Chapter 88
Eden – Day 35, Monday
Glenda tapped Jay and he startled awake but was careful to do so quietly. It was still dark but Glenda needed sleep too. She stared at him, her head held near to his until he nodded that he was awake. She didn't speak but instead climbed further up in the tree and tied herself off, falling asleep quickly.
Jay assumed they were trading off watch duties because they were the only two people able to see in the dark. Jay took his mask from his backpack and placed it against his face, the world turning different shades of green. It was better than all shades of black.
The night was alive with the sounds of chirps and croaks and other less pleasant, less familiar sounds. The early morning air was chilly and damp and smelled as if it had just rained. The ground below looked muddy and Jay cast about trying to see if he could make out a lake from where they were.
Eventually he gave up. He couldn't really see anything in the forest that high up in the tree. They were surrounded by trees which limited his view significantly. The ground was just a muddy mess of plant life. What he was really watching for was movement and he finally schooled himself to stillness and became used to the surroundings.
The various noises faded in to the background and he scanned the surroundings for a bit before watching a different area. It was boring work and Jay fought to stay awake. He wanted to go back to sleep. It'd been a while since he had been this uncomfortable. Living at the Guild had spoiled him it seemed.
Adventures were fun until they became uncomfortable and Jay was very uncomfortable. He couldn't wait to reach the library although now that he thought about it Glenda hadn't been very forthcoming about what exactly would happen once they arrived there.
It wasn't as if there had been a lot of time or chances for conversation in the past couple of days.
The morning dragged on. Jay had a moment of excitement when he heard a pack of something trudge through the forest but they weren't close enough for Jay to make any of them out. Thankfully. Jay relaxed as he could track their travel past his group's location by the sound of their footfalls. He listened as their steps faded in to the distance.
Later, as the sun finally rose, birds began to flock call and make their presence heard. A number of different birds landed in the tree around Jay's group but made no attempt to approach them. The birds made enough noise however that Jay didn't have to wake up anyone. The group woke all on their own finding themselves in the middle of a mass of screeching birds.
There were birds in other trees flock calling as well and the morning air filled with the sounds of animals all screaming their morning greetings.
The group silently woke and carefully picked their way down the tree where they stretched and got their bearings.
“Eat. Drink. Then we go.” she said simply.
The group was a bit grumpy that morning, no one was looking forward to chalk wafers. Excess talking would only make it easier for enemies to find them. They chewed their rations and choked it down with some warm water from their canteens.
The group swayed on their feet, still not yet entirely awake. Jay was the only one that looked awake which was a good thing as he had been awake for hours at that point.
“Stay.” Glenda said after she had finished two ration wafers. She melted in to the forest and was gone. The rest of the party tensed a bit, everyone becoming more watchful in her absence.
Jay looked over at Aiden who was grimacing as he tried to swallow his ration. Noticing Jay's look Aiden forced a smile and gave him a thumbs up. Jay gave him a twisted smile and Aiden grinned, finally getting the ration down with some water.
They were all packed up and ready to go but Glenda had not yet returned. The group looked at each other but no one spoke. Glenda had made it quite clear that unnecessary noise was to be avoided. That included talking.
They stood next to the tree they had slept in and waited. It wasn't as if they could leave without her – she was their guide.
The group tensed as the foliage to their left parted and a large form emerged.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“This way.” a plant covered Glenda said as she parted some of the vines in front of her so that the rest of the group could pass.
The group slowly trudged after her, their steps slow and methodical thanks to the sucking muck and mud. Thankfully they had laced their boots tightly or they'd all be barefoot.
Glenda led them on a winding journey through the forest. Walking around trees where they could, climbing over other trees where the limbs grew too close to the ground to be passed easily. It was not fast by any means and anything attempting to follow them would be forced to deal with the mud just as they had been.
By midday they had made far less progress than they should have thanks to the mucky ground and it was with relief that Glenda finally stepped on to solid dry earth. The group all cheered up a bit at that and Glenda waited until everyone was on solid ground with her.
“Lunch. Then go.” Glenda said tiredly, her voice sounding a bit less vibrant than it had back at the library. Although they were all sleeping some of them were getting more sleep than others.
The group took out their now familiar travel rations and bit in to the chalky wafers.
“They wouldn't be so bad if they didn't feel like chalk as well as taste like chalk when you ate them.” Aiden joked.
Glenda looked at him darkly and sighed. “Shh.” she said, “Silly man.” she added quietly but not unkindly.
Aiden grinned but remained quiet. Remaining quiet had been killing him. He wanted to joke and talk and have conversations while they walked to keep them entertained. The constant threat of pursuit and danger of death was bad enough but adding on to that having to stay quiet was just too much for Aiden. He'd be happy to be able to talk freely once again.
He'd be happy to eat something once again.
Aiden wasn't alone. The group had a number of things they were looking forward to. Talking. Eating. Sleeping. The usual.
“I go look. Stay.” Glenda said a bit verbosely for her.
We must be rubbing off on her, Jay thought as she stalked in to the forest.
Norri and M'redith looked on in horror as Aiden began to eat a third ration wafer.
Norri looked from side to side as if to make sure Glenda wasn't there to hear her. “WHY?” she asked quietly but emphatically. M'redith nodded.
Aiden shrugged, coughed, then shrugged again as he forced it down with some water. “I'm starving!” he cried quietly.
Jay chuckled as quiet as he could but couldn't blame him. Even Jay was hungry. The wafers were nutritious but not filling by any means. The only good thing they could say about the wafers was that they probably wouldn't kill them. Probably.
Glenda reappeared from a different direction than she had left. “Follow.” she said, going back to one word conversations.
The group followed her in to the underbrush and she spent the next few hours carving them a path the best she could. Sometimes there was no cutting through and they had to climb over. Other times they would double back and go around whatever impassible snarl of trees blocked their route.
The view was of trees and plants and nothing else all pressing in as close as possible fighting for every bit of space. The forest floor was dim to begin with as the sun's rays never fully penetrated the forest canopy but it had begun to grow even dimmer as the day grew to a close.
Glenda pushed a thick curtain of vines to the side and made a startled sound. Jay noticed her body straighten a bit as if she had gotten her second wind. As she led them through the vines Jay marveled at what he found.
What struck him most at first was the wide open sky. He could see the moon dimly as the sun was setting, the sky a riot of reds and purples. Then he cast his eyes downward.
The forest stood tall behind them, an impenetrable riot of wildlife. In front of Jay however lay what appeared to be acres upon acres of finely manicured green grass. In the center of which stood a grand looking building. A mansion perhaps at one time, it had grown since its original construction. Turrets and balconies stuck to the building in a riot of places, no two lining up. The walls were covered in spots with large opaque windows. A red and white flower lined path led up to the front doors.
The building was not inviting looking by any means and Jay had the impression that visitors were frowned upon at best.
Jay's eyes darted across the wide open grounds. There was nothing but manicured grass for miles around all somehow keeping the surrounding forest successfully at bay.
Aiden sighed at the sight, “Is that it?”
Glenda nodded in relief. “Ashagi.”