by Jeff Gunzel
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The gateway snapped shut behind the companions just as Jade jumped through. She opened her mouth to speak, but it simply remained that way as her gaze followed everyone else’s to the awesome sight before them.
The legends of the Mogan Forest were more than true. The sight was beautiful yet terrifying all at the same time. The tall trees were massive, with dark green leaves each the size of a man’s head. Only centuries of existence could yield such size. Their thick trunks were covered with dark, peeling bark as black as coal.
They weren’t actually in the forest, but standing in a field on the perimeter. The tall grass they stood in seemed to go on for miles behind them, leading right up to the edge, but where the forest began, it became instantly dense. There was no progression of trees becoming closer and closer to each other the farther in you went. The field just led up to a wall of vegetation. It seemed so unnatural.
The complete silence was also unnerving. No signs of life could be heard or seen, not a butterfly, cricket, or any of the smallest clues that anything lived here. Morcel gripped his great axe as he eyed the wall of trees. “Everyone ready?” he said, and began moving eagerly without waiting for an answer.
At first glance, the forest seemed too dense to enter anywhere. There was no obvious path at all. The companions figured they would have to walk along the wall of trees and bushes until they found a break someplace, but after covering the mere fifteen feet or so, the path became obvious. It seemed impossible they couldn’t see it before. It was as if the trees moved to the side to allow them passage.
No light escaped from between any of the leaves or vegetation, just black outlines around the branches. It seemed as though the forest would be pitch-black, so they pulled torches from their packs, but upon entering, they found they could see rather well. It fact, the trees were nowhere near as close together once they entered the forest. It was as if the outside layer was nothing but a thick, living wall for protection.
The air here was very different from just outside the boundaries, where it was fresh and cool. The forest was hot and humid; the air seemed thick and hard to breathe. But even with conditions that seemed perfect for swarms of swampy insects, not a single one made itself known. The silence was so unnatural, given how green and lush the plants were, it simply didn’t seem possible.
“Well, I must say, if someone told me I would be traveling with you through the Dead Forest years after we first met, I would have had a hard time believing them,” said Morcel to Jade, winking at her. “Funny how I’ve been fighting for years now with no real reasons other than to please a mob, and perhaps my own survival as well. All the time, I didn’t care much if I survived or not. Somehow I always managed,” he said with a chuckle. “But I’ll tell you guys something.” He stopped walking and turned towards everyone. “When I woke up and realized I had won my freedom, it didn’t feel like I thought it would.”
He looked at Jade, who seemed a bit bewildered, wondering where he was going with all this. “Don’t get me wrong, little lady. I’m grateful for what you’ve done for me. It was just that,” he paused and stroked his long beard for a moment, “I felt like...like I had no purpose. I really didn’t know what I was going to do next.”
Now everyone looked bewildered except for Jade, who seemed as though a little light had gone on in her head. She knew what he was talking about.
“I was going through life, never knowing when my end would come,” Morcel said as he began leading them on once more, “but when that threat was no longer present, I lost my simplest goal. Survival! What is a warrior without the constant threat of danger?” he said as he stopped again, this time turning to look at Eric. “I don’t know if you are what they say, but if you are, and I die while trying to protect you…” he said as his eyes narrowed.
Eric’s eyes met his and matched their intensity easily.
The arena warrior’s stare softened. “Then I would have given my life for a true purpose, and I welcome that honor,” he concluded.
The warrior drew his axe from his back. Everyone jumped a bit, not understanding what he was attempting to do. He then lay it down beside himself and dropped down to one knee in front of Eric. “Eric Aethello, I swear to defend your life with my own. In the eyes of the gods and all who stand with us, I will see your mission completed or die in its defense.”
Eric’s eyes almost popped out of his head. He had no idea what to say or what to do.
Jacob wore the same shocked expression.
Jade turned her head and pulled her hood low to hide her smile. She understood the warrior’s feelings completely.