Dezra's Quest

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They gathered at twilight, beneath the plum-hued sky. The glade, in the heart of Darken Wood, glowed with the sun's ruddy light. The trees cast clutching shadows. The breeze tousled the ferns, its murmur echoing the summer insects' drone.

The glade lay in a hollow among the hills, surrounded by moss-bearded oaks. Velvety grass carpeted the earth, dotted with fragrant wildflowers. An outcropping of pale rock, dappled with lichen, rose high above the hallowed grove. The Circle of Seven congregated before it, their faces grim.

Seven tribes of centaurs lived in Darken Wood. Their chieftains formed the Circle, governing with even-handed wisdom. Four times each year, when the seasons changed, they held moot before the outcropping, which was holy to Chislev, god of wild beasts. The High Chief listened to each tribe's doings, and mediated disputes. Sometimes the Forestmaster-the unicorn who held sway over Darken Wood-would appear: The grove was, after all, her domain.

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