Kai coughed, spitting out a mouthful of cold water as he pulled himself onto a slippery rock. His arms trembled, soaked to the bone, his breath ragged in the damp air.

  He looked up. Sheer walls of stone loomed on either side, rising far above his head. Moonlight barely reached the bottom, leaving the ravine cloaked in shifting shadows.

  Kai ran a hand through his wet hair, grimacing. His eyes darted along the narrow passage, where the river curved out of sight. There was only one choice — forward.

  Shivering, he pushed himself to his feet. His boots splashed through shallow pools as he moved cautiously downstream. Strange markings lined the walls — old carvings, almost glowing faintly under the moss. Kai paused, brushing his fingers over them.

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  A low rumble echoed in the distance. Not thunder — something deeper. Something alive. Kai’s pulse quickened, but he pressed on, determined.

  Meanwhile, under the moonlit sky, Aiko moved swiftly through the trees. The cold night air bit at her cheeks, but she barely felt it. Her eyes swept across the ground — footprints, snapped branches, wet drag marks. She was close.

  Owls hooted in the distance, and the forest floor gleamed faintly with dew. Aiko’s steps were light, her senses sharp, but she couldn’t shake the creeping dread that crawled along her spine.

  She paused at the edge of a ridge, peering down into the ravine. It was far too dark to see the bottom. She clenched her fists.

  Back below, Kai stumbled over a fallen branch lodged between the rocks. The faint glow of the carvings seemed to pulse as he passed.

  Suddenly — a splash.

  He froze. Breath held. Eyes wide.

  Author’s Note (After the Chapter)

  even crazier from here…

  — Author ??