by Marcus Sloss
“Well...that just means we have to pass through this place as quickly as possible.”
Aquina stood back up, the lantern lighting the path in front of us, her agreement evident by the determined expression she wore. We all kept a close distance, moving through the dimly lit forest as quickly as we could manage.
The place remained oddly quiet as we moved through the dense trees. We saw no sign of wildlife or any beast attacks, and the air still and calm.
“Are you sure this is the nightmare forest?” Illia asked after we’d walked for a good hour or so without encountering a single other living thing.
“Quite sure,” Aquina responded, her eyes never leaving the path in front of her.
The night passed quietly by and exhaustion settled in as we continued the trek through the forest. The lizardmen had really given up on the chase, I thought, half expecting them to comeback on horseback or some other means of transportation.
While I remained grateful for the lack of pursuers, our journey through the forest seemed unending, a mass of trees laid out on all sides as far as the eye could see.
“I need a rest,” Illia said at last, no one else wanting to be the one to say it.
We had walked for hours with no sign of an exit. With Illia’s suggestion, we finally accepted that we’d have to take our break within the nightmare forest. We found a small clearing under a tree with a thick trunk, and all sat around it, our backs to the wood.
“How much longer until we are out of this forest?” Cera asked, squinting as she looked all around us.
“Who knows?” Illia said with a shrug, her eyes closed.
“Hopefully, when morning comes, we can get a better sense of where we are,” I told them, choosing to remain optimistic.
“For now, we should get a few hours of rest,” Aquina announced, drawing a protection circle around us and chanting the accompanying spell.
We didn’t need to be told twice, quickly dozing off after Aquina gave the okay.
∞∞∞
I startled awake after what felt like minutes, a soft buzzing noise sounding by my ear. An insect landed near me, the first living thing I’d seen the whole night. I shooed it away, not wanting to be bit by some unknown pest.
“Good, you’re awake,” Aquina stretched in the pale moonlight, the lantern by her feet.
“How long was I out?”
“Two hours maybe? Don’t worry I just got up myself. I think we should continue on, though. I’m starting to get a bad feeling.”
“Bad feeling?”
“Like the air has somehow changed. As if...something has awoken. I don’t know, it sounds silly, but I think it would be better to leave this place as soon as possible.”
I nodded, turning to wake up the others who continued to sleep peacefully. We moved with renewed determination after our short nap, hoping to leave the forest before the suns rose in the coming morning.
Much like before, no matter how far we walked, we could see no end in sight. The surroundings all looked the same as if we’d merely been walking in circles the entire time. As my brain started to process the idea that maybe we were being sent in circles by some invisible force, we reached a small clearing, covered entirely in flowers.
The petals of the flowers were a deep blue color, nearly blending in with the darkness, but for the bright red tips sticking out against the background.
“What kinda flowers are these?” Illia questioned, bending down to poke one of the buds.
When her finger caressed the petals, they sprung open, releasing a white powder into the air and sending Illia into a coughing fit.
“Ugh, it got in my mouth.” She scraped at her tongue with her index finger.
Aquina eyed Illia cautiously as if waiting for the adverse reaction to happen. When nothing did, we figured the flowers were probably harmless, although she warned the others not to ingest the pollen as a precaution.
Of course, after receiving the all-clear, Illia ran full speed through the clearing, sending clouds of white pollen up into the air.
“I didn’t mean...” Aquina shook her head softly, her hand on her forehead.
It was too late to stop her. Cera smiled as she watched her run, grabbing the lantern from Aquina before joining Illia seconds later. Aquina shrugged, giving up on trying to rein in the fun.
We began crossing the field of flowers, Aquina’s hand slipping softly into mine. If anything, the scene certainly looked beautiful, the moonlight shining on the clearing, the particles floating up toward the moon.
Cera and Illia finished and joined us after disturbing nearly every flower in the field, their laughter echoing into the clear night. Our emotions seemed to settle with the distraction, the first sense of relief after our escape from the Lezric clan.
The moment didn’t last long. As we reached the end of the clearing, stepping back into the darkness, I felt the ground drop from under me. All at once, we were careening down a steep incline with no end in sight.
I felt Aquina’s grip on my hand tighten, both of us powerless to stop the pull of gravity. My body slammed against the earth repeatedly until my momentum lessened, my body sliding to a spot at the end of the hill.
Pain gripped at my insides, my body battered and bruised. I struggled to lift my head, wanting to check if the girls were okay. Dizziness settled in instead, my vision blurring until I could do nothing but shut my eyes and accept my fate.
CHAPTER 2
Unknown
Seventy-seven days after arrival
My body felt cold, my mind reeling as I rubbed my tired eyes.
“There you are McClain, I thought you went awol on me.”
I opened my eyes to see Private Lancaster standing over my sprawled-out body. I sat up, confusion setting in, the snow-covered surroundings seeming incredibly out of place.
The setting was wrong, but was it really? I eyed the piss-stained snow to my right turning up my lip at the sight, wondering why I chose to sleep in the same place I’d just used as a toilet.
“You alright there McClain?” Lancaster asked with a hint of worry in his voice.
“Fine, just feeling a little off.” I admitted still unable to shake the feeling that something wasn’t adding up.
He moved closer to my face, checking for injuries.
“You sure you didn’t hit your head on a tree when you went to take a piss?” He asked, pausing a moment, waiting for me to shake my head no before laughing heartily while slapping me on my shoulder.
The wind picked up, the icy breeze penetrating easily through my thick winter uniform. We continued the watch together, the night rotations only halfway finished. I stared out into the endless white as we walked, my mind somewhere else.
Nothing felt right. Not the cold, nor the white scenery, or the guy who walked beside me talking up a storm about how many shots he would take when we were able to frequent the bars in a week and a half. Still, I couldn’t quite place why it felt wrong.
I shoved my hands in my pockets, trying to stave off the cold but found little relief. A low humming sound came from overhead, the noise growing louder as the seconds passed. I looked to the sky above us in time to see an F-16 fighter jet zoom by.
I watched the aircraft adjust its speed, slowing down over our base before dropping all the bombs it carried. I stared, mouth agape as the scene played out in front of me. Before I realized it, my feet already had me running in the direction of the base, the bombs having yet to explode.
The skyline turned red as the explosion rocked the earth. My eyes burned from the smoke that instantly filled the area and another explosion quickly followed the first. I rushed into the cloud of smoke that surrounded the base, eager to find my comrades, eager to do something, anything for them.
The final bomb touched down, a wash of red and orange lighting up the sky. My body rocked backward from the slight impact of the pressure the explosion released. Luckily, I remained far enough from the blast that I avoided all shrapnel.
Flailing my way through the smoke cloud, I headed toward the basecamp. Screams resonated into the once silent night, and the air was thick with the fear of those victimized by the enemy attack.
Finally, I reached a clearing, the air breathable once more. I surveyed the surroundings. Small wooden houses encircled the area, their thatched roofs ablaze.
Wrong. It’s all wrong. A sharp pain stabbed at my temple, and I rubbed small circles onto my forehead trying to make sense of the scenery.
The snow had disappeared, the dirt on the ground coated with ash and blood. I ran deeper into the village, the screams of the inhabitants growing more desperate.
On the ground in front of me laid a familiar form. I knew her, but how? I knelt beside the girl, her snow-colored hair matted with blood and dirt.
I grabbed her hand, holding it tight. A large slash wound ran from the top of her shoulder to her opposite hipbone. It looked deep.
“I’m sorry.” She mouthed the words.
She wrapped her hands around my neck, pulling me close before she kissed me lightly on the lips.
“It’s up to you now.”
I stared down into her deep crimson eyes. Water droplets fell on her cheeks, pooling slightly before they slid down her face.
It wasn’t until she wiped my cheek with her thumb that I realized I was crying. She smiled at me— a soft, sad smile before her hand fell limp by her side.
“Aquina,” the name escaped my mouth, my brain yet to understand.
Then everything came rushing back. The green cauldron, the Wen village, the invasion I needed to stop. The invasion. My eyes darted in all directions. Each scene was more gruesome than the last.
Bodies littered the small square, the air sour with the smell of death. Another explosion in the distance rocked the area with more houses going up in flames. How did this happen? I thought I had more time.
All the questions ran through my mind at once as I held Aquina’s lifeless body to my chest. I needed to use everything I had not to fall apart in that moment.
I set Aquina’s head down softly in the dirt, kissing her lightly on the forehead before running deeper into the village. It was just as I feared. The Rexco had infiltrated the village, and the army was wreaking havoc on the Wen.
The fighting force was heavily outnumbered, the Ratkin ganging up three to one to take them out. I reached for my sword, but there was nothing on my waistband. I reached for my mana gift, but nothing happened.
“Nolan, over here,” I heard a desperate voice calling for my attention.
Cera came around the corner, swinging her battle hammer at a rat that aimed for a downed civilian. Her hammer met with his skull, the Ratkin falling to the ground in a heap.
I sighed when I saw her alive and in decent shape, only a small knife wound on her cheek visible. She turned toward me, a relieved smile on her face. Quickening her pace she moved in my direction, then froze, a mix of shock and fear contorting her features.
I faulted, confused by her expression, but resumed my run when she slumped to her knees. Grabbing her by the shoulders to support her hunched form, I found the culprit of her collapse.
An enemy arrow protruded from her back, blood pooling at the entry point. No, No, No. I couldn’t think properly as I tore my shirt, pressing the cloth around the shaft of the arrow, trying to staunch the bleeding.
“I’m sorry,” Cera told me, blood dripping down the corners of her mouth.
She gripped my forearm tightly, holding my gaze before I saw the life drain from her, her body falling forward into my chest. This wasn’t happening. I sat on my knees clutching onto her body, my hands stained red by her blood.
A shrill scream brought me back to my senses, the invasion happening all around me. A Rexco soldier stood in front of me, intent on taking my life. I wasn’t quick enough. He plunged his sword deep into Cera’s back, attempting to run us both through.
Unlucky for him, his thrust wasn’t quite strong enough, just barely managing to prick my abdomen with the blade. I felt the heat rising in my body as if my blood itself was boiling. I glared daggers at the ratkin, letting him know he wouldn’t escape my fury.
He flinched from the bloodlust that permeated the air, pulling at his sword desperately. I laid Cera softly on her side, my eyes never leaving the rat as he tugged away at her helpless form. No way would he get the chance to run.
Gripping the handle of Cera’s battle hammer, I lifted it level with my waist. It was much heavier than I anticipated, but that changed nothing. I slammed the hammer into the Ratkin’s wide open defense, still so focused on his sword.
He toppled over, his hands coming up to defend his face. I raised Cera’s beloved weapon high into the air, wanting to be sure I saw the fear in his eyes before bringing it down upon his head.
All my anger went into that blow, a sickening crack silencing his pleas for mercy. As I stared at the pool of blood I had created, my rage only grew. Pain seized my arms, and I looked at them with an apathetic gaze. Were my wrists smoking?
Now wasn’t the time to worry about such things. I laid Cera’s weapon down beside her before removing the enemy’s weapons from her body so that she could rest more comfortably.
Gripping the hilt of the stolen sword, I walked with a great, or maybe it was reckless, determination toward the battle. The ground shook once again as a massive foot stepped out of a fully functioning portal. The orc that exited was twice the size of the one the Hivini king defeated using his mana gift.
It didn’t matter that I couldn’t use my mana gifts, or that I found myself without my allies, I would take on this orc and the whole of the Rexco army alone if that was what needed to be done. Maybe I just wanted to join them. I pushed aside the emerging thought.
I went to lift my sword, readying to attack, but it was no longer in my hands. I eyed my open palms skeptically, knowing I had grabbed a weapon. What is happening?
Suddenly, my wrists were chained together, my ankles too, my whole body anchored to the ground below me. I couldn’t move, helpless to aid in the battle. Unable to do anything—save anyone.
Wracking my body back and forth, I attempted to separate my conjoined wrists, the shackles seeming to tighten the longer I struggled. Wrong. It’s all wrong.
My mind felt as though it were in a haze. My rage, frustration, guilt, grief, swirled together recklessly, consuming me. The building emotions, the heat that they caused, it needed an out or I would self-destruct.
My heart beat in my head, my blood pumping harder the deeper I got lost in my emotions. The constant pain in my limbs intensified, and I wondered if I really would explode.
The chains constraining my body grew hot, the metal glowing brilliantly as I fought to free myself. Pain. Then finally relief. A light of pure condensed fire erupted from my body, slicing through the metal that trapped me in place.
I lifted my hands forward, and they collided with a soft invisible wall in front of me. I didn’t understand—the space in front of me remained clear, no obstacles in the immediate area.
Moving my hands higher, I felt the give of the barrier, a swift breeze overtaking my senses from the perceived tear. I breathed deeply, the change in air unclouding my mind.
The sight of the village started to crumble, fading away as if it were a mirage. A tingling sensation caused me to rub my eyes, and when I opened them, I found myself staring at a white wall.
As I breathed in the warm night air that slipped through the literal tear, I stared at in front of me. I remembered everything, my mind no longer trapped in an endless fog. The prison escape, the walk through the woods, when I lost consciousness after falling down the steep incline—everything.
My wrists burned something awful, and when I held them up, the shackles crumbled, freeing my hands from the trap. Blisters replaced the shackles, but somehow the damage seemed less than what I’d previously endured when accidentally triggering the rune’s power.
I reached for my fire mana gift, breathing easier when the flo
w of mana immediately reacted to my will. I lit my hand ablaze, staring at my working mana gift gratefully, realizing how much I depended on it.
Looking around me, I seemed to be in some kind of cocoon. White, soft and upon further inspection, woven pieces of fine threads surrounded me on all sides, except for the slice I had made in front of me.
I pulled at the tear, widening it, the forest coming back into view. Stepping from the fluffy cage, I breathed in the fresh air, trying to shake off the feelings that the visions manifested.
While I understood now, they were all dreams—nightmares, they felt so real that it was hard to accept them as anything but. My eyes darted around the forest, searching for Aquina. I saw Cera and Illia resting on three similarly sized balls of white thread. That had to be them.
I tried calling out to them, but when I heard no answer, I figured they must be trapped in nightmares of their own. I felt the flow of mana rush to my fingers, my hand growing hot. I used that heat to slice a tear in each of the cocoons, letting the fresh air penetrate the space.
The girls began to stir, the night air pulling them from their manufactured sleep. As I waited for them to regain consciousness, I used the heat of my hands to break my final shackle, the one around my neck.
For some reason, the runes on my neck had never activated, even back in the dungeon, so I figured maybe they were for show more than anything else. The metal quickly bent in my heated hands, allowing me to break the connection point.
I threw the hunk of metal to the ground and went back to assess the state of the girls. Approaching the first of the bundles, I found Aquina stirring inside, her eyes still closed.
I tore at the pliable thread, the strands coming apart easily in my hand.
“Aquina.” I spoke loudly, waiting for her eyes to open.
Grabbing her forearm, I said her name again. She flailed a bit until finally her eyes shot open, instantly filling with tears the moment she saw me.
“Nolan,” her voice came out raspy.
I helped her out of the cocoon, and she hugged me tightly, sobs wracking her body.