Black Morass her body

she cast a glance back at irene occasionally, ensuring the girl kept pace but offering no words to break the silence.

they emerged into a clearing, a space cloaked in an almost reverent stillness. at its center, the altar of solentia loomed—a towering formation of jagged, dark rock, its surfaces smooth in places where water had once kissed it, its peak stretching toward the heavens as though yearning for something unseen.

ione stopped at the edge of the clearing, her gaze fixed on the altar. this is solentia's offering, she murmured, her voice low, nearly reverent. she is the keeper of the sun’s light, the one who grants us warmth and vision in the darkest days. to honor her is to honor clarity and strength.

she stepped closer, her head bowing slightly as she approached the base of the formation. moss and wildflowers grew in patches along its base, their vivid colors a stark contrast to the dark stone. without turning, she spoke again, her words directed softly toward irene.

what do you see here, child? ione asked, her tone gentle yet probing. what do you feel?