Chapter 16: Journey
"WAHH!"
A yawn slipped past his lips as his eyes fluttered open to scattered flashes of light filtering through the canopy, spilling warmly across his face.
He exhaled, lifting his hand slowly. He examined his fingers, wiggling them one by one with mechanical care. After a moment, he sighed again and glanced down.
"Huh...? Did a nuclear bomb go off here?" he murmured.
The ground beneath was charred black—absolutely black.
He dropped from the tree.
"Ugh," he grunted, wincing. He’d underestimated the fall.
Around him, the forest was ash. Once-standing trees had been reduced to cinders. Bones littered the soil—beast bones.
Ether beasts?
It was the only explanation.
He stepped forward, deeper into the forest.