The group ventured deeper beneath the shadowed canopy of the monstrous jungle, their steps steady, albeit cautious.
Each movement was made with measured care, boots brushing through tall grasses and crunching on brittle undergrowth, yet no one dared speak too loudly.
The deeper they went, the more oppressive the air became—dense with moisture and something else.
A lingering unease clung to them like a second skin.
They had been walking for hours now, weaving through massive tree trunks and tangled vines that slithered like coiled serpents along the forest floor and up toward the skies.
Despite their efforts, they hadn't encountered a single monster. Not even a rustle of wings or flash of movement in the underbrush.
The silence was deafening.
And then there were the icy particles.
