In a thick forest, a river surged violently, its current heavy and unrelenting as it sped downstream. Up ahead, the sound of a roaring waterfall echoed through the trees. In the rushing water, a dark object bobbed erratically, carried helplessly by the current. No—not an object—it was Kaden's head.
Gasping, Kaden managed to lift his head from the water, desperate to catch a breath. The roar of the river was deafening, its icy fingers clawing at his skin as the current dragged him further downstream. All around him, the forest seemed to blur into a dark green haze, the sound of rushing water and the distant, thunderous crash of a waterfall growing louder with each passing second. The river felt like a beast, pulling and tearing at his body as it hurled him forward. It was a sensation like no other—the freezing water slapping against his skin, the relentless speed turning him into a ragdoll, his lungs burning as he struggled to breathe.
