Valgerthr's glowing eyes bore into you, her smile unnerving. Dyrfinna's grip on your arm tightens as she steps forward, her voice quivering but resolute. 'We seek only passage through this cursed land,' she declares, her words echoing in the eerie stillness. Valgerthr's smile widens, a wicked gleam in her eyes as she gestures towards the tree behind her. 'Passage is granted to those who can withstand the trials of the shadows,' she intones cryptically. Suddenly, the ground beneath you trembles, and dark tendrils begin to snake out from the base of the cursed tree, reaching for both you and Dyrfinna.