Arthur stumbled slightly as he stepped through the tree, his boots landing on what felt like solid ground, though the air around him was far from normal. The space inside the tree was vast—far larger than its exterior suggested. It was dimly lit, bathed in an eerie green glow that seemed to pulse rhythmically, like a heartbeat.
Thin, twisting branches covered the walls and ceiling, their bark glowing faintly as they intertwined in complex patterns. The air was thick, almost alive, humming faintly with an unnatural energy.
Arthur's sharp eyes scanned the space, narrowing as they landed on the figure at the center of it all.
It's him.
The knight from his vision.
The man was suspended in the air, surrounded by countless glowing branches that wrapped around his body like chains. They twisted around his arms, legs, and torso, holding him in place, while faint green light emanated from within the wood. His once-shining armor was cracked and dulled, his body pale and gaunt.
