Chapter 37: The Spiral Path to Nowhere (+18)
The haunted forest stretched on, with it the silent weight hanging in the air like a sticky membrane.
Eren walked with half-closed eyes, analyzing everything—the scent of the air, the texture of the earth, the intervals between the trunks. There was no clear sign of Barovik. No change in vegetation. No watchtower. No recognizable ruins. The sky remained with that malformed yellowish-gray that never opened into full light.
[Time elapsed since departure from Watch Hill: 21h 08min]
[Pre-calculated routes to Barovik: estimated duration – 18h (cautious mode)]
[Status: Active detour | Secondary path | Possible loop? Inconclusive]
Eren’s mind operated as always: cold, logical, focused. But even so... something was wrong.
If we’ve been on the move for over twenty hours and haven’t seen a single sign of civilization, either this path is truly a very long alternative route... or there’s some magical interference in the way.
He frowned.
The route they took was suggested by Hark—the Green Stalker who had helped them before—and that gave it some credibility. But it was possible that the forest itself was altering distances. Or worse: restricting access to the city with some subtle barrier.
"Kaela," he said in a neutral tone. "Are you sensing anything new?"
"No," she replied dryly.
Morwynn sighed theatrically.