Chase
Vera's heart pounded as she landed from her final leap, her knees bending instinctively to absorb the impact.
When She blinked in confusion.
The dense fog of corruption, so oppressive moments ago, was retreating rapidly as though drawn back by an invisible force.
It wasn't a slow withdrawal, it raced across the swampy forest like a wave reversing, leaving clarity in its wake.
For the first time since the ordeal began, she could see the ground beneath her feet.
The twisted, decayed vegetation was laid bare, stark against the eerie silence that followed the fog's disappearance.
Vera spun around, her sharp gaze taking in the area.
To her shock, she hadn't traveled far at all.
After all her leaps, she was still frustratingly close to the point where they had broken the barrier.
"Damn it," she muttered under her breath.
She immediately understood the land itself had warped, stretching and twisting her perception.