(Time-Stilled World, 143 Kilometers from Forest Entry, Day 12)
Over the next five days, the group had to battle their way through the forest with barely any time to breathe, as there were no quiet stretches anymore, no peaceful walks between fights, and certainly no mercy from the creatures that stalked them nonstop.
Every few hours, some new horror would leap from a treetop or claw its way out from beneath the ground, forcing the team to raise their weapons and brace for yet another bloody encounter.
The attacks kept coming. Each fight blurred into the next, and although most of the enemies weren't impossibly strong, their endless frequency began to wear the team thin.
The more complex the fight, the harder it became to rely on mana stones. Holding one in your hand while dodging fangs and claws wasn't always possible, and in those moments, the only choice was to cycle the tainted mana of this world, a choice that came with a cost.
