A gentle hush settled over the misty clearing, with only the faint crackle of the campfire breaking the silence. The fire's glow flickered across the faces of the twelve young elves and their guest, Viqce, casting dancing shadows onto the mossy trees surrounding them like silent guardians of the night. Above, the crescent moon hung faintly behind a veil of mist, its silver light softened by the forest's ethereal curtain.
Fuhiken finished stirring the stew with practiced ease, then began serving the meals with a grace that contrasted sharply with the chaotic energy buzzing from his younger siblings. Gabyola intercepted Orchid just in time, preventing her from adding a handful of "mysterious local spice"—which was actually a random bundle of moss and an ominously glistening mushroom she had foraged earlier. The blonde holy knight pouted, still optimistic in her culinary ambitions, even if her "Black Chef" passive made the entire party wary of any dish she touched.
Once the food was passed around and the initial bustle of eating calmed into satisfied murmurs and occasional hiccups, mainly from Sakura, who was working through her second helping, Yetsan returned from his cleaning ritual. With helmet now polished to a mirror shine and his armor spotless, he rejoined the group at the campfire, taking a seat with dignified relief.
The boys' tent stood on one side of the clearing, the girls' on the other. Between them, the warm campfire illuminated a circle of trust and familiarity. A magic lantern, etched with moons and stars by Fahleena's enthusiastic hand, glowed nearby, spreading a soft, silvery light that felt more dream than flame. The Crescent Lantern, they called it. Tonight, it burned like a beacon of safety in the heart of the mysterious Mist Forest.
Yuuna, ever composed and ever curious, looked up from her partially filled notebook. "Viqce. Could you explain more about this forest? I'm gathering information."
Viqce stretched like a cat, tail flicking lazily behind her. "A little briefing, nyan, I can do. But if you want deeper knowledge, the price tag gets fluffier."
"We're not stingy with coin when it comes to essential information," Gabyola said smoothly, her tone noble. "Please proceed with the full explanation."
Adiw smirked. "Gabyola's not stingy, as long as the source has fluffy ears." He shot a glance at Viqce's cat ears, which flicked in amusement.
Viqce chuckled, tail swaying. "Deal accepted, nyan. No refunds."
She stood, dusted her coat, and began pacing slowly around the campfire, adopting a tone somewhere between playful and professional. Yuuna flipped to a clean page, her wand now a pointer resting across her lap.
"Mist Forest, officially known as Thaelwyn Mistwood, has three important rules," Viqce began, holding up three fingers. "Listen closely, nyan."
Everyone leaned in. Even Fahleena stopped her dramatic sketching of a mushroom she had labeled 'Doom Bloom of the 9th Layer' to listen.
"One, do not kill any of the residents," Viqce said seriously, ears flattening a bit. "Two, do not pick up anything unless you're sure it doesn't belong to someone. Three, ignore any strange sounds you hear after sundown. That includes singing, whispering, howling, or giggling voices. Especially the giggling ones, nyan."
Fuhiken frowned, already committing each rule to mental stone. "Understood. Who counts as a resident? Are the barrel-sized beetles we fought earlier considered residents?"
"Those oversized pests?" Viqce shook her head. "Nope. Just monsters. They migrate here for the mist. Smash away. But don't touch anything that walks on two legs and talks back. Especially if they look like small beastfolk."
Jessica raised a hand shyly. "Who lives here?"
"The locals," Viqce replied, settling back down and taking a stick to poke the fire. "They're rat beastfolk, originally from Verdastra region. Long ago, they left and made this forest their home. But they don't like outsiders. They hide. Sometimes watch from afar."
Kyle and Sinryo exchanged nervous glances, both of them remembering the shiny rock and pebble they'd pocketed earlier. Sinryo slowly adjusted his seat, inching away from his magic bag as if it might squeal his secrets.
Viqce, either oblivious or simply ignoring the shift in posture, continued. "As long as you follow the rules, you're fine. Mist Forest doesn't mess with those who respect it."
Orchid suddenly perked up. "You said something about mushrooms earlier. Some are poisonous, but can they be cooked?"
Viqce blinked. "Nyan?"
"She missed the entire point,.." Yuuna muttered under her breath, scribbling "... Orchid's 'Black Chef' syndrome unaffected by verbal warnings."
Fahleena leapt into the conversation, eyes sparkling with grandiosity. She pointed at a drawing she had done of a spotted mushroom with exaggerated teeth. "Behold! The Rainbow Doomcap! The venomous visage of forest demise! Only a chosen soul may wield its flavor!"
Gabyola sighed deeply. "She means it's dangerous, and Orchid should not cook it."
Viqce tilted her head. "I think I understand. Sort of."
"Translation service, always available," Gabyola added with dry elegance.
Kyle yawned, rubbing his eyes. Sinryo mirrored the gesture with a lazy nod. "I'm out. Don't wanna hear ghost giggles."
"Same," Kyle muttered, already retreating toward their tent.
"Sleep well, nyan," Viqce said as they vanished into the boys' camp.
Gigih sat stiffly, hugging his magic bag. His black mage robe rustled faintly as he nervously asked, "Are there... magical creatures? Like, the... boom kind?"
Viqce pondered. "Not many. It's mostly bugs. Big ones. But stay quiet and they'll leave you alone."
Gigih relaxed slightly, though he still clung to his bag as though it were a lifeline.
Yetsan, who had remained quiet, raised his voice. "How clean is the water here?"
"Crystal," Viqce said. "The streams are untouched. Nature's filter."
Yetsan gave a satisfied nod. "Acceptable."
Sakura munched absentmindedly on dried fruit, only half-listening. "So we can wash pudding in the river..."
"No washing pudding," Fuhiken warned automatically, not even turning to look.
Then, from deep within the forest, a long, low howl echoed, soft at first, like wind slipping through distant trees. It twisted and stretched, rising slowly in pitch until it became a distorted wail, a sound that didn't belong to any creature they could name. It was mournful, like a cry swallowed by the mist, and yet unsettlingly sharp at its peak, as if something unseen was tearing through the very air. The flames of the campfire trembled, flickering violently for a breath before shrinking low, casting warped shadows across the young elves' faces. It was as though the entire forest had suddenly taken a deep, unnatural breath… and then exhaled straight into their circle.
A wave of silence fell.
Everyone froze, postures stiff, conversations cut mid-word. Even the ever-hungry Sakura stopped chewing. The sounds of the forest had vanished. No insects, no wind, only the residual echo of that wailing call, now drifting into nothingness.
Gigih sat bolt upright, face pale and eyes wide. Without a word, he clutched his black spellbook tightly to his chest, wrapping his arms around it like a child holding onto a safety blanket. His lips trembled. The memory of his own explosive magic, unpredictable and wild, swirled in his mind, and the thought of accidentally attracting whatever had made that sound sent a chill down his spine. He didn't blink. He didn't breathe. He just held the book, willing it to protect him from the mist and whatever nightmare might be hidden in it.
Adiw, voice flat, muttered, "Yep. Just the perfectly ordinary sound of death approaching. How comforting."
"It's one of the sounds to ignore, nyan," Viqce said quickly. "Don't react. Don't follow. Don't even think about it. Night has its rules."
Silence hung thick for a moment, save for the popping of firewood.
Viqce stood and dusted her coat. "It's bedtime, nyan. Next path won't open until morning. Until then, we rest."
Fuhiken stood and looked around at the younger ones, counting them with his eyes. "Girls, stay close to your camp. Boys, same. Stay in your area, don't wander. Viqce, thank you."
Viqce saluted casually. "Just doing my job. Nighty night."
The party began to disperse. Jessica lingered by the fire for a moment longer, watching the embers like they held secrets. Yuuna closed her notebook, her mind already reviewing the rules and analyzing possible exceptions. Orchid tried to sneak the Doomcap sketch into her recipe notebook but was intercepted by Gabyola with a sigh.
Sakura, somehow already halfway into her blanket, muttered, "Mmm... pudding ghost..."
And Fahleena, before she retreated, turned to the moon and declared with outstretched arms, "Ye spirits of fog and flame, I, Empress of Fate, shall honor thy veiled dominion! Tremble not, for destiny walks with glittering grace!"
Gabyola translated dryly, "She's saying good night."
Yuuna, from her tent flap, whispered without looking up, "No one asked."
And with that, the night settled in again, quiet but for the crackle of the fire and the soft breathing of twelve young elves and one cat-eared scout, deep within the dreaming woods of Thaelwyn Mistwood.
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