70. Tree of Delusions

Jayden struggled, muscles straining, his breath ragged as he yanked against the bindings, but the vines only tightened. Then, just as panic started to creep in, two more shot forward, striking him squarely on the forehead, connecting themselves to his temples. A burning pain rushed through his skull, spreading like wildfire beneath his skin. It felt as though the vines had pierced him, threading their way into his veins, fusing with his very essence. His vision blurred. His body convulsed. Then everything went white. His mind emptied, swallowed by a void. For a moment, he was nowhere—adrift in silence. And then— His eyes snapped open. The vines were gone. His body was free. But something was wrong *Why am I facing the tree?* He thought. “Swan!” he called out, turning sharply. She was nowhere to be seen. His pulse pounded as he stepped forward, but the ground beneath him was no longer the same. The lush earth had withered into dry, cracked wasteland, stretching endlessly in every direct