The canopy pressed down like a living wall, endless layers of emerald and shadow that swallowed the sky. Liam landed after his highest leap yet, boots sinking into moss thick as carpet, and wiped sweat from his brow. 'How the hell do they even live here?' he thought, chest tight. Back home—his real home, the one with concrete and deadlines—he'd never imagined a forest could feel this alive. This *hungry*.
Pyra moved beside him, flame-red hair flickering like embers in the dim light, her presence a steady heat against the oppressive green. The other girls flanked them, blades and spells at the ready. They had been walking for hours, yet the massive Tree of Life still felt impossibly distant, its crown visible only when Liam jumped high enough to break the canopy.
"Stay close," he said quietly, voice low but firm. The words grounded him. These women had followed him across continents and battles. Protecting them wasn't just a quest anymore—it was the only thing that still felt real.
