The forest trail stretched ahead, narrow and winding, cloaked in the cool shade of tall trees. The scent of damp earth lingered in the air, and the only sounds were the soft thuds of boots and the occasional snap of twigs underfoot. The Celestars moved quietly, the strange warning from Mossbell Inn still fresh in their minds.
"Y'know," Rick muttered, twirling his wand as he walked, "I'm not saying I'm scared, but... maybe someone should be keeping an eye on the trees. Just in case one of them grows teeth or something."
"Teeth trees," Iuro nodded. "Forest level: Expert."
"We're not being watched," Ishi said plainly, eyes sweeping across the underbrush, "but something was here. The moss is disturbed."
Izumi paused near a leaning birch and ran his fingers over a faint mark. "Claw marks. But... faded. Not recent. Maybe yesterday. Or magically erased."
Lui exhaled deeply, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Keep moving. Don't bunch up. If something happens, we will handle it head-on."
Despite the tension, their journey remained undisturbed. About an hour in, they reached a collapsed wooden bridge stretched over a narrow ravine. A group of tired-looking construction workers stood nearby, arguing over enchantment blueprints.
"Stupid vine anchors keep slipping. The stabilizer glyph won't hold," one muttered.
"Do we help?" Yuuv asked softly, already stepping forward.
The Celestars approached.
"Excuse me," Iuro said cheerfully, pointing to the tangled ropes and half-built supports. "We can help with that."
A few workers looked skeptical, but one shrugged. "If you know basic binding runes, be my guest."
Within minutes, Iuro summoned thick roots to reinforce the support posts, while Izumi carved stabilizer runes that locked into the stone. Rick redirected water flow away from the muddy banks, and Yuuv levitated scattered planks gently back into place.
Even Ishi, silent as ever, used precise shadow constructs to hold things steady while the magic sealed in.
By the end, the bridge not only stood—it shimmered faintly with stabilizing enchantments.
"That... was fast," a stunned worker mumbled.
"Teamwork," Lui replied, sheathing his sword. "And no tooth trees."
They waved goodbye, continued on, and soon the terrain turned rockier, the trees thinning into scattered groves. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the ridge trail.
Then, suddenly—
a fog rolled in.
It wasn't natural.
It slithered through the trees like mist with a mind, curling around their boots, swallowing the trail.
"Form up," Lui ordered instantly.
Izumi's hand went to his katanas. "Visibility: minimal. Magic traces: uncertain."
Yuuv held his wand gently. "I don't sense danger... but it feels like a veil. Not blocking us. Just... watching."
"Whatever it is," Rick said, twirling a water bubble in his hand, "I'm ready to splash it in the eye."
They continued cautiously, eyes alert.
But the fog faded as quickly as it had come.
No attacks. No movement. Just... silence.
As they crested a small ridge overlooking a wide open stretch of trail, the forest opened up to reveal a peaceful, scenic spot—a perfect campsite with a gentle stream, a few mossy boulders, and a clearing of soft grass.
"We will camp here," Lui declared. "We'll stay sharp, but rest."
That night, the stars spilled across the sky like glitter on velvet. Their fire crackled gently in the middle of the clearing.
Rick roasted fruit on sticks, humming tunelessly. Yuuv helped Iuro feed Tofu tiny glowing crumbs from his pocket. Ishi sat cross-legged in silence, sharpening his blade. Izumi scrawled in his logbook, drawing diagrams of the fog's flow.
Lui sat slightly apart, eyes on the darkness beyond the firelight.
"You thinking about the inn?" Izumi asked.
"Yeah. The card. The cloaks. The message." Lui didn't look away. "None of it makes sense yet. But something wanted us to be cautious."
"And so far," Iuro said brightly, "we've stayed cautious and lived. Yay us."
They chuckled.
Then, Yuuv spoke quietly.
"I think we're being watched. Still. But not with hate. More like... curiosity."
The fire crackled.
Tofu buzzed once, then stopped.
The silence returned.
Izumi stood up and glanced behind a tree. Nothing.
But on the bark—a shimmer.
A faint silver swirl, just like the ink on the warning card.
It vanished as the wind passed.
Izumi stepped back, eyes wide.
"They were here."
Lui stood, sword in hand.
"Whoever you are," he muttered to the darkness, "we're not afraid. But we will find out who you are."
The wind swirled again.
The night stretched onward.