Chapter 157: Doubt

The atmosphere was thick with tension as Emily led the group deeper into the dense, foreboding forest. Each step felt heavy, not just from the physical exhaustion but from the weight of recent events. The trees loomed over them, their twisted branches casting eerie shadows that seemed to move and breathe in the dim light. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of an unseen creature.

Emily's mind was racing. Though their recent victories had been hard-fought, they had also come at a steep cost. The group was weary, and she could sense the growing unease among them. The forest itself seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy, and every instinct told her that something was terribly wrong.