I felt good. I couldn't fall asleep. Perhaps the totem not only heals but also restores physical strength. Would I have been able to endure this journey if the Domovoy had remained silent and not shared this knowledge? It's good that I managed to persuade the stubborn elder. The journey started off difficult and promises to be very long. Brin says we did great today. It will gradually become easier from here on. I really want to believe his words.

Brin sat with his back to the fire, gazing intently into the darkness of the night forest. No faint light from celestial bodies penetrated through the thick canopy of trees. What could a man see in almost pitch-black darkness? Perhaps an experienced ranger relies more on hearing than sight.

Petr and the sorceress lay side by side. They slept. The rangers were heavily exhausted. It seemed like the sorceress's spells were helping, but not as effectively as the shamanic totem. I am ready to get up now and calmly undertake another day's trek. I am confident that I can handle this task. The rangers looked tired in the evening, and Illa was completely worn out by nightfall. Hopefully, by morning, everyone will be ready to continue the journey.

I was lying down and watching the repulsive spirits wriggling on the woman's body. The parasites continued to feed on the sorceress's life force undisturbed, as if nothing was happening. It seemed like their influence was starting to cause some destruction. Dark spots appeared on Illa's body, but only I could see them. This meant that the damage was not happening to her physical body. Were the parasites affecting something else? Her aura? Her subtle body? Her energy? I didn't know, and there was no one to ask. I keenly felt my loneliness in this world. I tried to push away the heavy thoughts and continued to observe the spirits. It was evident that their presence was having a detrimental effect on the sorceress. Illa would occasionally grimace in pain and groan softly. Sometimes she would twitch her hand or leg, as if trying to shake off the filth from her body. It was clear that these clinging spirits were not adding any health or longevity to the sorceress. Should I help her and rid her of this filth? I couldn't decide. If it weren't for the witch's repulsive behavior, I would undoubtedly help, but now it meant aiding the enemy.

On the sorceress's body, I see not five kvits as I had last seen, but seven. Did the woman, the only one from our team, manage to find two more parasites in the forest? Or do these spirits reproduce? How? Do they divide? Why? The Domovoy had mentioned that if a lesser spirit accumulates enough strength, it can evolve into something sentient. Why would they then divide? I don't understand. Extensive research is needed, and that requires time and calmness. An interesting thought occurred to me. If I were to capture a kvit and feed it with my energy, could I raise an obedient, sentient pet for myself?

After pondering the thought for a moment, I dismissed it. It wasn't the time to indulge in such nonsense. Another question concerned me far more deeply. The sorceress held a terrible grudge against me. What steps would this witch take to seek revenge? The most obvious and likely step would be to simply report me to the authorities once our group left the forest. The sorceress could fabricate all sorts of accusations to interested parties. She is a noblewoman, and I am just a village boy. Who would they believe? I am certain Illa is not one to shy away from acts of malice. I won't be able to defend myself, and no one will stand up for me.

The situation was terrible, and I couldn't see a good way out. I decided to set aside that question for the time being. We had many more days to go. Perhaps some unforeseen circumstance would resolve everything. I turned away and fell asleep.

The night passed peacefully. I woke up early and quietly got up. I crept over and tapped Brin on the shoulder. It was his turn to keep watch over our sleep in the morning. The man muttered some curses under his breath, directed at the shameless children.

I ventured into the forest, and the commander didn't object. Ten minutes later, I emerged onto the animal trail. It meandered through tall grass and was almost imperceptible. Carefully, I began to follow it, blending with the forest, considering the wind, moving smoothly and cautiously. I hoped to catch an unsuspecting animal for breakfast and delight the rangers. Soon, luck was on my side. Within five minutes, I had caught my prey. The plump hare didn't have a chance to comprehend what had happened.

As I was returning, a flash of a red tail caught my eye between the trees. The fox must be hunting on the same trail. I cautiously followed the beauty.

The trail wound through dense hazelnut thickets. Each time, the red tail disappeared into the greenery at the last moment, as if teasing me. I quickened my pace sharply and managed to catch a glimpse of something peculiar that unsettled me. The tail was positioned too high above the ground. It couldn't belong to an ordinary fox. A loa was toying with me. I swiftly turned around and headed back, but I couldn't get far. Her was waiting for me beyond the next bend in the trail. There stood a beautiful girl, with that very same fox tail playfully swaying behind her back. She was very young, perhaps twelve years old. The girl had sharp fox-like ears. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was beautiful. No, incredibly beautiful. She was beyond compare. Mischievous sparks danced in her eyes.

"I don't play like this!" she pointed her finger at me. The girl pouted her lips and pretended to be very offended. I was at the center of this spectacle. "You were supposed to chase after me."

"Kitsune, my dear!" I beamed with a smile, spreading my arms wide. I was determined to give the girl-fox a tight embrace. "How many years?! How many winters have passed?! How have you been? How did you end up here, my dear?"

"What?" The girl startled and backed away from me, looking frightened.

She look at me with wide, astonished eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes in the world, with vertical narrow pupils. Why were they like that? They were non-human eyes, they should be terrifying to me. They should evoke alarm and fear, push me away, but no. Her eyes were beautiful, and I found myself lost in them. Was it magic? Was I under some kind of influence?

I let out a heavy sigh. I lowered my hands and wiped the smile off my face.

"It's me who should be asking that!" I tried to remove the anger from my voice. "Why did you decide to play with me without permission?"

"I'm sorry," the girl said, looking guilty. "I thought it would be fun."

"Who are you?"

"You already recognized me... I'm a loa, Kitsune," the fox introduced herself simply.

"Alright," I just guessed. When I saw her, legends and tales of the fox demon from my world came to mind. "What do you want?"

"Don't be so rude!" she exclaimed." I just wanted to get to know you. The forest is full of incredible rumors about the young shaman."

I quickly recalled everything I knew about the kitsune. In my world, it was believed that kitsune were devilishly cunning and clever. These loa could create and control incredible illusions indistinguishable from reality. There was also something associated with fire magic, but I couldn't quite remember.

The girl smiled sweetly and played with her tail. Her eyes beckoned me. I tried my best not to get lost in them. All my senses screamed at me that I was a fool and should run away from her as far as possible. To her, I was just a foolish toy. This girl had come to observe the young shaman. I didn't feel any danger to my life, but I was certain that the kitsune could easily deceive me. I realized that I felt very uncomfortable in her presence.

"Do you want a sacrifice? " I showed her my catch and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Hmm... You're a very interesting person. " the kitsune nodded. It seemed like her extraordinary eyes sparkled in a special way. " I won't refuse. "

The girl made a smooth hand motion parallel to the ground. Before my eyes, a runic glyph appeared. Her runic name was as beautiful as she was. I mentally slapped myself, but it didn't help. Then I bit my tongue hard and tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. I tried to regain control, to gather my scattered thoughts. I took out my knife and quickly carved the runes she had shown onto the plump hare.

"Thank you, shaman. " the girl smiled. " I owe you now. "

"Forget it, it's a gift," I waved my hand, wanting no relationship with her. "Is that all? It's time for me already."

"I just wanted to get to know you," she playfully ran the tip of her tail along my thigh. "To get closer to you. Maybe we could be useful to each other."

Her eyes shimmered with a seductive allure. The curves of her body captivated my gaze. I swallowed hard. She was so beautiful, unbelievably beautiful. I struggled to overcome the whirlpool of her eyes that was pulling me in. I had no intention of finding out what lay beyond.

"Should I go?" I pleaded with the fox girl. My hoarse voice sounded pitiful. "I... It's time."

"Go, shaman..." Her voice carried a slight undertone of disappointment and sadness.

We were in a corridor. Thick thorny bushes lined both sides. The sharp thorns seemed to reach out towards me when I glanced at them. The needles threatened with dreadful retribution. Standing before me was Loa. She saw my helplessness, vulnerability, and confusion. She enjoyed this game. She reveled in her power over me. Perhaps the fox girl liked my attempts to resist her will. The girl smiled, studying me. I needed to run! But where to? Back? There was no way out there. I was trapped within an illusion.

It was as if she didn't want to let me go, but couldn't hold me back. The cunning creature was toying with my emotions. Enough of this! I envisioned a protective barrier around my body and filled it with my energy. There was nothing left to wait for. Taking a quick step to the side, I moved through the dense thicket of dangerous bushes. As I suspected, it was an illusion. The bushes disappeared as if they had never been there. Instead, I found myself face to face with the trunk of a tall tree, narrowly avoiding hitting my head against it. I swiftly changed direction and gracefully dodged the unexpected obstacle. It must have looked amusing from the outside.

"You're a very interesting person," came the playful laughter of the fox from behind. "If you ever need me, just give me a hare as a gift, and I'll definitely come... to you."

I turned around. Naturally, there was no one there anymore. The dense bushes were gone as well. I was surrounded by an ordinary forest.

"How can I explain this? How did they know?" I muttered quietly. "Our worlds do intersect after all? Too many coincidences."

As I approached our campsite, I recalled some details about the kitsune. In my former world, it was believed that foxes could form families with mortal men. Each member of such a pair pursued their own goals. The men were deeply in love with their wives. Why exactly the kitsune sought such relationships remained unknown. There were only speculations and outright tales. I sincerely felt sorry for any unfortunate man who fell into the clutches of such a girl. I shivered and glanced around. How could someone live with such a wife? It would be pure torture! Constantly expecting a catch, but... She was incredibly beautiful. Otherworldly beauty and irresistible allure. Her mesmerizing eyes still haunted me. I licked my dry lips. How could one not fall in love with such a miracle?

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

All the rangers had already woken up. The men were preparing for another challenging day. A small fire was burning, and water was boiling in a pot. Brin was engaged in a useful task, cooking porridge. Peter was once again tinkering with the equipment, trying to quickly sew a strap back onto one of the bags. The sorceress lay on her bedding. It seem like she wasn't feeling well. Her face was pale, and dark circles under her eyes stood out prominently. The kvits were seriously affecting her well-being. I discreetly observed Illa. Was the sorceress able to continue? Perhaps it was necessary to remove a few dangerous spirits from her body. The sorceress was our main asset against various troubles in the forest. If she is in bad shape, we can expect big problems.

"Good morning," I greeted everyone.

"Morning... Where have you been?" There was a hint of something unusual in Brin's voice.

I couldn't quite discern it. Suspicion? Hidden irritation? Waking distrust? Petr merely gave a curt nod, but I caught his scrutinizing gaze. Had the experienced tracker once again failed to find my tracks? The men weren't fond of my peculiar wanderings in dangerous territory. I needed to be simpler. There were too many oddities surrounding me, and I was only fueling the fire.

"There's an animal trail over there," I waved my hand in its direction. "Maybe we can set up a snare? Catch something... for lunch."

"No need," Petr dismissed my suggestion. "

There are few animals in the morning. We don't have time to wait for long."

"We're leaving soon," Brin confirmed his words and poured grains into the pot.

The sorceress found the strength to get up and wash herself. She moved closer to the fire. She already had eight quetis on her. The spirits did share, after all. One less enigma to solve. Illa ate very little. She barely touched the porridge. The men looked concerned. They occasionally inquired about her health and exchanged glances. It seemed like we shared similar thoughts and concerns.

After everyone finished eating, we cleared any traces of our presence and continued onward. The terrain became cleaner, and our pace slightly increased. We encountered some impenetrable thickets, but we easily circumvented them. There were no major difficulties until noon. Our movement resembled a regular hiking trip, with minimal belongings, but an underlying tension spoiled the atmosphere.

By noon, we reached the road, or rather, what was left of it. It reminded me of an old dirt road that hadn't been used in a long time. The difference was that there were no wheel tracks. It was a relatively even path cutting through the forest. According to the gamekeepers, the road had been paved with stone slabs long ago, but they have long since disappeared underground. I caught a glimpse of one of the flat edges of a worked stone protruding from the soil. It was probably one of the road slabs. There was no time for excavation. The rangers were tense and reluctant to answer questions. Overall, it couldn't really be called a road. It was more like a well-defined direction amidst the trees.

Our squad made an effort to stay close together and maintain a compact formation. Occasionally, the tracker would disappear into the woods, veering off to the side or ahead. There didn't seem to be any visible dangers. I didn't understand the purpose of these maneuvers, but I didn't ask any questions.

Moving became even easier. If it weren't for the sorceress, we would have significantly sped up. Illa was growing more tired and slowing down, her appearance was sickly. By lunchtime, she could barely move her legs. I seized the moment and discreetly pierced three kvits on the sorceress's leg. There were no surprises. The spirits behaved as usual. They quickly deflated and dissolved into the air. Soon, the sorceress regained some strength. She felt lighter. Her breathing evened out, her steps became more confident, and her face regained a bit of color. She even found the strength to smile and joke in response to a lively remark from Brin. No one threw suspicious glances at me, and I was completely fine with that.

Along the way, we constantly encountered animal tracks. Many of the tracks were very fresh. It was evident that this was their territory, and they feared no one. Bears, wild boars, and moose roamed here. Several times, I even spotted tracks of a lynx. The predators in the forest were large, much bigger than in my world it seemed.

Soon, my thoughts were confirmed by a large bear.

The beast unexpectedly emerged onto the road from the thickets about thirty meters away from us. The bear was enormous. Compared to this forest giant, I felt like a skinny dwarf. I knew that bears were fast and extremely dangerous. Despite their seemingly sluggish nature, they could surprise anyone with their explosive agility and dexterity. I imagined what those massive paws with sharp claws could do, and I felt sick. I swallowed loudly and took a few steps back. The forest monster rose up on its hind legs, fixing us with its small eyes. It seemed confused about who had intruded into its territory.

The rangers adjusted their weapons and cautiously moved a little forward. It was clear that they were reluctant to engage in a fight with the beast. Their lightweight spears would hardly inflict any serious damage on the thick hide of the giant. Different weaponry was needed here. All hope in this situation rested on Illa. It seemed the sorceress was prepared for battle. The bear stood there for a moment and then simply retreated back into the thickets. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Not hungry," muttered Brin, slinging his shield back over his shoulder.

"Let it run while it's still whole," casually remarked the sorceress, but she too was pleased with how things had turned out.

I imagined how a loa possessed such a bear. The household spirit told stories that it was possible and often happened. Two tons of muscles and fury controlled by a cunning mind. I hope I never encounter such a thing. In my world, there were legends of werebears - people who could transform into bears. In the legends, they were described as extremely dangerous adversaries. Are there any here? I should have learned more from the Domovoy about this crazy world. I got lazy, and now I have only questions.

The gentle slope led to a meandering river. We reached the water. The water murmured softly as it flowed over the rocks. The river ran between banks covered with thick shrubs. It was narrow, only about ten meters wide at its widest point. We didn't need to look for a crossing. The path led to a ford.

"Maybe we should have a break?" pleaded the enchantress in her voice.

"Sure," Brin replied and dropped his luggage.

"Let's cross the river and rest there," said Petr. "While we rest, our feet will dry."

We took off our shoes and quickly crossed the river. The water was cold and clear. I couldn't stop marveling at the purity of this world. We had been walking for so long, yet there was no trace of anything unnecessary in sight. It simply lacked any signs of human presence in these places.

We decided not to start a campfire, ate some dried meat, and washed it down with water. We filled our flasks and took a rest. While we were sitting, I carefully surveyed the area. I noticed some new spirits bustling around a large stone, a bit away from our campsite. I couldn't understand what they were doing.

Other spirits were bustling around the suspicious spot on the river. It was near a overgrown reed-covered inlet. It seemed like they were simply bathing in the water, with the spirits rising and descending into the river. I couldn't discern any purpose in their behavior. It seemed like that spot was deep. I cautiously approached it, but I couldn't see anything. I picked up a stone and threw it there. A large bubble emerged from the riverbed and burst. Soon, a dark-green face of a large frog appeared above the water, its strange eyes staring in my direction. I looked back at the rangers, but there was no reaction.

"Another loa," I murmured almost inaudibly. "No matter where you go, you're bound to encounter someone or something."

The spirit didn't do anything and didn't react to me. It simply stared towards our campsite with its strange and eerie eyes. I didn't want to provoke the loa any further, so I moved away towards the group. The loa stayed on the surface for a little while longer before diving back into the river.

We didn't stay here for long and continued onwards. The ascent began again, and walking became more difficult. After about three kilometers, we reached the top of the elevation, and the view was magnificent. Trees covered everything as far as the eye could see, with only a few patches of bareness in this sea of foliage. In the east, a range of mountains could be seen. According to Brin, a large river should be somewhere ahead. We're heading towards it, with approximately another two hundred and fifty kilometers to go. The group's mood was subdued, and it became even worse after the commander's words. The road stretched forward, disappearing around a bend about thirty meters ahead.

Soon, Petr raised his hand, signaling us to stop. The scout turned into the forest and quickly disappeared from sight. Brin carefully scanned the thickets, keeping his weapon at the ready. The enchantress dropped her bag to the ground and prepared to cast spells at any enemies. I peered ahead, wondering what the experienced scout might have noticed. Everything seemed calm. The road turn to the right, but the dense shrubbery obstructed our view. Perhaps that's what didn't sit well with Petr, and the scout decided to investigate as he had done several times before. The ranger returned shortly.

"Four skeletons around the bend," he reported. "No one else in sight."

"Let's go around." Brin said wearily.

"No need," Illa pleaded. "I'm too tired to make a big detour because of a few skeletons."

"Are you certain there's no one else there?" the commander asked the scout.

Petr nodded affirmatively, but he didn't appear very confident.

"Alright," Brin sighed. "We'll provide cover while you deal with them."

"Great." Illa smiled.

The rangers moved forward, leaving me behind with the belongings. After a dozen steps, they spread out to the sides. The sorceress remained in the center, while the men positioned themselves on the left and right. Fire whips materialized in the sorceress's hands. I hoped she knew what she was doing and wouldn't set the forest ablaze. Escaping a forest fire was the last thing I wanted.

Silently, skeletons leaped out from around the bend. The creatures moved swiftly and almost silently. This time, they held more than just axes. I managed to catch a glimpse of a sword and a spear in their hands. The sorceress swiftly struck the ground with her right whip. Illa immediately pulled her right hand back, and on the left replicated the deadly motion. As a result of her initial actions, two skeletons lay on the ground without legs. One monster continued to advance, another was thrown to the ground, but was on his way up. The sorceress's strike sent the latter flying backward, splitting a large shield in half. The halves fell to the ground. I couldn't see any visible damage on the monster that was now rushing towards the enchantress. Glowing embers flickered inside its eye sockets, fueled by a thirst for revenge.

The sorceress gracefully twirled around herself. Her right whip formed a beautiful loop in the air before crashing down upon the advancing skeleton. The sorceress didn't pause; her movements resembled a dance. Illa's left hand unleashed fiery death upon the second skeleton. The whip created a large hole in the monster's chest and flung it backward once again. I looked at the other skeleton. It lay in the grass, cut from shoulder to hip. The pale energy film that once mimicked the outline of a human body had vanished. The skeleton was no longer a threat.

The remaining two legless monsters crawled towards the rangers. They moved like mechanical dolls, just as aimlessly and relentlessly. The enchantment in Illa's left hand faded away. The sorceress casually waved her right hand, and both skeletons collapsed into a pile of old bones. The fight lasted no more than a minute. I doubt the men would have fared any better. Illa turned around and walk towards me. I tried to become inconspicuous and took a step aside, attempting to get out of the woman's way. I did it unconsciously; the sorceress was too formidable, and the massacre of the monsters was swift and impressive.The sorceress noticed my fear and smirked self-assuredly. I had a strong urge to flee into the woods, to disappear from the path of this dangerous woman, but I forced myself to stay put.

"Quite impressive, mistress, " I murmured as the sorceress approached me.

Illa merely smirked contemptuously.

"I too wish to be a mage, " I attempted to add a tone of flattery to my voice.

"All village fools want that, but only a few succeed, " the sorceress retorted, gathering her belongings. Illa turned around and walked away.

Brin walked over to his belongings. The man shrugged, picked up his bag, and went after the enchantress.

"That's how it goes... " Petr said quietly and picked up his own bag.

It's understandable why the rangers fear Illa and try to be friendly towards her. If the sorceress doesn't like something, she will leave anyone in the forest forever. Who would investigate why only the mage returned from the combat expedition? All sorts of peculiarities can occur in these woods. Who would diligently establish all the circumstances?

Illa is just a graduate of the academy. How do experienced battle mages fight? I felt sad. I really understand so little and don't know how to do anything. Will conversations with the loa help me survive? I hope I will safely leave this forest. But how will my knowledge of the forest help me? It will probably be a valuable skill in cities. I let out a heavy sigh. I felt deceived.

We continued moving at a steady pace until late evening. The terrain remained largely unchanged, making it easy to walk. The sorceress grew tired and occasionally used healing spells, which provided only temporary relief. Illa looked unwell. The situation suited me. I was content that the woman paid almost no attention to me. Sometimes I caught her promising glances directed at me. The woman clearly hadn't forgotten anything. What could I have done to her? Could it be because of the measly eighty gold coins?

We stopped about five meters off the road, near an old fallen tree in a small clearing. As usual, the men took care of setting up camp and preparing food. Illa lay down to rest after a long day. I briefly ventured into the forest again. After using the totem, I returned refreshed and without blisters on my feet.

We hardly spoke, quickly ate a meager dinner, and went to sleep. Brin took the first watch. I didn't feel like sleeping. I lay there, reminiscing about my family. My thoughts jumped from the past to the present. I tried not to think about the future.