The further Lexel walked into the labyrinthine woods, the more the atmosphere warped. The heavy snowfall thickened into a blinding white sheet, obscuring his vision and turning the jagged silhouettes of frozen trees and distant rock formations into twisting, monstrous shapes. From the deep shadows of the frost-laden brush, the low, guttural purrs of hidden predators vibrated through the snow, tracking the lone, shirtless intruder.
Suddenly, a sharp, blood-curdling wail cut through the howling wind.
Instead of drawing a weapon or crouching into stealth like a proper Trickster, Lexel simply pivoted and strolled casually toward the source of the noise, completely unfazed by the ambient horror of the forest.
Breaking through a thick cluster of frozen briars, Lexel stepped into a small, blood-spattered clearing.
