Chapter 2: A Decision and Pondering Thoughts.
“Where are we?” Alexander asked, looking around the dark forest, his feet crunching the dried leaves.
Wisteria glanced at him, but stayed focused at where to walk. After all, you could never be too careful in a sentient forest. “we are in the Forest of the Damned.”
Alex stumbled, “what?” He croaked out.
“The Forest of the Damned is where we are.” She repeated, staring ahead with where the darkness seems to seep out.
Alexander stared, suddenly feeling much paranoid he looked left and right and gulped, the darkness seemed much more ominous to him. Shock and disbelief coursed through him, clouding his mind of any calm thought he had. “Yes,” he forced out, failing to keep his voice calm, “but why?”
Wisteria blinked, but answered despite her confusion over the sudden paleness of his skin. She was quite humans were not supposed to reach that level of paleness, “it is the only way to where I live. Are you quite alright?” She asked, concerned, she really didn’t want to carry a corpse, it would be bad luck to be followed by crows left and right, after all.
“Alright?” He said, disbelief in his tone. “Alright? This is the Forest of the Damned! Do you know what this place even is!?”
“Why, yes. I do.” She answered, slightly confused at how he reacted, though now that she thinks of it, it was slightly understandable, really. As this was not a place to have a nice picnic, more so for a walk, much less unprotected to do so.
(It was not to be stated but Wisteria is indeed, protected and unaffected by temptations of evil. But he did not need to know that, as so, Alex is ignorant to that fact.)
But before she could continue, the forest glowed, light yellow and calming blue coming to life. It was a sudden thing, blinding them for a moment before their eyes adjusted to the sudden light. Alex stood still, confusion and dread filling him. His stomach dropped as he suddenly felt Magic filling his surroundings.
“What happened?” He asked, his head telling him something was wrong, that there was danger coming. But he couldn’t tell what was the danger, couldn’t tell what was wrong.
(He steadily ignored the twing of his mind telling him that it was right in front of him. That there was a being greater than he. Older than he. And much much more ancient than the life before him.
He thought nothing of it, and oh, how wrong he was to do so, for it was nothing but true.)
“Oh dear,” he heard Wis say. Though it was a distant to Alex, nevermind that she was just front of him. “It’s started.”
“What’s started?” He asked, panic filled him as he thought of Lurkers, Monsters, and the Dammed coming to them. The bad feeling he had only grew stronger at the gruesome thoughts running through his head. Instinctively, his hand touched dagger, strapped at his right leg.
Wis, sensing his panic and tried to calm him down, panic is the last thing she needed. “Nothing truly that dangerous, just the forest sensing us and has started to search for us.”
“You make it sound like the forest is sentient,” he said, strained as he stared at her indifferent form, looking around the glowing trees as she tilted her head, eyes itself glowing eerily. Slowly, she turned to him, her eyes- glowing yellow, turning red, then blue. Never staying one color, it was eery as it was beautiful. They were piercing through him, seeing him, and never has he felt so vulnerable as he did now- looked amused as she said her words, lips pulled to a small smirk.
“Oh, do you not feel it? The Magic? The forest is sentient.” Wis says, casually as if stating the weather. But lurking in her eyes was amusement and seriousness that meant the honesty of her words.
Alex saw that, and the dread pooling his stomach worsened. He wanted nothing more to shrug it off, play it a fools word. But he knew better. Felt better as he felt the saturated, thick, Magic surrounding the entire forest, searching and searching. For what, he did not know, but he had an inkling that he didn’t want to find out anytime soon.
He is not stupid. Alex knew what she said was true, it was only a matter of whether they were in danger or not.
“You shan’t worry,” she said, sensing his dark thoughts. “For power is not what you need, but resolve and will instead.”
“Resolve? Will?” Alex asked, anger bubbled in his stomach but he forced it down. He knew from experience that it wouldn’t really help with their situation. “what does that have anything to do about our situation?”
“Oh, quite a lot, I would imagine.” Wis said, a small smile pulls her lips. He wonders how she could be calm and amused in this situation as frustration claws its way through him.
“What do you mean by that?” He said, frustrated as he combed his hair. Alex looked at her, again he wonders, how is she so calm? “stop being so cryptic and please, give me a straight answer!”
But where is the fun in that? She thinks, a little amused at his frustration, but instead she only says, “the forest invokes your greatest desires.”
Alex makes a frustrated noise, and tugs his hair.
Wisteria stifles a chuckle at his reaction, but taking pity on him, she said. “You’re will is your power. You wield it right, then you survive.”
It was in that moment he felt ting of regret for following her. A little too late for that now, he thinks ruefully. He sighs heavily and looks around. Alex wills his panic, dread, and frustration down with practice ease and calms. His piercing eyes close and he stretches his senses, searching once more, and anticipates.
Wisteria was impressed by his action. Maybe he is no bumbling fool after all, she shakes her head at the thought, she should have known better than to underestimate humans. They may be stupid, but their potential is nothing to scoff at.
She relaxes, content to watch him look for the unknown. The prisoners, the betrayed, and most of all, the Damned that would no doubt find them soon. For they cannot leave the forest until they destroy the ones coming for them.
And it would seem he finally noticed this.
Wisteria smiles, sharp and satisfied. And now, she watches it all unfold.
Comments (0)
See all