(Time-Stilled World, 6 Kilometers into the Forest of Death, Leo's Team)
The fog had finally lifted.
Gone was the choking whiteness that had wrapped around their necks like a noose, as it was now replaced now by a haunting clarity that somehow felt even worse.
The white trees loomed larger without the mist to blur their forms, their trunks twisting unnaturally, as they all looked gloomy and impossible to differentiate from the other.
The silence surrounding them was deeper too, as gone were the occasional whispers and false illusions, as the forest seemed to have reset to its base settings.
"We're not finding them, are we?" Patricia finally asked, her voice quiet as she lowered her goggles, revealing tired eyes.
Leo said nothing at first. He simply looked around, eyes scanning the now-visible terrain, as if expecting Raiden, Cipher, and Karl to suddenly step out from behind a tree.
But unfortunately, they didn't.
