21 Upgraded

Chapter 21 Upgrade

The forest shifted around them, the dense undergrowth parting as if guided by some unseen force.

The path that Roderick forged was like a lifeline, keeping the group moving forward even when everything else felt twisted and uncertain.

The shard's influence was palpable now—the very air seemed to pulse with a strange, unsettling rhythm.

Even the sounds around them felt muted like they were traveling through thick, empty space, as if time itself was off-kilter.

The sensation reminded Zoe of something out of a story she'd heard, where everything seemed slightly wrong, as if sound had lost its depth and the world was running on borrowed time.

Zoe found it increasingly hard to focus on anything but Snacks, her gaze darting around at every sound, every flicker of light between the branches.