As soon as Draven and his family turned to leave, Cedric and his team also shifted their path, heading in the opposite direction. The forest felt unnervingly calm, every step sinking into the silence.
They moved at a steady pace when Adrian finally broke it.
His voice was low, carrying a hint of hesitation.
"Captain… did you know them?"
Adrian's deep blue eyes flickered with something unspoken. His brownish hair swayed slightly as he walked, his matured face betraying thoughts he couldn't shake.
Cedric's expression didn't change much, though his tone lacked certainty.
"Why ask that? This is the first time we've met."
Adrian frowned, still solemn. "I can't explain it… but when I looked at them, I had this strange sense… like I'd seen them before. Like I knew them."
Cedric slowed, lips pressed tight. A shadow crossed his features.
"...Familiar, yes. I felt it too. But it doesn't make sense. We've never crossed paths with them."
Kaelen, walking in the front, gave a curt reply. His voice was younger, but his eyes were cold, his shield strapped firmly before him.
"Maybe it's nothing."
Neither Cedric nor Adrian pressed further, but the air between them carried a quiet unease, like a string drawn too tight.
The silence didn't last.
The ground beneath their boots trembled, faint at first, then violently enough to rattle the branches overhead. Their chests tightened. A crushing weight pressed down on them, unseen but undeniable.
Adrian gritted his teeth. "Captain!"
Kaelen staggered but held his ground, muscles straining. Cedric's vision blurred for a heartbeat, a pressure drilling into his skull. Beside him, Selene collapsed to her knees with a choked gasp, her hands trembling as she struggled against the unseen weight.
"C-Cedric…" Her voice was faint, forced.
He reached out, gripping her arm, forcing his own body to stay upright despite the heavy pull.
Then—
As suddenly as it came, the pressure vanished.
The four of them gasped for air, lungs burning like they'd been drowning.
"Can you stand?" Cedric asked, steadying Selene.
She nodded weakly, forcing a smile. "Yes… I'll manage."
Adrian's voice broke in, sharp with alarm. "Captain. This isn't normal. I've got a bad feeling about this."
Cedric's eyes hardened. "You're right. We can't linger. Move."
They picked up the pace, each step heavier with dread. The trees grew denser, the air thicker. Finally, through the gaps in the forest, they glimpsed it—the massive tree said to mark the dungeon's location.
They climbed over the ridge, eyes fixed on the sight below.
And froze.
For a heartbeat, no one spoke. The silence was absolute, broken only by the ragged rhythm of their breathing.
Selene's hand trembled as she gripped Cedric's sleeve. Her voice was a whisper on the edge of fear.
"Cedric…"
Adrian's face had drained of color, his usual calm replaced with a grim urgency.
"Captain… we need to report this. Immediately."
Kaelen only nodded, shield trembling ever so slightly in his grip.
Cedric's jaw tightened.
"Retreat. Now."
The words snapped them from their paralysis. Without another glance, the four of them turned and fled, the echo of their footsteps swallowed quickly by the forest's silence.