The towering castle gate fades into the distance as we hurry into the shadowy embrace of the woods that stretch adjacent to the royal fortress. We’ve chosen the forest over the nearby city, knowing it will offer better concealment. These woods, known as the Whispering Pines according to Sophia, are steeped in an eerie silence. The quiet is broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves stirred by the wind and the faint coos of hidden nocturnal creatures. Moonlight filters through the dense canopy above, creating fragmented patches of pale light that dapple the forest floor, guiding our hurried steps.
Sophia assures me that this area is free of monsters; the knights patrol these woods regularly, keeping them relatively safe even at night. For a moment, the quiet and the cool air bring an illusion of calm.
But the reprieve is fleeting.
Faint at first, the sounds reach us—growing louder and clearer with every passing second. Distant shouts of men, the frantic barking of dogs, and the thunderous pounding of horses’ hooves pierce the stillness. My stomach tightens. They’ve discovered the carnage we left behind at the castle. Now, they’re on our trail.
“We need to move faster!” Sophia whispers urgently.
“No problem,” I reply, keeping my voice steady as I quicken my pace, following her deeper into the forest.
The foliage thickens with every step, closing in around us. The path narrows, branches clawing at us as though the forest itself is trying to impede our escape. I adjust my grip on Yumi, who remains unconscious in my arms—not due to Sophia’s spell, but the sleeping pills I had administered earlier. Sophia is refraining from using her magic for now, aware that her spells, which rely heavily on scents, could make it easier for the hunting dogs to track us.
Waking Yumi isn’t an option, either. This isn’t the time or place to explain everything or attempt to calm her down. For now, it’s better she remains unaware of the chaos surrounding us.
Thankfully, Sophia proves invaluable in navigating this forest. She knows the terrain intimately, guiding us smoothly through hidden trails and dense undergrowth. At one point, she produces a small pouch of magical dust, scattering it behind us. Within seconds, our footprints and scents vanish as though we were never there. Another pouch contains a powder that, when thrown into the air, creates a faint shimmer before disappearing. Sophia assures me it will confuse our pursuers, throwing off their sense of direction.
Her resourcefulness surprises me. These tools seem more suited to a thief or a fugitive than a royal mage. The thought lingers, but now is not the time for questions.
An hour of relentless running later, we stumble upon a small brook, its soft, babbling sounds breaking the tense silence. The sight of the clear water glinting in the moonlight brings a brief moment of relief. I carefully lay Yumi down on a smooth patch of pebbles by the stream’s edge. Her peaceful face, framed by the faint glow of moonlight, is a sharp contrast to the chaos we’re fleeing from.
Nearby, Sophia collapses to the ground, her chest heaving as she gasps for air. Sweat beads on her forehead, and her hair is disheveled, sticking to her damp skin. She looks utterly spent
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“Master,” she gasps, her voice trembling with disbelief. “Are you even human? How are you not exhausted? You’re not even sweating after carrying that girl for an hour!”
I pause, letting her question hang in the air, but I can’t reveal my true nature to her—not yet. The truth is, I’m an enhanced human, a real-life cyborg created by merging cutting-edge biotechnology with artificial intelligence. Inside my body, millions of nanomachines work tirelessly, constantly monitoring and maintaining my physical functions, ensuring peak performance at all times. Then there’s Sapphire, the master AI implanted directly into my brain, orchestrating everything with precision.
Preparing for this unknown world demanded nothing less. My body has been modified to the limits of human potential—stronger, faster, and optimized for unparalleled endurance and efficiency.
I’m also highly trained in combat, but since I don’t fully understand how strong the people in this world are, I’ve chosen to avoid direct confrontation—for now.
Thus, using my enhanced hearing, I take in our surroundings. The soft rippling of the brook and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures punctuate the heavy silence. The forest feels alive yet eerily still, as though it’s holding its breath.
Carefully, I remove my suit jacket and drape it over Yumi’s small frame, shielding her from the chill of the night air. She stirs slightly but remains asleep, her breathing steady. With her taken care of, I turn my attention to Sophia.
“We can’t stay here long,” she murmurs, her voice still tinged with fatigue.
“I know,” I reply. “But we need a plan—and somewhere to rest. What do you suggest?”
Sophia leans against a tree, brushing strands of damp hair away from her face. “There’s a place,” she begins after catching her breath. “An old hideout that some rebels used years ago. It’s hidden, fortified, and should give us enough shelter to regroup—at least for a little while.”
I nod, appreciating the practicality of her suggestion. “Alright. Let’s go with that.”
After a brief but necessary half-hour of rest, we press on. The woods seem to close in around us as we venture deeper, the towering trees growing thicker, their immense trunks rising like ancient pillars toward an unseen sky. Their sprawling branches knit together into an impenetrable canopy, snuffing out even the faintest traces of moonlight. The cool night air turns damp, carrying the earthy scent of moss and decaying leaves.
Before long, the forest plunges into almost complete darkness. Our only guide is the eerie luminescence of bioluminescent mushrooms scattered along the forest floor, their faint blue glow casting ghostly shadows that shift and ripple with each step.
Sophia abruptly stops, her voice dropping to a whisper. “We’re here.”
I squint through the dim light and see what appears to be a massive boulder, covered in thick moss and draped with creeping vines. At first glance, it seems like nothing more than a natural formation, blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest.
Sophia steps forward, placing her hand on the boulder’s rough surface. Her voice drops to a hushed tone as she murmurs, “The white rabbit dances under the moonlight.”
Upon her words, the stillness of the forest is shattered by a low, resonant rumble. The ground beneath us trembles faintly, loose dirt shifting as the enormous boulder begins to move. Slowly, it slides to the side, revealing a hidden entrance—a gaping maw that descends into the earth. From within, faint echoes of dripping water rise, mingling with the cold air wafting out from the dark passageway.
“This is it,” Sophia turns to me. “Once we’re inside, we’ll be safe for a while.”
I glance over my shoulder, scanning the shadowy woods one last time, my senses heightened for any sign of pursuit. The oppressive darkness offers no answers, only a haunting quiet that feels almost alive.
Satisfied that we’re not being followed—yet—I nod and step forward, ready to disappear into the hidden depths of the earth.