The announcement came without ceremony, without warning, and without any acknowledgment of the tension that had been building in the air since the previous night. The instructors stood on the cliff overlooking the beach, their silhouettes dark against the rising sun. Seabirds circled high above them, their distant cries the only sound cutting through the morning's tight, breathless quiet.
"Phase Two begins now. All assigned teams will advance into the island interior."
That was it.
No explanation.
No details.
No hint of caution.
The students murmured, confused but excited. Some stretched their limbs eagerly; others double-checked their gear. Most believed the island to be nothing more than exotic terrain—a dense forest, new wildlife, maybe some artificial dungeon constructs. Something challenging, sure, but not sinister.
Only a handful of students knew better.
