said in her soft and quiet voice.