tled in a valley untouched by

streams, and simpl

with a warm smile and eyes that se

s quieter, more watchful, but his

rdens, learned about The Hearth's nature-focused belie

vibrant life around her, and Chloe' s empathi

he "Gatheri

tradition, a deep spiritual cleansing f

more traditional mem

al retreat, he explained, but they would

uring, but a sliver

e in a secluded grove, fa

what the

eading it were ster

ated Ava f

d "impurities" that

ual was

thes, bound her t

r, and berated her with accusations of s

orld. Fear was he

out, but n

arately, sensed

lared, a desperate atte

o fight her

elders w

trap, a shimmering net of ene

r vibrant Soul-Echo, being drained away, sipho

f bound by invisible chains, the en

agnified by her own, a shared agony th