Clouds of steam atop the mountain hinted at a change. Esilda shivered when a gust of hot air from the volcanic peak rushed like a warm river, breaking the chill of the cloud forest and surprising her. She anticipated challenges ahead. Eruptions and earthquakes were not among them.
Deep red and yellow leaves rustled as she trudged along the path into the darker reaches of the jungle. A canopy of green, a thousand shades, shielded her and provoked an ominous feeling in her gut as she hiked. The colorful vegetation seemed ready to consume her, but the map indicated otherwise. Legions of curious hummingbirds guided her into the dense mist and greenery.
She was on course after a strange series of delays that were beyond coincidence. Was she being warned? Or summoned? Questions outnumbered answers, but she felt born to this quest as if it was her destiny.
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