The forest looked peaceful.
That should've been Nolen's first clue something was about to go horribly wrong.
Sunlight filtered through thick emerald leaves, casting a gentle mosaic of golden light onto the mossy path ahead. Birds chirped in a rhythm that sounded suspiciously choreographed. The breeze carried a perfume of flowers and… something unsettlingly sweet.
"I don't like how quiet it is," Nolen muttered, gripping the edge of his robe. "It's too peaceful."
"It's serenity," Kael said from behind, arms spread as she spun in slow circles. "A place of balance. Harmony. Possibly low-level enlightenment."
"Yeah, well, I've seen enough horror games to know this is the part where the trees start SCREAMING."
She stopped spinning. "Want me to scream for immersion?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT."
They had been walking down the hill for about thirty minutes. The shrine was out of sight now, swallowed by twisting tree trunks and glowing underbrush. The deeper they went, the stranger things got. Some of the trees had faces. Not carved ones—natural patterns in the bark that just happened to look like silent, SCREAMING visages.
Nolen had been pretending not to notice.
"So," he said, trying to distract himself, "why haven't we seen any monsters?"
Bald ski
He froze. "What do you mean?"
"It's protected. There's a forest guardian that lives around here. Very territorial. Keeps all the others out."
"A guardian," Nolen said slowly. "How big?"
She shrugged. "Nobody really knows. Depends on the story."
"Is it awake?"
Kael gave a dazzling smile. "Probably not!"
"…You're terrifying."
They continued, the shadows growing deeper. The trees closed in. The birds stopped singing.
Then—CRACK. A branch snapped. Heavy. Deliberate.
Nolen stopped walking. "Kael?"
She had already turned, eyes narrowed toward the source.
CRACK. CRUNCH. Something moved through the undergrowth. Big. Slow. The air turned cold.
"Maybe it's just a deer," Nolen whispered hopefully.
"Biggest deer I ever heard," Kael said.
Then came the ROAR.
It wasn't just loud. It was physical. It hit Nolen like a punch to the ribs and rattled his spine.
He screamed, "BACK TO THE SHRINE!"
They bolted.
Kael ran gracefully. Nolen flailed like a wounded bird, crashing through bushes and tripping over vines. His robe snagged on everything. He slapped a tree in the face.
"WHY DO THEY MAKE SHRINES SO FAR AWAY?!"
"Cardio!" Kael called. "And spiritual growth!"
"I'M GONNA HAVE SPIRITUAL TRAUMA!"
The roar came again—closer. Leaves exploded behind them. Something barreled through the trees, breaking branches like toothpicks.
"IT'S CATCHING UP!"
"DON'T WORRY!" Kael shouted over the chaos. "IF IT KILLS YOU, IT'LL BE A BLESSED DEATH!"
"NOT HELPING!"
They darted between two enormous tree roots. Nolen hit the ground rolling and barely stopped himself from launching off a ledge.
Silence followed. No more roars. Just Nolen's wheezing.
He collapsed against a log, drenched in sweat. "Did we lose it?"
Kael peered over a bush. "I think so."
"I need therapy."
"You need a nap."
"And a door."
"Still no doors in the forest," she said with a smile.
He pulled himself upright. "Great. Let's just head back."
They turned…
And standing in the middle of the path was the source of all that terror.
A rabbit.
Small. White. Fluffy. With tiny blue eyes and an ear that drooped like it had given up on life.
It sat there, chewing a leaf, utterly unimpressed.
"…That?" Nolen croaked.
Kael gasped and dropped to one knee. "That's him."
"That's the guardian? The reason we ran screaming through half a cursed jungle?"
"Yep."
"He's like… the size of a slipper."
"Size means nothing here," Kael said reverently. "That rabbit keeps this forest in check."
The rabbit blinked.
"I could eat him in two bites."
"Do not threaten the guardian," Kael whispered, eyes wide.
He stared at it. It stared back.
Nolen stepped forward, picked it up by the scruff, and drop-kicked it gently into a bush.
There was a puff of glitter and a tiny pfft of air. The rabbit was gone.
"You banished the guardian," Kael breathed.
"I kicked the guardian."
"No one touches him and lives."
"I sneezed on him."
She dropped into a bow so low her forehead hit moss. "You're… unbelievable."
Nolen slumped against a rock. "This world is broken."
"No. This world is yours."
He didn't reply. He just closed his eyes and muttered, "I need a nap, a door, and a reality check."
She grinned. "Which one do you want first?"
Nolen didn't answer. He just stood, brushing moss off his robe. "Let's… just walk for a bit. Maybe cool down. Clear my head."
Kael gave a lazy salute. "Lead the way, oh fearless foot-thrower."
They didn't go back to the shrine right away. Instead, they wandered deeper into the forest. The air shifted — still damp, but thicker now, with fog clinging to the underbrush. Strange calls echoed in the distance. Trees bent low, their twisted limbs hanging like arms mid-embrace.
They passed a stream, then a grove of silent white trees with bark like bone. Nolen shivered but pressed on.
Hours slipped by.
Eventually, the trees began to thin. Light broke through in golden streaks, and the undergrowth softened into patches of grass. One final tangle of roots gave way to a steep hill, and when they crested it—
There it was.
A narrow dirt road, winding through the valley like a lazy snake. It stretched toward the distant outline of rooftops, spires, and smoke — a town, tucked against the horizon.
"Finally," Nolen exhaled. "Civilization."
"Where?"
"Perfect," he said. "Boring sounds amazing right now."
Kael twirled once on her heel. "So, do we go straight there, or…?"
He glanced back at the forest, then sighed. "We should return to the shrine. Grab some supplies, maybe convince them to let me leave quietly."
Kael pouted. "Ugh. Fine. But I'm stealing cookies on the way out."
They turned and made their way back, retracing their steps through the woods. It didn't take long — as if the forest, satisfied with their terror, had decided to stop playing tricks.
Nolen and Kael returned to the Shrine of the Hollow Flame, the familiar scent of incense and faint glow of sacred moss welcoming them back. The day's events weighed heavily on Nolen, and without much ceremony, they each retreated to their rooms to rest.
Nolen lay on his simple cot, staring at the ceiling, muscles sore and mind racing. He didn't want to deal with the cult's expectations any longer. He wanted to get away — just for a while.
Later that night, quiet as a whisper, Nolen slipped out of his room and made his way through the shadowed halls toward Elder Yura's chamber.
The door creaked softly as he entered. Elder Yura sat composed, the dim candlelight casting long shadows across her bone-carved mask.
"Elder Yura," Nolen began, voice low, "I… I want to leave the shrine. To travel beyond the forest. See the world outside."
She regarded him silently for a moment before speaking.
"You seek permission to journey beyond, Ash-born."
Nolen nodded. "Yes. I need to get away from all this — the shrine, the rituals. I just want to see what's out there."
Elder Yura leaned forward slightly. "Your wish is not unreasonable. But it is dangerous."
Nolen sighed. "I know. I'm not stupid."
Her gaze shifted toward the doorway.
"And if…"
Nolen blinked. "I was hoping she could stay here. It'd be easier without her tagging along."
Elder Yura's eyes gleamed beneath the mask.
"That is not an option. She is your protector. You must take her with you. The path will be perilous, and you will need her strength."
Nolen groaned. "Of course. I don't get a say, do I?"
"You get a choice: take Kael and survive, or leave her and risk what lies beyond alone."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. I'll take her. But if she eats all my rations, I'm blaming you."
A hint of a smile touched Elder Yura's voice. "Very well. Prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, you leave the forest behind."
Nolen nodded and left the chamber, the weight of the journey settling on his shoulders.
They packed their belongings quietly, preparing to leave the shrine behind.
Before they left, a group of attendants brought out a simple costume — a soft fox outfit meant to conceal Nolen's human features. Humans were rare here, worshiped as gods, and such disguise would help him walk unnoticed through towns.
Nolen wrinkled his nose. "Great. Now I'm a god in a fox suit."
Kael snickered. "You look adorable."
As they stepped out from the heavy wooden doors into the cool morning air, a low rumble shook the ground beneath their feet.
Birds took flight in a sudden panic, leaves and dust swirling around them.
The earth quaked — a deep, rolling tremor that rattled the trees and made Nolen stumble.
Kael barely glanced up, smirking. "Looks like the world's putting on a farewell show."
Nolen sighed, steadying himself. "Great timing, as always."
Ignoring the tremors, they set off down the forest path, the distant shape of the town growing ahead.
The earthquake faded behind them — but its warning lingered in the air.