You are plunged back into the throne room, but this time, the carpet is a light blue and the tapestries have been torn from the wall. They lay on the floor, in crumpled heaps. There is someone on the throne, but the rest of the room is empty.

And then you're surrounding by ruins, of what, you can't tell. The wind is biting, and a voice echoes in your head.

"Who are you, traveller?"

Latif blinks a few times, rather disoriented. After looking around at the ruined room, she carefully gazed in the direction of the throne, yet not fully lifting them to reveal the person on the throne. "My name if Latif," she answered aloud, uncertain as to whether she was addressing the person there or not.

"Worry not about them," the voice says. The person on the throne stands and leaves, and you just catch a glimpse of their blurred face before they are gone.

"What brings you here, Latif?"

Hmm. Go with the full explanation, or keep it short and relevant? ...The latter. Definitely the latter. "I touched a large tree covered in red vines within a jungle," she answered aloud. "I arrived here. Would you be willing to tell me where I am now?"

Latif narrowed her eyes, suspicion forming as rapid theories were made and tested for availability and ease. "I see. Thank you for telling me." She then closed her eyes and raised her hands, keeping the palms outstretched like resting on a tree trunk. Keeping hold of the thought that she may still be touching the tree, she physically (and imagined herself doing so, so mentally) took a step back and dropped her hands to grab hold of her clothing.

Hopefully, this would cause her to stop touching the vine-covered tree.

The ruins fall away before your eyes, and you are back in the clearing. The vines all around you give a last pulse of energy before falling still.

Latif carefully stepped back until she was out of the clearing entirely. Only then did she practically crumple against a tree, shudders wracking her body. That had been far too close for her opinion; maybe she really wasn't cut out for this...

(No, I am not quitting; Latif is just shaken by the encounter and scared. That being said... now what do I do?)

You look up, and see a sign you hadn't noticed before nailed to the tree across from you. It looks like it's been deliberately destroyed by scratch marks.

(Keep exploring, see what you find)

(Alright then)
Latif carefully climbed up just enough to peer closely at the destroyed sign. Seeing nothing she could identify, she clambered back down and decided to go in a different direction than before. Hopefully this would be a bit more rewarding than an ominous warning.