The forest stretched endlessly before them, its towering trees rising so high that their crowns seemed to disappear into the heavens. Thick roots twisted across the ground like sleeping serpents, forcing the group to constantly watch their footing as they followed the only thing resembling a path.

It wasn’t a real road by any means. It was merely a trail formed by countless footsteps over time, patches of flattened earth winding through the wilderness and disappearing deeper into the unknown.

Every now and then strange cries echoed from somewhere far away, sounds unlike anything any of them had ever heard on Earth, reminding them that they were no longer in the familiar world they had spent their entire lives in.

Leonid walked at the front with Liam secured firmly on his back. Despite carrying another grown man, his pace never slowed. His vampire physique handled the weight effortlessly, almost as if Liam wasn’t there at all.

Every few minutes he would glance over his shoulder just to confirm that Liam was still breathing normally, but there was never any cause for concern. The frightening venom from the spider beast had long since left Liam’s system. His body had simply rejected it and forced it out naturally.

The only issue remaining was his unconsciousness. For now, he remained completely unresponsive, his white hair shifting slightly whenever the wind passed through the forest.

Tatiana followed only a few steps behind Leonid. Her hands held the box of cookies carefully against her chest as if it were something precious. The package had somehow survived everything that had happened since their arrival.

Her eyes rarely left Liam for more than a second. Every time Leonid shifted his position or adjusted Liam’s weight, her gaze immediately followed. She wasn’t even paying attention to where she walked anymore. Her body moved automatically while her attention remained fixed entirely on Liam.

Irina walked beside Mary while turning a small crystal over in her hand. The object reflected faint streaks of light despite the dense forest canopy above them. It wasn’t particularly large, only slightly bigger than her palm, but she could feel something unusual hidden within it. The energy wasn’t active. It wasn’t moving or reacting. Yet there was undoubtedly power sealed inside the crystal. If Leonid hadn’t wandered around after the battle, curious as always, none of them would have found it among the remains of the beast.

She studied it again before looking toward Mary.

"Is this the same kind of crystal we used for the portal?" she asked.

Mary glanced toward the object before shaking her head.

"No."

Her answer came immediately.

"The crystals used in the portal formation were different. Much different."

Irina raised an eyebrow.

"Different how?"

Mary brushed a branch aside as they continued walking.

"The ones we used came from a cave system back on Earth. The witches council discovered them decades ago during an expedition. We never found any records explaining who placed them there or how they arrived. We only knew they contained immense magical energy and were compatible with our formations."

Her eyes moved briefly toward the crystal in Irina’s hand.

"This one feels different. Similar in purpose perhaps, but not in origin. If I had to guess, this crystal actually may even be a natural part of the creature."

Irina nodded thoughtfully while staring at the crystal again. The idea of a beast naturally developing an energy source inside its body was strange, but then again everything about this world was strange.

The group continued deeper into the forest. The path twisted around massive trees whose trunks were wider than houses. Strange plants grew everywhere, some glowing faintly beneath giant leaves, others covered in colorful patterns that seemed almost artificial. The air itself felt richer than Earth’s, carrying unfamiliar scents with every breath.

Eventually Tatiana finally spoke.

"When you told us this world was dangerous..."

Her voice drew everyone’s attention.

She looked toward Mary while still holding her box against her chest.

"Were you talking about one of those things I fought?"

The question caused both Leonid and Irina to become interested immediately.

Neither of them had witnessed the actual battle.

They had only arrived after it ended.

All they had seen was the aftermath.

The shredded corpse.

The destroyed forest.

The blood everywhere.

And Tatiana standing unharmed in the middle of it all.

Which naturally left them wondering.

If that monster represented the dangers of this world, perhaps the threat had been exaggerated.

Mary opened her mouth to answer, but another voice spoke first.

"What you fought wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg."

Everyone turned toward the elderly witch.

The silver-haired woman walked calmly despite her age, her long braid swaying gently behind her.

"What you encountered was merely a predator living near the outer regions."

Her expression remained serious.

"We have seen creatures here that made that spider look insignificant."

Tatiana frowned slightly.

She continued.

"I personally witnessed beasts so large that they towered over entire mountain ranges. We once saw a creature standing in the distance and mistook it for a cliff. It wasn’t until it moved that we realized it was alive."

The forest suddenly felt much quieter.

Even Leonid looked interested now.

Her eyes grew distant as if remembering something.

"We saw creatures soaring across the sky that resembled dragons from old myths. Their wings blocked sunlight across entire valleys. Some flew so high they looked like moving clouds, yet even from that distance their presence was enough to make every living thing beneath them flee."

Tatiana’s grip on her box tightened slightly.

Agatha wasn’t finished.

"There are places in this world where even experienced witches refuse to step foot. Entire regions where the air itself feels hostile. We have seen storms that seemed alive. Forests that move. Creatures capable of destroying armies."

A heavy silence followed her words.

For the first time since arriving, everyone truly felt the scale of where they were.

This wasn’t merely another planet.

This was an entirely different world.

A world that had evolved under rules they barely understood.

Irina finally broke the silence.

"You know..."

She looked toward the elderly witch.

"I just realized something."

The witch looked at her.

"What?"

"We never actually introduced ourselves properly."

A faint smile appeared on Irina’s face.

"I’ve been traveling with you and I still don’t know your name."

For the first time, Agatha smiled.

It was small but warm.

She placed a hand against her chest.

"My name is Agatha Volkov."

Her voice carried quiet dignity.

Then she gestured toward the tall older man walking nearby.

"And my friend here is Gregor Vasiliev."

Gregor glanced toward them.

The tall witch’s face looked as weathered as old stone, deep wrinkles lining his features from decades of experience. He gave a short nod but didn’t say much else.

"Pleasure," he said simply.

Leonid smirked.

"Talkative guy."

Gregor looked directly at him.

"I save my words for important conversations."

That only made Leonid laugh.

Even Irina couldn’t stop a small smile from appearing.

For a moment the tension eased.