The dense pine forest was a labyrinth of shadows and silence, a stark contrast to the swirling chaos of the Void they had just fled. Elias, despite the festering shadow wound that still corrupted his shoulder, moved with a desperate, animalistic focus. He pulled Jiyeon deeper into the trees, his strength waning with every stride.

“The Temporal Mirror won’t hold for long,” Elias strained, his breath ragged. “It only bought us a minute of confusion. The Weaver will be upon us the moment he stabilizes his presence.”