Chapter 196

Escaping the deadly mire of Ghost Crying Woods brought little sense of relief. The mountain paths deep within the rainforest were even more rugged and difficult to traverse. Dense vegetation nearly blocked out the sky entirely, leaving only mottled, shattered points of light to filter through, while the air was thick with a pungent, sickly smell of rotting vegetation and damp earth. Massive board-like tree roots formed natural barricades that required strenuous climbing, and ubiquitous vines and strangler plants wove together into the walls of a labyrinth. The ground was covered in a thick, soft, and slick layer of humus; a single step could sink one down to the ankles, and every movement consumed a vast amount of physical stamina.