The world grew quieter the deeper he went. No bird calls pierced the stillness. No leaves rustled even when wind should have moved them.
Only the occasional drip of dew falling from high branches. And the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat. Amplified somehow by his Crescent Requiem Dao's attunement. His connection to natural flow.
A sudden breeze stirred the leaves without warning. Just a subtle shift. But the forest's energy changed with it. The change set Kael's instincts ablaze. Every sense screaming.
He moved without thinking. Ducked behind a moss-covered boulder. His Silent Eclipse Dao flared instantly. It cloaked his aura completely in shadow. Muffled his presence to almost nothing. Even his heartbeat seemed to quiet.
Moments later, a group of figures leaped across the branches high above. Their movements were swift. Almost inhuman in their speed and grace. Grey and black robes blended perfectly with the twilight. Made them nearly invisible.
