"Alrighty! Before we go in I would like to assign us jobs." Bronya exclaimed. Their destination loomed over them, a frightening cold breathed over them. Their carriage stopped just before the voided path. Just peering into there left an eerie chill. The horse stomped its feet, then snorted whilst flicking its tail in fragile nerves.
"What do you mean?" Lucian asked just after jumping down from the carriage. There was a slight twitch of his lips seeing Bronya standing with her chest puffed out. Moments later, everyone else made a formation, aside from Roth. He sat on the driver's seat, with an arm resting on a raised knee.
"It's pretty simple for y'all. I'll take the front guard position." She pointed at her head, then explained. "I have a skill that can scan the area around us. I'll notice any attack before it gets close. Little Haru, Little Lucian… You'll take the coachman position. Little Lucian…"
"What is it?"
"You and Fei have been learning to read a map, you'll take the role as a navigator."
"Isn't it just a straight path from here, there?" Lucian inquired, he raised his hand to his chin. The image of the map popped into his mind. It indeed was a straight path, although the map was wrinkled, and barely usable due to age. Death's forest was a treacherous path, these words were written under it.
Tales of fantasy told by Bronya enhanced that view. Countless adventurers tried to explore, and learn of this place. All met their demise by ambushes, or from a ghoul's bite.
Bronya nodded her head after seeing his confusion. "But… The thing is, as you can very well see, silly… It is creepy, and inside is like a maze that's filled with the void. One attack, just one can throw us off course." During her explanation, she leaned forward allowing her hair to fall just below her shoulders. Her right hand waved, as if she was a teacher lecturing a student. "That is how adventurers fell in there. Their confidence was too great, 'A mere straight path.'"
"I-I see…"
"I knew you weren't a slow learner, Little Lucian. Now, Rothie."
"You want me to be the rear guard."
"Correct." As her body was turned to him, she raised another hand up to her chin. Bronya leaned to the side, turning her head in the same direction. "There's another special thing about this big oaf. Wanna hear?" Her question caused everyone's ears to perk, there was a brief pause, then an intense round of nods. "This guy can see in the dark, pretty cool eh? Who k-"
BONK!
A thunderous thud came from Bronya's head. Those who witnessed Roth's gigantic fist slamming against her head physically winced.
"OW?! OKAY WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! THAT FFFF HURT YOU KNOW THAT?!" Bronya roared. Sloppy tears flowed from her tear ducts, her mouth contorted into a grimace. Hands atop of her head, and knees buckled to the ground, she let out grunts. The immense pulsating pain nearly split her skull into two.
"Don't reveal others' secrets, Long Ears."
"IT WOULD'VE CAME OUT SOONER OR LATER! DID YOU HAVE TO HIT SO HARD?!"
"Hmph."
"You… Are such a jerk you know that?!" After a period of time passing by, Bronya stood tall whilst rubbing the top of her head. Even now there were small tears littering her eyes. Upon the sight of Roth casually, leaning against the carriage. She struck the ground with her foot a couple times before huffing to the front in a frenzy. "Get in your positions! We are leaving now!"
'He went way too hard…'
Y-Yes… He did…
'We better… Listen to her.'
Once Bronya turned her back, Lucian pushed Fei into the back of the carriage– Hopped into the driver's seat, then yanked Haru up. Bronya meandered around, evidently avoiding Roth's position, then stopped just right of their horse.
She raised her arm high, then let it hammer onto the horse's rump. It bellowed a cry then started trotting at a slow pace. Both Haru and Lucian's hearts jolted as the encroaching darkness swallowed them whole.
'That... Ew... No, no... Fei I recommend plugging your nose!' Lucian internally complained; The horrendous stench of rotting bark assaulted his nose. He quickly grabbed his nostrils, removing the source from entering.
W-W-... Fei's thoughts rang aloud, then a yelp was heard from inside. T-T-Thank you... For the warning... Due to her enhanced senses, the rotting bark worsened. Fei's head felt woozy just from one millisecond of catching its whiff.
'Mhm...' Lucian's eyes maneuvered in his eye sockets; all around was just darkness, with slight pockets of the sun's rays. His eyes could barely make out the surrounding trees. Just like Fei, the only way he could know he was moving the rickety clacks from the carriage. The intense wobbling of the carriage as it stays on course.
"Um... Mister Lucian why are you covering your nose?"
"That smell, can you-"
"If you cover yer nose, you'll never get used to it."
"It smells terrible... How can anyone stand it?"
"Uhm... I-I..."
"Ya get used to it."
"..."
Lucian's mouth snapped shut. Although he couldn't make out Bronya's face, he could imagine her smug expression. Or happily dancing to her pinpoint argument. 'Whatever...'
"How're we looking up there?" Bronya popped up suddenly.
Lucian gripped each side of the paper in his hands. Hunched his back, and roughly brought the map to his face. 'I can barely see... I don't know how far we're in!' He internally complained.
C-Can I take a look?
'Can you even s- W-Whatever... Here...' He swapped the map into his other hand, and stuck his arm into the carriage; waving it, unknowingly taunting Fei. There was a sudden, freezing hand that grabbed his wrist. 'It's my job as the navigator... Yet I can barely see crap...'
Umm... We're... We're barely in... I think- We're a twentieth of the way in?
Lucian crossed his arms, and uncontrollably his lips twitched. 'What's the point of me navigating?' His mind wandered around, he felt an urge in his gut. "We're barely in, Bronya. I don't know how long it's been, but Fei said we were around a twentieth in."
"That much? We've barely put in a dent..."
"I think Fei should be sitting up here with Haru. I can't see anything."
"Let yer eyes get used to it, Little Lucian. Neither can I see, but here I am-- I'm walking." Bronya retorted, a certain laugh shook his eardrums. Her comments caused his foot to slam vigorously against the foot rest.
Physically he bit his tongue, feeling the familiar touch of paper enter his palm. He snapped it back, and rested it in his lap. 'What's the point of me sitting here? Unlike her...'
As time slowly trudged by, his eyes slowly illuminated the dark area around him. From barely visible foliage, becoming a new type of forest. Cobwebs strewn between leaves, if his eyes were better could he have seen the creepy crawlies wriggle between them? His mind wondered at this new sight. Just the mere thought of what crawlies would be in this type of forest gave him shivers. The trees were extremely packed, just the sight foretold the difficulty of navigating.
It was as if even his scrawny body couldn't wedge between each tree. As it scrolled by, some trees were felled. Blocking nearly every other path an individual person could find. Each tree trunk, was thicker than his entire torso
'That... Explains why... Why this is called the Forest of Death.'
W-Wh-
'Don't mind me...' His jaw fell to the floor, whilst a little cold feeling entered his spine. That was enough to cause his hands to tremble. He felt an unforgettable, stomach churning taste attack his mouth. "..." On the side of the road, against a tree laid a body. No skin, flesh or hair were glued to its body. 'It's another one...'
Around its bones were shabby clothes, its head hung just under its collarbone. CRACK! Bronya's axe pounded against its skull. She pushed her weapon further in, shards of bone crumbled to the ground. Her head visibly shook at its sight, then reeling her axe in.
"I did what I had to do. You remember the lesson I gave before we came here."
"I know..."
"Then remove those sorrowful eyes... I had to do it."
They all fell silent once again, their eyes focused on the path forward. After what felt like an hour passed by, Lucian's mind dashed. 'Fei, how is it going in there? Do you hear anything?'
N-No... I just hear... The wheels of the carriage... Everywhere around us... Fei's body shook from the chills of silence. The forests of Vertealle never were quiet, there was always a constant flutter, or the noises of critters scuttling around.
'That's probably a good thing...' Lucian assumed, slumping his shoulders in relief. 'Keep up the great work, alright?'
Y-You too... Fei brought her knees to her chin. Then, her eyes closed, she attempted to focus her senses on the silent world around her. Quickly all sounds were blocked. Just an eerie, overwhelming nothingness.
"..."
"..."
Is there...
Rustle...
There's...
An intense rustling shook her eardrums. North… South… Forward… There's… I Can't… I don't know where they're coming from.
'Fei, what's wrong?'
I don't- I hear things... They're everywhere...
'Ther-' "There's a whole bunch of-!" Lucian's voice fell silent.
"Six undead around us. Roth, you take our left, I'll take the right! Lucian, protect Haru and Fei!" Bronya's orders entered his ears.
"U-" His eyes widened, at the sight of pale humans entering their path. They all wore varied clothes. Leather armor, plated armor– Robes like a wizard. There was a common theme amongst them, necrotic flesh peered out of chunks that were taken out. Their eyes were a pure white, congealed blood slithered down their mouths. They gaped, croaked and growled, yet their maws lapped wildly; a neverending starvation.
Then… The stench. One that reeked of rotting flesh that bathed in the light of day for many moons. Despite his distance from them– With the demi-human next to him, he pulled his shirt up– however the stench pierced through. 'T-Those… Those are ghouls?! F-Fei plug your nose!' He hurriedly screamed inside. 'Fei? Fei can you hear me?'
...
'Fei! Please respond!' Familiar silence befell is mind. Every muscle fiber told his legs to work, to run, sprint as fast as he could away from them. 'Fei! Please respond! I beg of you!' He pleaded, he felt an urge to check inside the carriage. Yet, he felt an immense chill, he couldn't force his body to check. It forced him to stare at these grotesque beings.
They slowly, melodramatically inched themselves to the carriage. Their heads hung to the side, the breaths that escaped their bloody jaws caused an ice-- Colder than what Fei had made him suffer through to run through his veins. His body, and Haru shivered.
Thud
"H-" His eyes twitched, and shook violently at Haru's now unconscious head thumping against his shoulder. "H-" His stomach felt emptier, feeling her body slightly twitch against him. Then the sight of her ears vibrate. Instinctively he fell to the forest floor.
Slowly... His teeth chattered, whipping his head around. Due to his intense focus to the view in front, and side to side he backed into something.
"R..."
'Wh-'
In an instant, he felt his entire body freeze. Then a nanosecond passed, causing him to fall to the ground. He winced as sharp pebbles and dirt dipped into his arms. 'No.. No...'
A giant ghoul growled not even two meters away. It raised its arms mindlessly, but the cataract filled vision locked in towards him.
'F-' Lucian's mind cursed, he drew his blade as it lumbered towards him. Its lipless mouth gnashed, ready to tear into his body. The hideous fingers that almost sunk into his body wriggled, snapping at every movement.
"Little Lucian! Calm yourself down! They are so much slowe- GOD DAMN IT! SLOWER THAN US!"
Her words entered his mind, yet he backed away in two steps as his foe took one. His legs felt like jello, shaking with every step. The weapon in his hands clattered in pure terror.
Thump Thump Thud...
Soon, his back struck the carriage.
"Lucian! Just stay out of its reach! It can't hurt you!"
"Kid, as Long Ears said, keep out of its reach, won't hurt you."
Mere inches away from his face were bony fingers. Two had flesh hanging off, revealing dead, blackened nerves and the phalanges. Just as it was about to rip into his face, Lucian ducked out of its teeth.
He managed two stomps away, then raised his sword once again. The ghoul in front of him, swung its loosened head, glaring at him with its head dangling lopsidedly.
It began its course again, this time the gnashing of its teeth intensified. Its stiff legged movements
"Wait for it, Kid."
Step…
"Grr…"
"Now!"
Lucian's eyes snapped shut, his teeth finally ceased their movements. He pulled his arms back, his grasp still slipping on the hilt. Yet, he shot his arms forward. A cold, thick liquid splattered onto his face.
A disgusting ripping sound burned itself into his mind. There was a slight resistance in his swing, but stopped just as sudden as it came. 'I-Is… Is it-' His eyelashes twitched, then his pupils shrank at his action.
"Good job Little Lucian…" Bronya's voice resounded behind him. Her foot fell with each step, causing a stomping noise to echo around him. "Killing it exactly how ya should."
His short sword crushed through the skull of the ghoul. Carving right through its soft, meaty skull and halting in the middle of its forehead. There was naught but a twitch. Then, its body crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
"There's no need to be scared, Kid. It's already dead."
"Mhm."
"I almost got hurt by that thing… Why do you think I'm shaking? You said I'd need to be healed by a healer's spell." Lucian grumbled, he slowly slid his sword into the sheath. His words finished with a turn of his torso. "And how the hell are you so calm… About seeing these things?! Weren't they human before?"
"Key word, before. They were human, yes…" Bronya said, slowly tracing her way to Lucian's fallen foe. She reeled her foot back, then sent it flying towards a tree. "They aren't human anymore, Little Lucian… We did them a mercy, their bodies were defiled by the world's mana."
"Doesn't that mean, I still killed a human?"
"It isn't your first time, Kid."
"...What?"
"During the raid. Don't remember?"
"I-I- Wait I killed them?"
"Mhhhm? Yes, yes you did. They deserved those deaths…" Bronya affirmed, setting both of her hands into her pockets; she walked back to the front with her eyes lowered to the ground. "You shouldn't dwell on it. They murdered a lot of people, humans, demi-humans and elves alike. Hop back into the carriage, we need to get going again."
"..."
"If we're sitting ducks, more will come. If killing one is going to eat at you, imagine more."
"..."