The forest thickened the closer they got to the final marker.
Lucas noticed it before anyone said anything. The path narrowed, the ground softened underfoot, and the spacing between trees tightened just enough to make movement feel cramped if you weren't paying attention.
He slowed slightly.
"Feels different," he said.
Raisel nodded without looking back.
"It is."
Arden checked the faint glow ahead through the trees.
"The last zone should be just past that ridge."
Lucas adjusted his grip on his weapon.
"Alright."
He didn't rush forward.
That was the part that had changed over the past week. Before, he would've pushed the pace, trying to get through the exercise as cleanly as possible. Now he found himself watching the ground, listening to the way the wind moved through the trees, paying attention to small details that didn't exist in the arena.
Dreyden walked just behind him.
"Spacing," he said quietly.
Lucas shifted half a step left.
