In the heart of an ancient forest, the silhouette of a man in a hooded jacket stood, his figure etched against the ebony canopy as the last vestiges of daylight bled into twilight. His eyes, glowing like embers in the foliage's cool, trained on an ethereal flower that lay wilted on the forest floor. The woodland beings, each in their myriad forms, bore reverence for the enigmatic figure. The man's presence brought a sense of tranquility in the forest, as it had for centuries.

As the moon crept above the treetops, the forest stirred, awakening its creatures. Amidst the nocturnal chorus, an unearthly shriek pierced the night. A monstrous beast, a creature of shadows and rage, had broken free from its mystical prison. Unnerved, the enchanted creatures turned to the hooded man for protection. He stepped forward, his cloak billowing behind him, and drew from the satchel at his side an intricately designed crystal. This lay atop the wilted flower, awakening it. The flower bloomed instantly, its vibrant petals casting ethereal light upon the forest. The monstrous beast, confronted by this radiant show, crumbled into dust.

The sorcerer with a hooded jacket was not quite what he seemed. The forest's revered protector may yet prove to be its eternal harbinger.