As they ventured deeper into the forest, the air grew thick with an otherworldly miasma.
The usual sounds of nature fell away, replaced by an eerie silence punctuated only by distant, unsettling screeches.
Jess, her senses on high alert, whispered, "Something feels off."
Saber nodded, her golden armor glinting in the fading light. "You're right. This energy is... twisted somehow. Stay close."
Rio, bringing up the rear, flipped a coin absently between his fingers. "You know," he mused, "I'm starting to think our routine patrol friends might have stumbled onto something bigger than they realized."
As if in response to his words, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, coming from just ahead. The trio exchanged quick glances before picking up their pace, moving swiftly but cautiously through the underbrush.
They emerged into a clearing and froze at the sight before them.
