The group moved forward in strained silence, the unsettling encounter still hanging in the air. The dense woods felt darker now, as though the shadows themselves were alive, shifting and watching. Rick walked at the front, his steps brisk, his senses heightened, but his mind was far from settled. He couldn’t shake the image of Ji-hyo standing there, speaking to something—or someone—no one else could see.

As they trekked further, the woods grew eerily quiet. The usual sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal calls had faded into an unnatural stillness. It felt as though the forest itself was holding its breath.

Ji-hyo, however, seemed unaffected. She walked with a strange, tranquil ease, her eyes occasionally glancing into the trees, but her smile remained serene, as though the spirits she spoke of were walking beside her. Her words, soft and murmured, barely reached the others, but she wasn’t alone in her thoughts. The group couldn’t ignore the sense of unease settling over them like a thick fog.

“I told you,” she whispered, almost as though speaking to herself. “It’s not just ghosts. There’s something here... something that doesn’t belong.”

Sasha glanced at her, her expression unreadable. “You’ve been saying that for days now, Ji-hyo. Are you sure you’re alright?”

Ji-hyo turned to Sasha, her gaze unwavering. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. It’s close.”

The others exchanged uneasy glances. Rick stopped in his tracks and looked at Ji-hyo. “What exactly do you mean by ‘close’? You said we weren’t alone, that there’s something else. What is it?”

Ji-hyo’s smile faded slightly, her eyes narrowing as if concentrating on something just out of reach. “I don’t know exactly what it is, Rick. But it’s here. I can feel it. Watching. Waiting.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of something unspoken. A few seconds passed, and then, in the distance, a low, drawn-out howl echoed through the woods. It was far away, but unmistakable.

“Did you hear that?” Tara asked, her voice tight with unease.

“Yeah, I heard it,” Rick replied, his hand instinctively going to his sidearm. “It sounded like a wolf—or something else.”

The howl came again, this time closer, sending a shiver down their spines. The sound didn’t fit the usual chorus of the forest, and something about it felt wrong—unnatural.

“This is it,” Ji-hyo whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “It’s coming.”

Without warning, the group began to hear soft footsteps, almost as if a soft wind was brushing through the undergrowth. But it wasn’t the wind—it was too rhythmic, too deliberate. The forest had gone silent once again, as though the creatures that lived in it had been scared off, or perhaps had already been driven away.

Rick motioned for the group to take cover, and everyone instinctively scattered, ducking behind trees and rocks. Ji-hyo, however, remained still, her eyes focused on the trees in front of her.

“You’re not afraid, are you?” Glenn asked, his voice tense as he ducked behind a large tree.

Ji-hyo shook her head slowly, her voice serene. “I’m never afraid. I told you, I can feel it... it’s not here to hurt us. Not yet.”

“Then what the hell is it?” Maggie whispered, fear creeping into her voice.

Before Ji-hyo could respond, the figure appeared again, this time in full view. It was tall, much taller than any human, with glowing eyes that pierced through the shadows like an unnatural flame. Its body seemed to shift, as if it were made of smoke or vapor, ever-changing in form. It wasn’t entirely solid, but it was undeniably there.

Rick’s hand tightened around his weapon, but he didn’t raise it. Instead, he stood frozen, his eyes trained on the entity, unsure of how to react.

“What... what is that thing?” Daryl murmured, his usual bravado gone. The figure seemed to pulse with an eerie, supernatural energy that made the air itself feel thick with unease.

“I told you it was coming,” Ji-hyo said softly, her voice unwavering. She stepped forward slowly, her eyes locked on the figure as though they were communicating silently. “It’s not a walker. It’s not human. It’s something else. Something beyond this world.”

The entity tilted its head, as though acknowledging her words, but it didn’t make a sound. It merely hovered there, watching them with its glowing, unblinking eyes. Its presence was suffocating—like the entire forest had held its breath for far too long.

“We need to move,” Rick ordered quietly, his eyes never leaving the figure. “This thing isn’t safe.”

But Ji-hyo didn’t move. Instead, she stood there, her arms by her sides, her gaze fixed on the entity.

“You don’t need to be afraid,” she said softly. “It’s not here to hurt us. It’s here to guide us.”

“Guide us?” Rick repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. “What the hell are you talking about, Ji-hyo?”

“It’s showing us the way,” she continued, her tone soft but confident. “The world is full of darkness now, Rick. But there’s still light... if you know where to look.”

Sasha took a cautious step forward, her hand resting on her weapon, but she didn’t draw it. “You’re saying this thing is here to help us?”

Ji-hyo nodded slowly. “Not directly. But it can show us what we need to see. It’s been following us, watching us, just like the spirits. It knows what’s coming.”

The group stood in silence, the weight of Ji-hyo’s words sinking in.

The entity remained still, its glowing eyes never leaving Ji-hyo’s face. It was almost as if it was waiting for her to say something more, or perhaps for them to make the next move.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Rick spoke. “Alright. We’ll follow your lead. But stay alert.”

Ji-hyo gave a soft, knowing smile, her eyes still locked with the entity’s. “I already am.”

With that, the figure slowly began to move, gliding through the woods with eerie grace, its form shifting like smoke in the night. Ji-hyo followed it without hesitation, her steps light but purposeful. The others exchanged uneasy glances, but without a better option, they followed.

As they walked, the shadows around them seemed to grow deeper, darker, but Ji-hyo’s calm presence was like a beacon in the gloom. Her steady pace and quiet words seemed to offer some comfort, even as the rest of the group remained tense, unsure of what they were walking into.

The howl of a distant creature echoed once more, but this time it didn’t seem as threatening. It was as though the forest itself was responding to the entity, acknowledging its presence. The path ahead seemed to open up, revealing a clearing, but something about it was different—it didn’t feel like the same world they had left behind.

The closer they got, the more the air seemed to change, charged with a strange energy. Ji-hyo stopped at the edge of the clearing and turned to face the group. Her expression was serene, almost peaceful.

“This is where we need to be,” she said softly. “The answers are here. And we’re ready to hear them.”

Rick glanced around the clearing, his heart pounding in his chest. Something was coming—something big. But whether it was hope or doom, they couldn’t tell yet. All they knew was that they had no choice but to follow Ji-hyo into the unknown.

And as they stepped into the clearing, the figure faded into the shadows once again, leaving only Ji-hyo’s voice to guide them.

“We’ll find our way,” she whispered, her words carried on the wind. “We always do.”