Arvan's hanging face froze. He kept staring at the hooded man beside him with vague expressions. He couldn't speak, nor think clearly not out of fear, but because what had happened was so sudden and unexpected that his emotions simply collapsed. He no longer knew how to react.
He had just escaped certain death, and before he could even celebrate, he found himself facing another deadly crisis.
Once that realization finally hit him, his face contorted in terror, and in a trembling voice he said,
"What does this mean? Let me go! Don't you know who I am? I—"
Before he could finish, several roots burst from the ground and gagged his mouth, silencing him completely.
Thorne, in contrast, remained calm and mentally clear. Quietly, he thought,
'It's him! The man who's been watching us this entire time… he finally made a move. But what's his goal?'
Even though his head was filled with questions, he didn't bother asking or thinking too hard. It was pointless for him.
