The deeper they went, the creepier it got.
The forest was dark and quiet—too quiet. No mutant beast calls. No rustling. Not even the usual insect noise. Just that dead, smothered silence that made your skin crawl.
They hadn't gone far when the ground around them suddenly burst.
Vines snapped up in a blur, whipping around ankles and waists and wrists. Before anyone could react, they were yanked off their feet and hoisted into the air like bait on hooks.
Ethan barely had time to tense—
Something sharp pricked him.
A sting. Quick as a needle.
Then a numb heat spread through his limbs, turning his muscles into jelly.
Everyone's faces changed instantly.
They tried to struggle, tried to swing, tried to trigger abilities—only to realize they couldn't get any force behind it. And worse, they couldn't even find a clear target to aim at. It was coming from everywhere.
"Big Mike—fire!" Ethan snapped.
