The heat shimmered over the dead plains, distorting the horizon into a wavering line of brown and grey. But as the four men approached the base of the mountain, the distortion stopped. Ahead of them, the forest began with a precision that was unsettling. There was no gradual transition, no thinning of the grass or scattered shrubs. One step was dust; the next was deep, moist moss.
The forest was green—too green. In a world where every blade of grass had turned to brittle straw, the foliage here was lush and heavy. The leaves were a dark, waxy emerald, so thick they seemed to drip with moisture. It looked like an island of life in a sea of ash, but it didn't feel inviting.
As they reached the edge, a wall of cold air hit them. It wasn't the refreshing breeze of a summer evening. It was th
