The journey dragged on for several more hours.
But this time .. for the first time .. we stepped onto solid ground.
"We're finally out of that damned desert…"
We exhaled in relief as we entered a completely new region.
A forest ..but not just any forest.
Trees with pitch-black bark. Leaves darker than night.
A suffocating atmosphere thick with tainted aura.
If anything, this place felt even worse than the desert we just left behind.
For now, we decided to stop briefly .. just enough to recover some strength and get a bit of sleep.
We did it in shifts.
Two hours of rest per person.
That was the most we could afford before moving out again.
"How's it looking, Frey?"
"We're getting closer."
I didn't know why .. but the feeling kept growing stronger.
Deep inside that black forest…
We finally saw signs of civilization.
But it was buried ... long gone.
We barely made out what looked like old homes, ancient ruins…
But no bodies.
Only destruction.
