After nearly seven hours of uninterrupted walking, the group's pace had naturally slowed. Even though none of them were weak, constantly navigating an unfamiliar forest under the gravity of this strange world was exhausting in its own way. The trees seemed endless, stretching across the landscape like an ancient kingdom that had existed long before humanity ever took its first breath. Their roots rose from the ground like walls, forcing the travelers to weave around them repeatedly, while thick vines hung from branches high above like ropes abandoned by giants. The sounds of distant creatures echoed from every direction, sometimes close enough to raise caution and other times so far away that they felt like little more than background noise.
Then suddenly Leonid stopped.
His movement was so abrupt that Gregor nearly walked into him.
Everyone froze immediately.
Tatiana's heart jumped into her throat.
