The map etched into the pedestal flickered faintly, the glowing glyphs shifting to form a clear path through the dense forest. The endpoint—the so-called heart of the island—seemed to pulse with life, a beacon calling us deeper into the unknown. The air was charged, heavy with anticipation, and even the usual banter among my Shikigami was replaced by an uneasy silence.
Raijuu paced near the pedestal, his ears twitching as he scanned the surrounding trees. Kijin leaned back against a moss-covered boulder, her hands glowing faintly as she idly maintained a fragment of her barrier. Tenko stood nearby, her camera aimed at the map, its lens glinting in the dim light.
"This feels like a trap," Kijin said, breaking the silence. "A big glowing 'Welcome Here, Idiots' sign just waiting for us to step into it."
Raijuu barked softly, his sharp eyes locking onto the distant trail ahead. He didn't seem to disagree.
The chat, of course, had their own colorful theories:
