---
The glow of the symbols still lingered in Bob's mind as the group set off again, moving farther into the corrupted lands. Though dawn had technically broken, the light barely penetrated the unnatural haze that shrouded the Darklands. Shadows seemed to slither just out of view, and the very air felt alive with malevolence.
They didn't speak much as they walked. The ground beneath them grew more treacherous, the soil alternating between brittle as ash and sticky as tar. Every step felt deliberate, calculated. This wasn't terrain they could trust.
Felicia glanced at Bob, who had taken the lead again. "So," she began, her voice soft, "what do we do if this source isn't something we can destroy?"
Bob didn't look back, his focus locked on the path ahead. "We'll figure that out when we get there. For now, we keep moving."
Freya snorted from the rear. "Classic Bob answer. Always the optimist, huh?"
"Not optimism," Bob replied. "Determination."
