To verify the theory, they deliberately abandoned the trail; instead of walking east, they headed north.
After half an hour, they turned west, then south, and then east again. Atheline even climbed into the upper canopy, leaping effortlessly between branches while searching for any landmark.
Everything appeared normal. Endless forest stretched in every direction, yet somehow... every path eventually brought them back.
Night slowly settled over the forest. Moonlight filtered weakly through the dense canopy. The attacks never ceased.
A herd of massive Stonehorn Elk charged without warning. Atheline drew two arrows, Earth Aether flowing through them.
The projectiles struck the ground before the charging beasts. Massive pillars of stone erupted upward, throwing the entire herd into the air. Before they landed, Lightning Aether surged into his next volley. Brilliant arcs leapt between every beast simultaneously.
