The forest stretched endlessly around Ethan as he walked.
He had been moving for nearly an hour now, following what looked like an old game trail that wound quietly between the towering trees. The silver glow above him never changed. It did not dim or brighten. It remained fixed in the sky like an eternal moon.
It made the entire world feel strangely suspended.
As if this place had no concept of day or night.
Every so often Ethan passed enormous trees whose bark faintly pulsed with a dim light. The slow rhythm reminded him of breathing. Like the trees themselves were living creatures silently watching his passage.
The air felt different too.
Denser.
Not heavy enough to slow him down completely, but enough that every step required more attention than usual.
"Yumiko," Ethan said quietly, breaking the silence, "do you have any idea where the nearest settlement is?"
Inside his mind the familiar voice responded.
[Searching fragmented data...]
A brief pause followed.
