The storm finally broke as they crossed the hills, sheets of rain soaking the group as thunder rumbled overhead. Kaede’s hood clung to her head, and she ignored the discomfort, her focus entirely on the path ahead.
Haruki stumbled over the uneven ground, clutching the satchel tightly. “Doesn’t this feel a little... I don’t know, obvious? Walking in the open while we’re being hunted?”
“We don’t have many options, Shima,” Kaede replied, her voice clipped.
Zain, walking at the rear, chuckled. “He’s got a point. Ragnor’s goons are probably watching us right now.”
Kaede shot him a glare. “Unless you have a better idea, keep quiet.”
“Actually, I do,” Zain said, nodding toward a dense forest visible on the horizon. “The Whispering Woods. It’s dangerous, but it’s a good place to lose anyone tracking us.”
“Dangerous how?” Haruki asked warily.
Mira smirked. “Let’s just say it has a mind of its own. You can’t trust your eyes or your senses in there.”
“Perfect,” Haruki muttered.
----------------------------------------
INTO THE WOODS
By the time they reached the forest, the rain had slowed to a drizzle, but the sky remained dark. The trees loomed tall and twisted, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that blocked out what little light remained.
“Creepy,” Haruki whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps.
“Stay close,” Kaede ordered, drawing her sword. “If you get separated, you might not find your way back.”
The group moved cautiously, the air thick with an unnatural stillness. The only sound was the occasional drip of water from the leaves above.
“So,” Zain said, breaking the silence. “Anyone know any ghost stories? This feels like the perfect setting.”
“Not the time,” Kaede snapped.
Mira chuckled. “You’re no fun, Kaede. Lighten up a little.”
Kaede ignored her, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.
----------------------------------------
ILLUSIONS AND INSTINCTS
An hour into their trek, the forest began to change. The path twisted and looped back on itself, and the trees seemed to shift when no one was looking.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Didn’t we just pass that tree?” Haruki asked, pointing to a gnarled oak with a distinctive split trunk.
Kaede frowned. “Stay focused. It’s the forest trying to confuse us.”
“How do you know?” Haruki pressed.
“Because it’s working,” Zain muttered, glancing around nervously.
Mira stopped suddenly, raising a hand. “Wait. Did you hear that?”
The group fell silent, straining to listen. At first, there was nothing, just the sound of their own breathing. Then, faintly, a whispering sound emerged, like dozens of voices speaking all at once.
“Okay, that’s creepy,” Haruki said, his voice shaking.
“Keep moving,” Kaede said, her grip tightening on her sword.
----------------------------------------
THE FOREST’S TRICKS
The whispers grew louder as they walked, the voices overlapping until they were impossible to understand. Shadows flickered in the corners of their vision, and the air seemed to hum with energy.
Haruki froze as a figure stepped into his path—a young girl with pale skin and wide, unblinking eyes.
“Uh, Kaede?” he whispered.
Kaede turned, her gaze following his. The girl was gone.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I-I thought I saw someone,” Haruki stammered.
“It’s the forest,” Mira said, her voice calm but firm. “It plays with your mind. Don’t let it.”
Easier said than done, Haruki thought, his heart pounding.
----------------------------------------
A SPLIT SECOND DECISION
The group reached a clearing, and for a moment, the whispers stopped. Zain glanced around, his expression uneasy. “This feels too easy.”
Kaede nodded, her instincts screaming that something was wrong. Before she could voice her concern, the ground beneath them erupted, roots shooting up like living snakes.
“Move!” she shouted, leaping back as the roots lashed out.
The group scattered, dodging the writhing tendrils. Mira fired bolts into the roots, but they regrew as quickly as they were destroyed.
“What is this?!” Haruki yelled, narrowly avoiding a root that snapped toward him like a whip.
“Something doesn’t want us here,” Zain said, slashing at the roots with his daggers.
Kaede’s mind raced as she dodged and countered. The forest wasn’t just alive—it was protecting something.
“Head for the center of the clearing!” she shouted. “I’ll cover you!”
----------------------------------------
BREAKING THROUGH
The group regrouped in the middle of the clearing, where the roots were less dense. Kaede stood at the edge, her sword a blur as she defended their position.
“Any brilliant ideas, Kaede?” Zain called.
She glanced at the center of the clearing, where a large, moss-covered stone jutted from the ground. “There!”
“What about it?” Haruki asked.
“It’s the source,” Kaede said, already moving.
Zain and Mira followed her lead, while Haruki hesitated. The roots were relentless, and he wasn’t sure he’d make it.
“Shima, move!” Kaede yelled, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Haruki sprinted after them, his heart in his throat.
----------------------------------------
THE HEART OF THE FOREST
Kaede reached the stone and drove her sword into the moss, her instincts guiding her. The ground trembled, and the roots froze mid-attack before retracting into the earth.
The whispers stopped, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.
“What... just happened?” Haruki asked, gasping for breath.
“We disrupted the forest’s energy,” Kaede said, pulling her sword free.
Zain raised an eyebrow. “And you just knew that would work?”
Kaede didn’t answer, her gaze fixed on the stone. Something about it felt familiar, but she couldn’t place why.
Mira clapped her hands. “Well, that was fun. Let’s never do it again.”
Kaede turned to the group. “We keep moving. The forest won’t bother us now, but we’re not out of danger yet.”
Haruki sighed. “Of course we’re not.”