Hours bled into the oppressive silence of the forest, broken only by the squelch of their footsteps and the occasional distant rustle.
Until the raid entered the town. Shadows stretched across streets, cast by structures half-consumed by crimson growth. The spongy ground continued to squelch beneath their feet. Each step made wet sounds, as if walking across exposed tissue and blood.
Vines covered everything. They wrapped around lampposts, traffic signs, and abandoned vehicles. Windows were shattered, and doors hung open, revealing interiors choked with red vegetation.
"Which way?" Helga asked.
Lena pointed a trembling hand toward the collapsed street ahead. "Through there. The exit is on the far side. The heart of the patch is beyond it." Her face was pale.
The raid moved, keeping close to each other. Summons walked alongside, providing screens against ambush.
Reidar continued his task of summoning and re-summoning the Feral Pack.
