The dense forest was silent save for the heavy breaths of Adrian, Medea, and Ava as they pressed forward. The illusion still warped the surroundings, making every shadow seem like an enemy.
Adrian's sharp eyes scanned the distorted terrain, his fiery chains flickering with heat as he prepared for whatever lay ahead.
"Selene!" Adrian called, his voice echoing through the twisted trees. "Lilith! Abyss! Eris!"
Only the oppressive silence of the forest responded, broken by the occasional rustling of leaves.
"This isn't right," Medea muttered, her blade gleaming ominously with black fire as she gripped it tightly. "We've been shouting for ages. If they were close, they'd have responded by now."
"They're not close," Ava said in an unusually somber tone. Her golden eyes scanned the surroundings, and she clutched her staff tightly. "Something's keeping us apart, and I don't think it's just the illusions."
