"Sinking? Rising?"
Vanessa's words made Roland's brow furrow instantly.
He followed the Witch's gaze and walked toward the entrance of the hole in the ground.
In stark contrast to the black mire of the nearby swamp, the ground at the edge of the hole was exceptionally solid.
Moreover...
Roland gripped his scabbard and gently prodded the ground with its tip.
Before long, several thick, trunk-like veins were exposed from beneath the soil.
"Are these... tree roots?"
Doubt rose in Roland's heart.
This kind of twisted, gnarled formation usually belonged only to ancient, giant trees buried deep underground.
Yet now, looking around, including the path he had taken to get here, there was not a single tree in sight.
The few scattered trees he could see had long been corroded and twisted by the magic-laden mist, leaving them thin and fragile. They could never have produced such thick roots.
As he pondered, Roland's hands did not stop moving.
