Chapter 698 - Chapter 700

The morning after their return to the village, the sky was heavy with a thick, gray mist that clung to everything, muffling sound and light alike. The usual bustling energy of the villagers was subdued, their movements slow and deliberate, as if they, too, felt the weight of what lay ahead. Jude sat by the fire pit in the center of the village, absently turning a carved stone over in his hands. It was one of the pieces of the ancient network, found during their previous expeditions, and he found its intricate patterns both comforting and unnerving. It reminded him of how little they truly understood about what they were dealing with.