The forest air was thick, almost metallic. Every breath Auren drew tasted of tension and iron.
Shadows slithered across the ground, darting between the gnarled roots like predators waiting for a signal to strike.
"I see we're going for a finale now," he murmured, voice calm yet threaded with quiet excitement.
His eyes narrowed.
Even beneath the pale wash of moonlight, he could see them—ripples in the air, faint distortions that betrayed invisible movement.
His [Eagle Eyes] pulsed faintly gold, tracing the flow of mana that brushed through the leaves, revealing ghostly outlines moving through the darkness.
From across the river, Alyssa's voice cracked through the silence.
"What are you doing!? Come back now, Herbon! It's too dangerous!"
Her cry echoed, raw with panic. The sound cut through the night like a blade. Instantly, every lurking creature froze. The shadows twitched, realizing the human wasn't alone.
Auren's jaw tightened.
