Location: Dark Forest - Mid Ring Boundary | Doha (Lower Realm)
Time: Day 400, Mid-Morning
The forest changed.
Jayde noticed it the moment she crossed the invisible boundary between Outer and Mid Ring territories—the way the canopy thickened overhead, filtering sunlight into sickly green-gold shafts that barely reached the forest floor. The way the undergrowth grew denser, thornier, and more aggressive. The way the air itself felt heavier, pressing against her skin like something alive and watchful.
Even the smell was different. Sharper. More predatory.
Environmental assessment: Increased ambient Ember Qi concentration. Essence saturation approximately 47% higher than the Outer Ring baseline. Vegetation adapted to a higher energy environment. Predator presence indicators elevated.
(This feels... wrong. Like the forest is watching us.)
