The eastern regions were known for their overgrown forests, the main supply of lumber and precious plants and fruits in the Brilliant Drake Empire, making it a great place to conduct business. However, it was also a dangerous place to wander off in. One could easily get lost alone.
Lost like Frederick.
Oscar gazed down from the window, seeing Glenwoods, where he, Frederick, and Emily went on their first mission together. He could even make out the ravine where they fought against Samuel's group.
He placed his hand on the mangled scars from that battle. He felt cold from the winds blowing in, so he closed it, but the chill remained, biting him to the bone.
It was like he was back at that moment, bleeding out on the ground as his life slowly faded. If it were not for Frederick's quick thinking to save him, Oscar could have died.
But now it was his turn to return the favor.
In the other room, Emily was practicing her staff without pause. Her arms were trembling, and her knees were buckling, but she carried on. This was the only way for her to blank out her mind, keeping this up until she collapsed from exhaustion.
After a day, the airship finally came within the vicinity of Artomos City. Oscar stepped out on the deck towards the very tip of the ship. There, in the distance, were ten large pillars of stone cut into a cylindrical shape.
The pillars were so tall the large trees below did not even reach a tenth of their length.
These pillars were arranged in a circle. There were six on the outer layer, three on the inner, and one in the center. Large spanning bridges connected the pillars, forming two circles and each layer onto the next.
Atop these great stone pillars were the ten districts that made up Artomos City, large buildings of wood and tiles surrounded by walls. Due to their height, the pillars were called the High Pillars. Their creation was said to have occurred long ago, during the founding of the Empire and the erection of the Blue Ocean pavilion eight hundred years ago.
People settled on the pillars and started new lives, getting wealthy off the great number of resources of the forests below. It was so important that a Marshal Exalt was stationed here as the City Lord.
Despite the wonder before him, Oscar didn't stop to take it in. He turned about and sat down to wait for their landing, closing his eyes in meditation.
The airship flew toward one of the outer pillars containing the shipping district, where the port was located. It was the sight of industry. There were workers covered in sawdust, sawing, trimming, and packing many logs of lumber.
Large barges of lumber were stacked high and placed into warehouses, ready to be shipped out at any time.
Oscar and Emily exited the airship, not minding the mess of splinters on the ground. They quickly went to a sign with the city map etched onto it.
"The exit is in the Trade District. It says we must take the great elevator down to the ground level." Oscar pointed to the map. "It also mentions getting compasses to help find our way."
"Then let's go. We have to find Frederick." Emily strode forward but then stopped, realizing she had no idea where to go. She didn't take a proper look at the map at all.
"It's this way."
Oscar led Emily to the edge of the shipping district, where a great bridge, straight and wide and made of wood, awaited them. Every step was clear and loud, indicating the high quality of the wood. Despite the long distance, the bridge was strong and did not shake under their steps.
Oscar entered the Trade District, which was bustling with activity. Children were running around playing and laughing while ignoring the scoldings of their parents. Everyone was going about their daily lives, buying, trading, selling, and interacting.
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Every place was filled with people haggling or observing the goods. Oscar and Emily struggled against the huge tide of people, with every step forward accompanied by several steps backward.
Oscar eyed a certain place and bought two compasses.
"We made it!" Emily stretched her back, arching backward. Some people could not help but stare at her accented curves. However, she soon gave them a scary glare that frightened them all, scattering them away like a flock of birds. "Lecherous bastards."
"We're not wearing the Pavilion uniform right now, so no one is deterred. But your clothing choice may be the issue." Oscar briskly walked to avoid more attention.
"I wear what I want. Besides, this is quite comfortable." Emily's attire was similar to her new style, with exposed shoulders like her instructor, Elizabeth Raeven. The orange hue with white edges on the skirt, sleeves, and others matched her hair and eyes.
Oscar looked at his clothing, a simple white shirt paired with brown trousers and brown boots. At times like this, he was thankful for having an average face to not attract attention. However, he did feel some annoyance from the irritated stares that came his way because he was with Emily.
How is someone like you together with such a beautiful woman? Oscar could tell the thoughts behind the stares.
Ignoring the onlookers, Oscar led Emily to the exit. There were lines of guards attending to the people arriving and leaving. Oscar saw the great elevator was a large square platform that floated in the air, similar to an airship.
He stepped onto the platform, looking down. There were no walls to prevent any unfortunate accidents despite the clear indication of safety in the city—what a strange contradiction.
In mere seconds, they descended to the bottom, feeling. Oscar had a small coughing fit, feeling like all the air had rushed out of his lungs. One fellow traveler laughed and said that it was good he didn't throw up.
Oscar found himself in a patch of ground without a single tree, cleared off long ago for space and security near the great elevator. A circle of guards protected the elevators, all Elite Exalts.
Oscar approached one of them and asked, "Excuse me, have you seen a man with green hair and yellow eyes? He should be from the Pavilion."
Oscar showed his Blue Ocean Pavilion token to the guard. But the guard was silent, steadfast in his duty.
"Please, he's my friend and in great danger. I must know." Oscar pleaded with a bow.
The guard scrunched his brow for a moment before making glances around him. The other guards were busy watching over the people wanting to go back up. "I've seen him several times, but he never returned one day. He left due east."
Oscar nodded and mouthed his thanks without a sound. He took Emily, and they ran off to the east.
The guard looked on as they disappeared into the Spiraling Willow Forest. "That depressing guy had friends?" He opened his mouth slightly in disbelief. The person that the students described had a chilling expression and emotionless eyes. That was far from friendly, to his knowledge.
…….
"Is this the Spiraling Willow Forest?" Emily placed her hand on a grand misshapen tree with twisted trunks. Its slender leaves ranged between grey and blue in color and drooped down in small bunches like mops. It had large arching, gnarled branches that extended over a wide area, letting only a few patches of sunlight through its layers of leaves.
The dew of the leaves trickled down its trunks, wetting Emily's hand. She quickly wiped it off after smelling a faint rotten scent in it.
"Technically, yes. Artomos City lies in a safe zone inside the Spiraling Willow Forest and closer to its border. If we went west, we would be out soon, but it stretches far in other directions. The true Spiraling Willow Forest with its infamous darkness is out of this safe zone." Oscar carefully trekked through the woods.
"Why does it smell rotten?" Emily applied some salve on her hands to eliminate the persistent smell.
"I don't know that." Oscar stopped. "We're here."
Emily gasped at the true Spiraling Willow Forest.
It was as if someone had put a line separating the darkness from the light. The side Oscar was on had some sunlight coming through to illuminate their surroundings. But the other side was complete darkness.
Oscar tried but could not see anything, not even the trunks or leaves of the willow trees. All the willow trees from this point on had somehow grown so large and intertwined all their leaves. This interlocking network of leaves left no openings and was like a large barrier that blocked the sunlight.
The only other place that came close to such blinding darkness was the deepest depths of the lake ocean where the Abyss Prison was located. Unfortunately, he did not have the trident that provided light and stopped the creatures from attacking.
His eyes darted from side to side, but it was the same everywhere. He turned back to see Emily doing the same. Their eyes met in understanding.
"Here." Emily took out her uniform jacket, tied it around her wrist, and then tied it around Oscar's wrist. "With this, we won't get separated."
"If we get separated, yell out Frederick, and I will respond with Klein."
"Then don't get separated." Emily joked.
"However, if all else fails. Try to rendezvous back at the city. You have your compass, right?" Oscar held up his compass. It was something they procured from Artomos City; a specially made compass that always pointed to Artomos City.
With their hands connected, Oscar and Emily stepped forward. They slowly entered the Spiraling Willow Forest. Their figures disappeared into the darkness of the forest as if they had vanished.
The willow trees swayed strongly from the winds as dark clouds gathered over them. However, the ground shrouded in darkness was undisturbed, as if frozen in time.