The second resting zone did not last long for them.
They did not slow to recover, nor did they linger to observe others the way many participants did, because the moment the next set of veils came into full view, the difference in pressure was already obvious, even without stepping inside.
The colors were deeper.
Denser.
Less like barriers and more like sealed systems waiting to be entered.
Some veils pulsed slowly as if breathing, while others remained completely still, their surfaces smooth and quiet in a way that felt far more dangerous than movement. The air around them carried weight now, not physical, but conceptual, like stepping closer meant committing to something irreversible.
Almond didn't stop.
He didn't need to think.
His gaze moved once across the veils, and then he stepped forward.
Blue-purple.
The others followed immediately.
The moment they crossed, the world twisted.
Not violently. Not abruptly.
