Chapter 52 - Shadows of Betrayal

The dense canopy above seemed to absorb every sound, plunging the early morning into an unnatural silence. The forest trail wound ahead, with shadows pooling between the gnarled roots and towering trunks. Canila walked at the head of the group, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement, every step calculated, his senses heightened. Behind him, his companions moved with equal caution. Their recent battle in the Forgotten Nexus had left a lingering weight over the team—a mix of hard-won victory and the sobering awareness that they'd barely made it out alive.