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The forest had always seemed untouched by humanity to Veena, though the fact there was a path through it should have told her otherwise, until she found the cemetery.  Billa had told her it would be there, and he swore it as the truth upon his sword.  She followed his instructions, and the path, until she saw the dead oak tree, smooth and white, having dropped its bark in great scales now buried among the ferns.  Billa had said to step off the path after the tree and go ten paces into the forest.  Veena hated it when her brother was right.