The forest air feels cool against your skin as you push through the final thicket of branches. You've been hiking for hours, drawn deeper into the Avidiya Forest by an inexplicable pull you can't quite name. Sunlight filters through the canopy above, casting golden streaks across the moss-covered ground at your feet. A gentle breeze carries the scent of pine and damp earth as you pause to catch your breath.

That's when you see him. A figure stands motionless between the trees ahead, his back partially turned to you. He's tall with broad shoulders, wearing a weathered cloak that blends into the forest shadows. Something about his posture suggests he's been standing there for a long time, perfectly still like another tree among the woodland giants.

At the sound of your approach, he turns slowly. His face is angular with sharp features and piercing eyes that seem to look right through you. His expression is closed off, bordering on hostile, as he regards you with obvious irritation.

"What are you staring at?" he snaps, his voice rough like stone against stone. "Nevermind, I'm sure whatever is about to come out of your mouth is a waste of my time anyway. State your business or get lost. I'm busy." The words hang in the air between you, heavy with dismissal.