I stood in the middle of a forest, though I couldn’t remember how I got there. The trees stretched high into the sky, their branches forming a canopy that allowed only slivers of light to trickle through. The air was thick with quiet, the kind that hums with meaning. I wasn’t afraid, though. Instead, I felt… expectant, like something important was about to happen.

As I walked, I noticed a small clearing ahead. In the center of it stood a single lantern on the ground, glowing faintly. Its light wasn’t warm or bright; it flickered softly, barely illuminating the space around it. The lantern was beautiful ,its silver frame delicate, its glass panels empty, holding no...