Chapter 6
The moment the remaining traveler stepped toward them, Nick and Miguel froze.
"Move!"
Miguel grabbed Nick's arm, and both boys immediately ducked behind the thick branches of the tree.
They had barely hidden themselves when a sharp sound cut through the air.
Something flew toward them.
Nick's eyes widened.
"A sword?!"
The blade sliced through the branches where Miguel's head had been moments earlier.
Miguel stumbled backward.
Nick's expression changed instantly.
There was no time to think.
He pushed himself off the branch.
"Get down!"
Nick launched himself toward Miguel, his body dropping from the tree.
At the same moment, flames erupted around his leg.
His eyes locked onto the traveler below.
"Take this!"
Nick twisted his body in midair and brought his flaming leg down.
BOOM!
His heel struck the traveler's shoulder with enough force to send him stumbling sideways.
The man looked up in shock.
"Huh? Kids?"
He barely managed to say the words before Nick landed in front of him.
Nick clenched his fist.
Flames wrapped around his arm.
"Flame Fist!"
His punch connected with the man's chest.
The traveler flew backward and crashed into the ground.
Silence.
Nick stared at him.
The man wasn't moving.
Miguel slowly climbed down from the tree.
"Nick..."
Nick turned toward him.
"What?"
Miguel pointed at the unconscious traveler.
"You knocked him out."
Nick looked at the man.
Then he looked at his own flaming fist.
"...I did."
Miguel walked over cautiously and checked the traveler.
"He's alive."
Nick released a breath.
"Good."
Miguel looked at the two other travelers lying unconscious nearby.
"They're alive too."
Nick grinned.
"Then..."
Miguel raised his hand.
Nick immediately slapped it.
High five.
"Nice teamwork."
Miguel smiled.
"You saved me."
Nick shrugged.
"What else was I supposed to do?"
Miguel looked at him for a moment.
"Thanks."
Nick waved him off.
"Don't make it weird."
Miguel laughed quietly.
Their amusement faded when they looked at the three unconscious travelers again.
They hadn't planned to attack them.
They had only wanted to defend themselves.
Miguel crouched beside one of the men.
"We should check what they have."
Nick nodded.
"Yeah."
Miguel hesitated.
"I feel a little bad about this."
Nick glanced at him.
"So do I."
He looked down at the travelers.
"Sorry, guys. But..."
Nick sighed.
"We need to survive."
They searched the travelers carefully.
There wasn't much.
A few weapons.
Some basic supplies.
And a small amount of food.
Nick held up the food.
"At least they brought something useful."
Miguel nodded.
"Take it."
They then noticed the condition of their own clothes.
Their clothes were dirty, torn, and barely holding together after everything they'd been through.
Miguel looked at the travelers' clothes.
"They're better than ours."
Nick understood immediately.
"...They're going to be too big."
Miguel shrugged.
"Better oversized than torn."
After a moment of hesitation, they exchanged their damaged clothes for the travelers' spare clothing.
The clothes were clearly made for adults.
The sleeves hung past their hands.
The trousers were far too long.
Nick looked down at himself.
"I look ridiculous."
Miguel adjusted his oversized shirt.
"So do I."
Nick laughed.
"At least we're not wearing rags anymore."
They gathered the remaining useful supplies.
Nick then noticed a sword lying near the traveler he had knocked out.
He picked it up.
The weapon was much smaller than the other swords they had seen, making it easier for him to handle.
Nick swung it experimentally.
"Not bad."
Miguel looked at him.
"You know how to use a sword?"
"No."
Nick swung it again.
"But I can learn."
Miguel shook his head.
"You really just pick up anything that looks cool."
Nick grinned.
"Exactly."
Miguel searched through the weapons and eventually found a pair of short daggers.
He held them up.
"These are better for me."
Nick nodded.
"Good choice."
Miguel slipped them into his new clothes.
With weapons now in their possession, the forest suddenly felt a little less threatening.
Nick looked at the sword.
"Now hunting should be easier."
Miguel nodded.
"Boars won't be much of a problem."
They began walking again.
The forest had grown darker.
Night had arrived.
The moonlight barely reached the ground beneath the thick canopy.
Nick glanced around.
"We should keep moving."
Miguel nodded.
"Agreed."
They had considered resting earlier, but neither wanted to sleep in the middle of an unfamiliar forest.
They had already encountered enough strange creatures to know that stopping here could be dangerous.
During their journey, they heard rustling several times.
Small beasts moved between the trees.
Some watched them from a distance.
Others disappeared before the boys could even see what they were.
Nick kept one hand near his sword.
Miguel kept his daggers ready.
Neither of them wanted another surprise attack.
After several minutes of walking, Miguel suddenly stopped.
"Nick."
Nick looked back.
"What?"
Miguel pointed ahead.
"There."
Nick followed his gaze.
At first, he saw only darkness.
Then he noticed something different.
The trees were becoming thinner.
Moonlight was pouring through the branches.
Nick's eyes widened.
"The forest..."
They hurried forward.
A few more steps.
Then the trees finally ended.
The two boys stepped out of the forest.
For the first time since their escape, they stood beneath an open sky.
The moon shone brightly above them.
Nick stared at the enormous field ahead.
"We made it."
Miguel slowly breathed out.
"We actually made it out."
Neither of them moved for several seconds.
They had spent what felt like an eternity trapped inside the forest.
Now there was nothing between them and the open land ahead.
Then Nick noticed something.
"Wait."
Miguel turned.
"What?"
Nick pointed toward the distance.
About a kilometer ahead, lights could be seen beneath the moonlight.
Buildings.
Walls.
A road leading toward them.
A town.
Miguel stared.
"Is that..."
Nick smiled.
"A town."
They exchanged a look.
After everything they'd been through, civilization was finally within reach.
Nick tightened his grip around his new sword.
Miguel adjusted his daggers.
Then they started walking toward the distant lights.
Neither of them knew what waited for them there.
But at least they were finally leaving the forest behind.
To be continued...