One by one, the group stumbled into a clearing where the anchor hovered—a glowing orb of silver light on a pedestal.
“You guys okay?” Logan asked, his voice strained.
Ryan held up his crystal. “I fought a glowing wolf. What do you think?”
Mia looked pale but determined. “I faced... myself. Let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant.”
Anna stepped toward the anchor, her hand trembling. As she touched it, the orb pulsed with energy, and a shockwave rippled through the clearing.
The forest grew still, and the air thickened .
------
The air around the group thickened as the anchor’s silver light pulsed in the heart of the clearing. The moment Anna touched it, the ground beneath them trembled violently, sending loose rocks tumbling and forcing everyone to steady themselves.
“Why does everything we touch try to kill us?” Ryan groaned, gripping his glowing crystal like a lifeline.
Before anyone could respond, the forest erupted into chaos. Trees twisted unnaturally, their silver leaves trembling as
