Chapter 24 — The First Reaction
Gaurav slowed down suddenly, his boots stopping on the strange red ground. His eyes moved upward slowly, following the faint glow that leaked through the leaves above them. For a few seconds, he did not say anything. His expression changed from focus to disbelief, as if his mind was refusing to accept what his eyes were seeing clearly.
"A red crystal apple," he finally said.
The words felt heavy in the air.
Vansh followed his gaze and narrowed his eyes. Hanging from a thick red branch was a fruit shaped exactly like an apple, but it was nothing like any apple he had ever seen. It was transparent, sharp-edged, and glowing softly from within. Light passed through it and broke into uneven red patterns on the forest floor below. It looked beautiful. It also looked wrong.
Vansh tilted his head slightly. "Can we eat it?"
The moment the question was spoken, something changed.
The forest did not move, but the silence deepened. The faint background sound they hadn't noticed before disappeared completely. The glow of the apples dimmed just a little, like someone lowering their voice. Even the air felt heavier, pressing gently against their skin.
Nitya reacted instantly.
She raised her hand sharply.
"No one moves," she said.
Her voice was calm, firm, and final.
Vansh lowered his hand slowly. Gaurav stepped back without being told. Avni felt her chest tighten as fear crept up her spine. She could feel it clearly now. The forest had noticed them.
"It feels like it heard us," Avni whispered.
Nitya did not answer. Her eyes scanned the trees carefully, moving from trunk to branch, from shadow to shadow. Years of combat had trained her to read danger before it appeared. This place felt different. It did not react to movement. It reacted to choice.
"Observe only," Nitya said. "Nothing else."
They stood there without moving. Time passed slowly. Seconds stretched into long minutes. No one dared to breathe loudly. Gradually, the glow of the apples returned to normal. The pressure in the air eased. The forest seemed to settle again, as if it had finished judging them.
Only then did Nitya lower her hand.
They continued deeper into the forest.
The trees grew closer together as they walked. The trunks were tall and smooth, their bark dark red like dried blood. Crystal apples appeared more often now, hanging alone or in clusters. Some were small and faint. Others were large, heavy, and bright, pulling branches downward.
No one mentioned eating them again.
Walking felt strange. The ground was firm but almost soundless under their boots. Their steps felt muted, as if the forest absorbed noise. Even breathing felt too loud. Every small movement felt important, like the place was keeping track.
Time became hard to judge. The sky above did not change naturally. The light stayed fixed, neither bright nor dark. Fatigue came not from walking but from constant alertness. Fear kept their minds active even as their bodies wanted rest.
Vansh stayed close to Avni. He didn't speak much, but his presence helped her steady herself. Gaurav kept checking landmarks, memorizing shapes and patterns since his compass was useless. Nitya led without hesitation, adjusting their path carefully whenever something felt wrong.
Slowly, the light overhead softened. Shadows stretched longer between the trees. Night arrived quietly, without warning.
Nitya stopped.
"We camp here," she said. "No fire. Low light only."
No one argued.
They set up a small camp quickly and carefully. They kept their distance short, unwilling to spread out. The forest felt too aware. Red light filtered through the leaves above, painting their faces in dark shades.
For a long time, no one spoke.
Vansh finally broke the silence. "Do you think this place knows we're here?"
Gaurav answered after thinking. "I think it knows when we decide things."
Avni hugged her knees closer. "What if sleeping is a mistake?" she asked quietly. "What if we don't wake up?"
No one tried to comfort her. The fear was shared by all of them.
They lay down with their weapons close. Sleep came slowly. Fear kept their minds alert even as exhaustion pulled them under.
When Vansh opened his eyes, his heart raced instantly. He sat up quickly and checked himself. His arms were real. His breath steady.
Alive.
"So… we survived," Gaurav muttered as he sat up.
Avni pressed her palms together. "Thank God."
Then Vansh noticed something wrong.
"Nitya?" he said.
They all looked around.
Her place was empty.
No bag. No weapon. No movement marks. Just absence.
Fear hit hard.
Avni's voice shook. "She's gone."
The forest stayed silent.
Avni lowered her head. "May her soul rest in peace."
A voice came from behind a tree.
"That was fast."
They turned sharply.
Nitya stepped out calmly, arms crossed, giving Avni an angry, sarcastic look. "You didn't even wait."
Avni froze. "You're alive?"
"Yes," Nitya replied. "Sadly for your prayer."
She explained simply. She had woken earlier and walked nearby to observe the forest. Nothing reacted. No danger appeared.
They packed quickly and moved again.
Hours passed. Distance stretched endlessly. Gaurav estimated nearly fifty miles when a new glow appeared ahead.
Not close. Not clear.
But powerful.
Something massive glowed red deep inside the forest. Larger than any tree they had seen. Brighter. More focused.
They slowed naturally.
The closer they got, the heavier the air became. Fear grew stronger with every step. At exactly one hundred meters, Nitya raised her hand.
They stopped.
They couldn't see the tree clearly, but they could feel it. A presence that did not move. Did not hide.
Fear consumed them completely.
Whatever waited ahead was no ordinary part of the forest.