The forest felt endless.
Twisted trees with glowing purple leaves towered over them, blotting out the sky above.
The ground beneath their boots was soft, spongey—unnatural.
Despite walking for nearly an hour, Ethan and the others hadn't seen anything that resembled a path, a village, or even wildlife.
"I don't like this. We've been walking in circles."
Noah muttered, glancing around.
"We should try using a tracking skill."
Nora suggested.
Orion raised a hand to cast a simple location sweep, but the moment he triggered his skill, the system's voice echoed in all their minds:
[Authority Level Insufficient. Free-Will Execution Denied.]
A chilling silence followed.
"What the hell? What does that even mean?"
Noah whispered.
Zara froze mid-step.
"Did everyone just—?"
"We all heard it."
Nora confirmed, voice tight.
Only Ethan remained calm. He didn't even flinch.
His hands stayed buried in his coat pockets as he looked around at the unfamiliar forest.
