章 39: Divide

The trip back to camp felt like trudging through some surreal, bizarre waking dream. Reality and fantasy seemed to blur together in a way that left David disoriented. Even the surrounding forest had fallen unnervingly silent, as if holding its breath in response to the strange, glowing shard they'd encountered.

David walked the path in silence, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion. His mind raced, fragments of the vivid vision that had gripped him only moments before flashing through his mind. The images and sounds from that moment weren't just memories—they felt like they'd been etched into his very soul, impossible to shake. He couldn't understand what had happened, and worse, he had no idea how to explain it to anyone else. The weight of the experience hung heavily on him, a burden he didn't know how to share.

And it would prove to be short-lived.