---
Kai didn't respond to his comment and they continued the journey. The forest around them was alive with beauty and peril. Sunlight filtered through ancient boughs, casting patterned shadows on the ground.
Every leaf glistened with dew, and the earth beneath was soft and yielding. Yet these same elements harbored hidden threats, a rock loose on a narrow trail, a crevice that yawned unpredictably, and the chill of an unexpected gust. With each challenge, Kai's inner system recorded a quiet acknowledgment of survival. But for now, only his determination and the promise of the mission mattered.
Captain Darius, ever the silent sentinel, kept watchful eyes on the group. His glances were icy, brief, calculated, and filled with hidden designs. He moved with the precision of one who planned betrayals even as he led his team.
