Deep within the forest, where the temple resides, is your cure for your demise

(Raiden) - What forest? What temple? This did not help much.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Do you think that the witch knew that we would meet and you will able to decipher the note here in this forest?

(Raiden) - Are you saying that she could predict the future?

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - There is a possibility.

(Raiden) - I haven't seen any temple in this forest.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - It could be something that resembles a temple. A shrine or some old structures.

(Raiden) - Now that you mention it, there is something similar in this forest.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Do you know where?

(Raiden) - It is located on the darker side of the forest.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Darker side?

(Raiden) - Yes, a place where the sun does not shine, and there are not many living things there.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - That place sounds similar to your description of the witch.

*Stands*

(Raiden) - I want to go there, now.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - There is something that bothers me about this riddle.

*Puts the hands on the table*

(Raiden) - What?

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - It says that there is a cure for your demise, what if the cure is your death?

*Unsettled*

*Step*

*Step*

*Silence*

*Sit*

(Raiden) - So what do we do?

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - First, let's think about any possibilities and what happened with you since you met this witch.

They sat and talked about that note and the riddle for hours. But in the end, they decided to go there and find out what it is. Ryuji also told Raiden about the dream he had and Raiden confirmed to him that there are more living trees in the forest, but they are not people that were cursed, but just the Fenbog race that is similar to treants.

The sun was setting and they were both tired. The cottage was not supposed to host two people overnight and they improvised something on the floor for Ryuji to sleep on. But right before they fell asleep there were noises outside. Raiden went outside to check because it could have been the other Fenbogs, but when he opened the door he saw a light. The light was spreading rapidly, it was a fire.

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Raiden spotted two human shapes in the forest and decided to follow them. When he got closer he noticed those two were the ones he hesitated to get rid of. He came back to the cottage, woke Ryuji up, and told him to remain in the cottage.

The cottage was safe from the fire due to the lake and the rocks surrounding it. Raiden went outside, transformed, and went after those people, this time with the intent to kill them. He also called through his howling the other Fenbogs to help him put out the fire.

As time was passing the fire started to disappear, resulting in the Fenbogs working together. But there was still something that was unsettling Ryuji. In the dream, there was something resembling a council of Fenbogs. And for some reason, he was there.

Could it be related to this event or something in the near future? Ryuji asked himself.

Ryuji decided to leave the door open, and try to get some rest. He knew that as far as Raiden is out there he will be safe. And as it happens the next morning he woke up in a place that he did not recognize. It was not the cottage, it didn't even look like a forest. But there was something familiar. The howling.

*Howling*

*Loud thud*

*Loud thud*

*Trembling*

*Crack*

*Step*

*Step*

(Raiden) - You finally woke up.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Where are we?

(Raiden) - We are in the dark side of the forest.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - How? Why?

(Raiden) - I was impatient, and after the last night, I just had to figure out what is going on.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - At the very least, no new prophecy dream this time.

(Raiden) - There was something you missed in your previous one.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Hm?

(Raiden) - I might have been the one that told you to run.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - And how did things turn out to be like this then?

(Raiden) - Because we managed to stop the fire, and successfully explained the (Race) you are not one of them.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Wait, then in my dream things happened because the fire spread, and (Race) misunderstood everything?

(Raiden) - I would assume that, yes.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Well then, the good news is finished, let us get on with the bad ones.

(Raiden) - Yes.

They started searching for more clues about the riddle, but unfortunately, there was nothing in the ruins they were in.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Are you sure this is the only place?

(Raiden) - This is as far as I was able to go previously.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Then there might be another temple.

(Raiden) - And how are we supposed to find it?

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - I might have an idea. But we do need to return to your house.

*Step*

*Step*

After hours of walking, they were finally out of the dark side of the forest. The idea Ryuji had in mind was that one of the maps and papers he found with Olaf might point out the right place for the so-called temple from the riddle.

*Creek*

*Thud*

*Sit*

(Raiden) - So why are we back here?

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Those papers might point us in the right direction. But it will take some time.

(Raiden) - Why do you say that?

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Because I am not sure how and if there is anything different about the places from the forest and the dark side of the forest.

(Raiden) - Give me the map.

*Grab*

Raiden took some wood and split the map into two.

*Point*

(Raiden) - This side is the forest you are wandering for resources, and from here starts the dark side.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Well this will surely narrow our search.

A few hours passed and as the sun was setting in, they found it.

*Cheering*

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - I found it.

*Point*

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - Here!

(Raiden) - That is way further in the dark side than I imagined.

(Yoshimoto Ryuji) - This is our best bet so far. We need to find it.

(Raiden) - Rest well, it will be a long walk.

The temple was almost at the other end of the forest. Where the map was ending. But they were sure that this is the thing they are looking for. Although Ryuji was worried about Raiden. The path they had to take would probably exhaust them and they prepared everything for a camping site.

That being said, the next morning they took off. It was a long-awaited journey for Raiden to find out what that riddle means. And now he finally had the chance. As they were getting close to the temple everything around it was lifeless.