The crystalline forest around them had grown silent. Not the peaceful quiet of nature at rest, but the oppressive hush that comes when predators circle just beyond sight. Saguna's corruption-enhanced senses picked up movement in the shadows between the spiral trees, shapes that followed their path with patient hunger.
"They're coordinating," Radji observed, his earth connection allowing him to track the vibrations of multiple entities moving in formation. "Whatever's hunting us isn't acting on instinct alone."
Marius nodded approvingly as he led them deeper into the wild territories, the Corruption Key pulsing with dark energy in his grip. "Very astute, Mr. Loma. The deeper territories house more sophisticated predators. They've learned that fresh spirits from the physical realm require different hunting strategies."
"Different how?" Osa asked, though his water remained in constant motion around them, responding to threats he couldn't yet see.
