The path grew harsher with every step.
By the time the sun reached its peak, the forest had thinned into jagged terrain—rocky ground, steep slopes, and narrow ridges that looked like they had been carved by time itself.
Aarav wiped sweat from his forehead, breathing heavier than he wanted to admit.
"How… are you both not tired?" he asked.
"I am tired," Meera replied calmly, stepping over a loose rock without breaking pace. "I just don't complain about it."
Rohan, walking slightly behind them, raised a finger. "I complain internally. It's more efficient."
Aarav let out a small laugh despite himself.
That laugh didn't last long.
The map in his hand flickered again.
The glowing path shifted—this time leading toward a narrow ridge that cut across a deep ravine.
Aarav stopped.
"…You've got to be kidding."
Meera followed his gaze.
The ridge was barely wide enough for one person at a time. On either side, the ground dropped sharply into darkness.
Rohan leaned forward, squinting. "Well… that looks unsafe."
"Very unsafe," Aarav added.
Meera crossed her arms. "It's the only way forward."
"Of course it is," Aarav muttered.
A strong wind howled through the ravine, echoing upward.
Rohan stepped back slightly. "I suddenly have a deep respect for staying alive."
Meera turned to Aarav. "You have the map. You go first."
"What? Why me?"
"Because if the path changes, you'll see it first."
"That's not comforting," he said.
Meera raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to shoot an arrow and test it instead?"
"…I'll go."
Aarav stepped onto the ridge.
The stone shifted slightly under his weight.
He froze.
"Don't look down," Rohan called out helpfully.
"I wasn't planning to!"
Aarav took another step.
Then another.
The wind picked up, pushing against him.
His heart pounded louder with each movement.
Halfway across—
The stone beneath his foot cracked.
"Aarav!" Meera shouted.
He slipped.
For one terrifying moment, his body tilted toward the edge—
Nothing beneath him but open air—
Then a hand grabbed his arm.
Strong.
Steady.
Meera.
"I've got you!" she said, bracing herself against the ridge.
"Don't let go!" Aarav gasped.
"Not planning to!"
Rohan scrambled forward, dropping to his knees. "Okay, okay—this is bad, but fixable!"
From his bag, he pulled out a small device—a hooked metal tool attached to a rope.
"Hold still!" he said.
"I am literally trying!" Aarav snapped.
Rohan threw the hook across a higher section of rock. It caught.
He pulled tight, securing it.
"Use the rope!" Rohan said. "Shift your weight slowly!"
Aarav gritted his teeth, gripping the rope with his free hand.
"On three," Meera said. "One… two…"
"Do we really need to count?" Aarav asked.
"Three!"
Together, they pulled.
Aarav pushed upward, his foot barely finding a stable edge—
Then suddenly—
He was back on the ridge.
Safe.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then Aarav let out a shaky breath. "…I hate this path."
Rohan laughed nervously. "Yeah, let's avoid falling forever."
Meera didn't laugh.
She just looked at Aarav.
"You okay?" she asked.
Aarav nodded, still catching his breath. "Yeah… thanks to you."
She gave a small nod. "Don't mention it."
But something had changed.
That moment—
That trust—
It stayed.
They crossed the rest of the ridge more carefully, using Rohan's rope system.
When they finally reached solid ground, all three of them sat down without saying a word.
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was… earned.
After a while, Rohan broke it.
"So," he said, "next time we see a deadly path, we turn around, right?"
"No," Meera said immediately.
"Worth a try."
Aarav chuckled.
Then he looked at the map again.
The glowing path had changed once more.
It now led toward a distant stretch of land covered in dense, dark trees.
Even from far away, it looked… wrong.
"What is that?" Aarav asked quietly.
Meera followed his gaze.
Her expression tightened.
"The Forbidden Forest."
Rohan blinked. "That sounds… very inviting."
"It's not," Meera said.
Aarav looked at her. "You've heard of it?"
"Everyone has," she replied. "It's said that people who enter don't come back."
Rohan raised a hand. "Important question—why are we going there again?"
Aarav held up the map.
"Because this says we have to."
Rohan sighed dramatically. "Of course it does."
Meera stood, brushing dust from her clothes.
"Then we don't waste time," she said. "If we're going in, we do it before nightfall."
"Why?" Aarav asked.
She looked at him seriously.
"Because it's worse in the dark."
By the time they reached the edge of the forest, the sun had already begun to set.
The air felt colder.
Heavier.
The trees were tall and twisted, their branches stretching unnaturally across the sky, blocking out most of the light.
Aarav felt it immediately.
That same strange sensation from the ruins.
Like something was watching.
Waiting.
"You feel that?" he asked.
Rohan nodded. "Yep. Don't like it."
Meera stepped forward, her eyes scanning the shadows.
"Stay close," she said.
"No wandering. No distractions."
Aarav nodded.
Rohan nodded.
Together—
They stepped into the forest.
And the light behind them… faded.