Chapter 20

Forest of Alvis

The night was long and calm. The children ate and slept together. Their talks were ones of their pasts. Bernard who lived in a small village of Basho, Ciara who was the daughter of a seamtress, Madison the farmer's child, and Lutz who spent his days as a mercenary's son. Their stories mixed and whirled through the night. And in the early morning it was all done, as if a distant memory. Iris was nowhere to be found. The wagon and their belongings they had left in it had disappeared. The children sat a circle, eating breakfast. Oswin was the first to speak.

"Alright, I'll be the first to leave," he said. He finished eating his piece of bread, strapped on his bag, and tightened the strings on his leather jacket. "I'll head over and see if I can find a good spot. There should be several places deeper in the forest that will increase my cultivation. I head off! Bye everyone."

"Bye Oswin," said Lutz, patting Oswin in the back. One by one, the rest of the children quickly finished their breakfast and came up and wished him luck. The sun barely coming over the horizon, Oswin bowed respectfully to everyone and then left.

Max spoke next. He was a lean child with freckles on his face and red hair. His bag was smaller than Oswin's. It was more of a knapsack than a backpack.

"I think it's a good idea to split up," said Max, getting his things. "If one of us attracts danger the rest might get caught up in it. I'll head slightly left of Oswin's direction. I think as long as we are a mile or two from one another we will be more safe. I'll take my leave! Good luck everyone!"

Max shook everyone's hands firmly. He stood in front of Grey. His hand gripped Grey's tightly.

"Grey. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks Max," nodded Grey.

Max gripped Grey's hand one last time and then left. The large bushes folding behind him as he passed through the foliage.

"I guess I should be going too," bellowed Bernard. His deep voice rumbling through the trees. "I think I'll take as stroll to the right of Oswin's direction since Max is going left. If we meet each other and you find a good earth location let me know. I want to be rock hard. Rock solid. Like a rock."

"Yeah we know," mumbled Richard, remembering their conversation last night. "Rocks and stones and bricks and bones. Just get going you big oaf!"

Richard gave a big kick to Bernard's butt.

"Hey! Fine I'm off. Good luck you bums!" laughed Bernard. He waved everyone off and disappeared into the trees.

Ciara brushed off the lint and leaves off her clothes. All around them, leaves fell like water, touching the children with their soft wet texture. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, but it rained constantly. The leaves vanishing as soon as they touched the ground.

"I am next!" said Ciara, happily. "I can't take sad things and do not want to be last, hehe. So I shall be the one saying goodbye! I'll head over to the right. I smelled something interesting coming from that direction. I wish everyone good luck."

"Good luck Ciara," smiled Alexis. She bounced over and petted Ciara on the head like a cat. "Next time we see each other we both might be mages. Then I'll show you who is boss."

"Who is going to show me something," pouted Ciara, her cheeks growing big. "You know I am totally so awesome. Don't make fun of me."

"Chubby cheeks!" laughed Alexis, poking Ciara on the cheek. When Alexis poked one cheek, the other cheek would puff up. Grey started to smile. Though he could not see from the sounds of their voices. He imagined something a little silly.

Ciara shook her head. "Ah! Forget it. Bye-Bye. And you! Who says you can laugh at me."

Ciara walks up to Grey and pokes him in the tummy.

"Ah!" yelps Grey surprised. He flinches.

"Take that! And that!" laughs Ciara, poking Grey. She found out he was ticklish last night and spent no time to capitalize on his weakness! He squirms and bubbles but he can't avoid.

Grey yelps, "Ah! Stop poking me." Grey moved his hand around and slapped Ciara in the face.

"Aho?" said Ciara, cover her cheek. "You slapped me!"

"I did?" said Grey surprised. He felt something soft, but didn't know what it was. "Well you deserved it! You have no shame? Picking on me...can't even see you or run away."

"Hehe," smiled Ciara, her face playful. "That's what makes it fun silly. Haha, okay, I'll stop. I'll see you all in a week. I can't be too lazy out there. Bye everyone."

Ciara waved everyone off and left into the forest.

Alexis shook her head. She walked over to Grey and poked him on the forehead.

"Ah?" said Grey confused. Who was poking him now?

"Grey," said Alexis, "Didn't you say you had two girls who you hold special in your heart. Sho and Mylene? Are you trying to steal my Ciara too! You ladykiller!"

"What!" said Grey. Ladykiller? He did not want to be called that.

"It is just that girl can't leave silly boys like you alone. If she ever asks you out. You better say no! Or I'll tell everyone you are a playboy! Low morals! Enemy of women! Mylene would shake her head if you ever fell so low."

Mylene! She was still trapped in that brothel in Urich. Grey's eyes suddenly turned serious. He remembered he had to save her. One of these days. He had to go back.

"Hmph," mumbled Alexis, "Though she is right. Your serious face is quite good. Alright, I'm off everyone. Take care. I want to be close so if Ciara runs into any trouble. I can go save her."

A smile forms on Alexis's face. She swung her bag over her shoulder and skipped towards the same direction as Ciara, disappearing behind the bushes.  

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Richard sighed.

"Grey," he said, patting Grey's back. Grey snapped back to reality. Mylene fading from his mind.

"Girl's are really too weird," continued Richard. "Don't get caught up in their pace or they'll suck the life out of you. I hope we never get married."

Richard gathered his things. He had a small knife tied to his waste, rope, and a backpack over his shoulder.

"I'll see you folks in a week. I'm off!"

"See you later Richard," said Grey. The rest of the children join in and slap him on the back for good luck. He disappeared into the trees, a little to the right of where Bernard had left.

Madison and Lutz were next. They shook each other's hands with a strong grip.

"See you on the other side ugly," smiled Madison, looking at Lutz.

"You too you birdbrain," smiled Lutz, looking at Madison. "And make sure not to fall into a ditch. That would be sad."

"Haha," they both laughed to themselves.

"Alright, I'll go to the left," said Lutz.

"And I'll go to the right," said Madison.

"May we meet again everyone!"

They both went their separate ways. Madison tripped over a branch the second he entered the bush and they both disappeared.

Hadu walked up. Her black hair glistening under the sunshine. She looked at the remaining children and picked up her things. She shook everyone's hand. She fiddled with everyone's fingers. She moved each of their hands over their hearts. Grey had learned yesterday that Hadu was mute. This was the way she communicated. She then patted everyone on the back and left quietly into the woods.

Fritz and Rille came up to Grey.

"Grey," said Fritz. "We are the last ones left, but it would be sad to leave one person alone. So we should all leave at the same time so it doesn't bring the last person bad luck."

"Yeah," said Rille with her timber voice. "The last person is usually the one with the worst luck. It's like those sayings when a soldier goes off to war and leaves behind his family. It makes the person who stayed behind feel bad. Let's us three go at the same time so we will have a happy feeling when we leave."

Grey nodded his head. "Okay, let's all go together."

"I'll try to find a river. If I can find a river then water will be no problem. Even if I don't find food I should be able to survive a week," said Fritz.

"I'll try going up," said Rille. "It might be safer on the treetops where I can see everything. I'll decide on a direction after I get a good look at the surroundings."

Grey thought carefully. "I'll try to make my way to a shelter. It may not be the best place to cultivate, but since I can't see I should find that first to avoid wild animals."

"Good plans," said Fritz, "We last folks are always the ones who think the most. Let us clever kids meet again in a week."

Fritz held his hand in the middle of them. Rille lead Grey's hand and placed it on top of Fritz. She placed her hand last on the top.

"Till we meet again!" said Fritz.

"Till we meet again!" said Grey and Rille in unison. Their hands shoot up towards the sky. All three head their separate ways.

~~~

Grey took a step into the forest. He was alone. The sounds of the rustling leaves and birds echoed in the air. Pieces of the forest would disappear around him. He would touch a branch. Walk backwards and it would be gone as if it were an illusion. The Forest of Alvis was a place unlike any other. The only dungeon to be entirely located on outside. The nature of the things here seemed to fade in and out of existence. Grey took note of this as he made his way through the forest. His walking stick in front of him checking the path ahead for any drops in elevation. Anything that might make him fall and stumble.

He smelled the trees and vines. He decided to walk for at least four hours before looking for shelter. The amount of time required to get deep enough to the forest to find a place to meditate. His ears twisting to catch all the sounds around him. Water was also a concern and he longed to hear the trickling of a streambed. He would definitely try to find a place near a river or stream. He walked for what seemed like ages. His sense of direction was being shifted ever so slightly. He felt the ground beneath his feet tremble as if everything around him suddenly moved.

Unaware, Grey leaned towards the ground. He had remembered reading that a few tribesman in the forest areas of Kingdom of Altea could hear a beast approaching by listening to the ground. So, he thought he might do the same. His ears pressed against the earth. He heard a distant rumbling. It was too far to be of concern, but the way the earth paused and shook. It was most likely something incredibly large, wading through the forest. Grey dug his hands into the dirt and began to cover himself in mud.

Wild beasts had good smell. Maybe, if he smelled like the dirt. He could lay on the ground if he met trouble and they would pass right over him. He did the same to his stick and bag that Iris had given him to help him on the ritual. As the rumbling passed, Grey had a curious idea. If the creature was so large. Then perhaps it would not notice something as small as him. Beasts might fancy eating him, but this large thing? Did they dare approach Grey if this thing was close by? Maybe not? He listened again to the rumbling in the ground. It was much softer but he could still faintly hear it. He took a step through the forest and headed towards it.