CHAPTER 9: Bringing An End To This Here Adventure...Or So We Had Thought.

This would be my first time in the forest. This would probably be the first time I step into the woods in both my past and current life.

Well, that's mainly because earth was more civilized and had huge buildings everywhere. There weren't exactly much forests or reserved, and I found that a bit sad.

Now that we're in here, this is starting to feel more and more like a real adventure. I'm getting a little fired up really. But at the same time, I'm beginning to think of all the things that could possibly go wrong.

Let's just hope no one pulls a red flag. But isn't just thinking about it a red flag enough? Nah! Probably not. As long as I don't say it out loud, it probably isn't. as long as no red flags are pulled, we should be fine.

"Okay! Let's go rescue Muffin. We are the hero's party, nothing can stop us!" Don proclaims. A red flag. That's a freaking red flag, Don!

"Reo, are you okay?" Don turns to me and asks.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Then why are you making that kind of face?" Don asks again

I'm making this face probably because a red flag has been pulled.

"Ah! No, it's nothing." I said.

"Okay then. If you say so. Let's keep moving."

I managed to cover up, while thinking that, I saw it again. I've been noticing it for a while now, but decided to ignore it all this while. Up until now, Lia has been sneaking glances at me for some reason. When our eyes meet, she quickly averts her gaze. I wonder what's up with her.

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Day: #

Hey! Reo the adventurer here! It's been a day since we dived into the dark forest on no return on a quest to find the sacred beast. The beast up until now had been giving us its' divine guidance, but at some point, suddenly disappeared.

Though we've been in here for a while now, fortunately, we haven't come across any particular threats. But it is to be expected, after all, we are the hero's party.

Our party consists of six including me. First we have Leon, our trusty knight in shiny armor. He dives forward and clears the way of monsters with his reliable knight skills.

Trise, our sturdy crusader. She maybe a bit of a wildcard, but she provides support to our knight in shiny amour at the vanguard. I think the main reason we haven't really come across a monster is because of her.

They might be monsters, but it seems like they know who to pick a fight with. Our Trise is on a whole different league from them after all. I feel she's the monster herself, but decided to keep that to myself.

Kyle, our wise and trusty guide. He (what does a guide really do?) does whatever a guide does.

Lia, our cute priest who provides support magic, healing magic and buffs from the back. With her cute face and doll like features, she could also serve as the mascot of the party.

I, Reo Bellar who just happens to be here (I'm more of a plus one really).

And lastly, Don. The hero himself, he is the leader of this team. With his fast strategic thinking (if only) and his might holy sword bestowed upon him by the gods (he wishes), Excalibur I guess? He um…does whatever it is heroes do like slaying demon lords, perhaps?

Well, that is all about the great members of the hero's party. Well, until my next entry, if I do survive, that is.

Day: ##

It has been about three days (thirty-forty minutes if not one hour) since my last entry and I dive into the dark forest of doom (or was it of no return? I don't know- can't remember).

We still have no clue and haven't found out the sacred beast. But just as the last three days (forty minutes), nothing has happened. There's nothing to talk about, so I'll just talk about the party's formation.

Though I say that, there really Isn't anything to say about the formations, why? Because there is none. Everyone is just walking however they like.

"How long has it been? We've been searching for a while now and still no trace of Muffin." Kyle whines, "I'm almost at my limit."

What Kyle said is true. We've been going at it for a few hours now and nothing to show for it. Everyone is already exhausted and it's already getting late.

"Kyle is right. We've been in the forest for an hour now and we've spent basically half the day searching. Maybe we should just head home." Leon supports Kyle's protest.

"So, what? You're just going to go home and give up?" Don stepped up and said.

"No, Don…look, what I'm trying to say is that we should get home and rest, we'll continue the search tomorrow of course. I mean, we've been doing this for a while now, we are all tired, not to mention, it is getting late." Leon said.

Leon is right. Everyone is exhausted. It would be good if we could return home and rest, that way we can continue the search tomorrow. I mean, it's not like there's a time limit or a deadline.

But then again, there is also the possibility that the more time we waste, the higher the chances that something happens or will happen to Muffin.

No, let's not think like that. These guys are just kid playing at being adventurer. It would be best for them to rest, and besides their parents as well as mine would probably get worried.

"I think Kyle is right, and I agree with Leon as well. We could always continue this tomorrow after all. It's not like there's a time limit, right?" I support Kyle and Leon's motion.

"Reo! You too?" Don voices out his disagreement, "I understand where you guys are coming from, but we've gotten this far already. It's not every time we get to have adventures like this. C'mon, guys. We're almost there, I can feel it. We are so close to finding Muffin." Don atop a tree stop begins a speech. Wait, when did he get up there? "How many chances do we get to do things like this? If we go back now, what about that little girl, what do we tell her?"

"Okay, fine! We get it. We'll keep going for a little while more." Kyle gives in to Don.

"But only for a few minutes more. And if we still haven't found Muffin, that's all for today." Leon said.

From the looks of it, Don's somewhat inspirational speech got through them. But I still think we should go home.

Wait now that I think of it, these guys don't really object to whatever Don says. It's almost as if he truly is the leader. No matter how absurd the thing might be, they follow and support him. Do they maybe see something in him that I don't?

"Well, we don't have much time anymore. We only have about half an hour before the sun goes down, so I think we should split up to cover more ground." Leon suggested.

"Wait! I don't think that's a good idea, well at least not entirely." I objected.

"…."x5

"Haw? The hell are you saying?" Leon bit back. Ah! I might have flipped a switch.

"Ah! Well…I mean, we are in the forest right now. Aside from it getting late, if we split up, we might run into a monster or a wild animal. It's too risky." I explained.

Splitting up in such a place, especially at a time like this, isn't such a good idea. We're lucky enough to have not come across any monsters or wild animals all this while.

It might be true that splitting up will allow us to cover up more ground and increase our chances of finding Muffin. But it also increases our chances of running into monsters when alone.

Maybe under different circumstances Leon's plan could be a good idea, but we are all kids, and no matter how familiar we might be with the forest, the risk is still a lot too high. So, I'm not in support of the idea.

"I think I'm with Reo on this one, Leon. Splitting up is dangerous no matter how you think of it." Kyle was in support.

"He's right, Leon." Trise adds.

".!!."

Leon seemed a bit surprised to hear this from both Kyle and Trise. He was at a loss for words. He looked at the rest of us who all had the same thoughts and shared the same expression.

The expression Leon had was one I had never seen on him these past hours. Maybe it's because this is the first time when one of his idea was greatly rejected and turned down.

He always seemed like the idea one. He is the one who is always trying to keep Don in check, more than anything he's more of a guide really.

He makes up the idea, Don approves it and they execute it, that's how it has all been going, but no longer. Now that I'm here, the cycle has been broken.

"So, what do you think we should do then, Reo?" directing me a scornful look, Leon asks, and in return I reply with silence.

"…"

"So you don't have a better a plan? Okay, do any of you have a better idea?" Leon asks the group.

"…."x5

I did disagree with Leon's plan. Yes I did, but it's not like I had a better one. I honestly feel like the best way of action for us right now is to go home for today, but Don has already made up his mind to keep going.

Okay, fine! I do have a plan, but even I am against it. I highly don't recommend it. I mean, I did say Leon's plan wasn't 'entirely' a good idea after all.

"I might have an idea, but I highly don't recommend it. I mean, it's not exactly much better than Leon's." I said. The others including Leon all had expression that said, 'what is it.'

"You do? Then what is it?" Don persisted.

"Before I do, I'd like to say something first. I honestly feel like the right choice for us now is to return home, but I also understand you've all made up your mind to keep searching. I'd also like to warn you that the idea isn't exactly recommended either. It's not exactly much different from Leon, but I feel like it increases our chances." I open with this.

I pick up a fallen branch and thrust it straight into the ground. I made sure it was firm enough to stand. Confirming the branch could stand on its own, I stretch out my hands and spread out my fingers.

"Ten minutes. We only have ten minutes. We'll split up, but in groups of two. There are six of us here. We each split up in groups of two and spread out."

I begin explaining my plan. "Each of the groups will search within at least a five-hundred meter radius and within ten minutes return back here." Saying this, I tear out a piece of my shirt and tie it up to the branch I struck into the ground, making an improvised flag.

"If by any chance any of the groups come across a wild animal or a monster, avoid it. And if by any chance the both of you can't escape…one of you should stay back and distract the monster however way you can."

I did say it wasn't a good plan. The only difference between mine and Leon's plan is that we each split up in groups of two. I also set a time limit and a range to be a little on the safe side.

Even though I do that, the risks are still high.

I notice the looks on the others after I explain the plan.

"Maybe we really shouldn't go along with this." I was about rebuking my own plan when Leon suddenly lashed out on me,

"So basically, we are baits. We should serve as baits? What the hell are you talking about, you bastard?" I was grabbed by the collar and pulled in by Leon.

"Sacrifice one for the other to escape, what the hell is that?" as expected, Leon was against my plan. I mean, even I was.

"I… I'm not saying anyone should be sacrificed…"

"Then what the hell are you talking about?" Leon's grip on my collar tightened. Why this little… no, I get where he's coming from.

"Look what I'm saying is, one of us should buy a little time for the other to get away and call help." Wait, what the hell I'm I saying?

"Buy time? Is that your fancy way of saying 'serve as bait'? How different is that from sacrificing. If it came down to you, I'm sure you wouldn't do it!!" Leon bites back.

"If we really want to continue this search today, that's the safest way! Why won't you understand what I'm saying?!" before I had noticed, I was shouting at the top of my voice.

Shit! I'm losing my composure.

"Safest way, you say? How is sacrificing a friend the safest way? Oh, screw you!" Leon cursed before dealing a blow to my stomach.

I got punched and fell to the ground. Of course it didn't hurt, but something was welling up inside me. I. I have to calm down. There's no point in losing my cool here.

Leon is in the right. He's just worried about his friends that's all. Leon didn't stop at just a punch, he was about pinning down and sending more blows, but was quickly restrained by Trise and Kyle. Don helped me to get back up.

"One thing an adventurer should really be fond of is danger. That is the one thing that works side by side with becoming an adventurer. We're just kids playing at being adventurers, and if you can't understand that, that goes to show how childish you really are." Trying to maintain my cool, I direct those words at Leon.

Just as I said that, the rough sounds of muffling leaves came from a nearby bush and head first came out a dog.

"Eeh!?!" x6

It was a small dog with brown and white fur. The left side of its face was brown and the right, white. Its left ear was bent and the right stood up straight.

It barked and wagged its tail happily as it approached us. The description of this dog fits exactly with that of…

"Muffin!" Lia said as she cuddled the dog which jumped into her hands.

"Ah! We finally found him." Trise said.

"Or more like, he found us." Kyle voiced out exactly what I thought. And as for the rest of us, we stood there dumb struck.

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We finally found Muffin, the lost dog (or he found us whichever). Since we did, we decided to head back home.

No one said a word, not about what went on between Leon and I or anything else. We just silently walked back with a heavy atmosphere with nothing but the sound of our footsteps and the evening forest.

I did notice Lia shifting her gaze between Leon and I, but just as the others, I decided to ignore it.

The dog which seemed to have made itself comfortable in Lia hands, suddenly rose up. Its ears perched up and it barked toward a certain direction which it suddenly ran towards.

"Eh? Muffin where are you…Reo, you too?"

The voice of Lia faded behind me as I chased after Muffin who suddenly ran off. For some reason, my body moved on its own and went after Muffin.

I'm suddenly chasing after Muffin right now. I have no idea which direction I'm running towards. I have no idea where I'm going. We ran passed a creek and made it to the other side.

Wait. Did I just see a 'do not advance further' sign or something like that back there? Without paying much mind to anything, I kept running further and further into the forest chasing after Muffin. He's so small and nimble, it's annoying.

I'm not even sure if the others can keep up. I'm not even sure if they're coming after us.

After a while of running through the forest, I came to a halt. There I stood. Before me was an old gate. Not an old wooden gate or a stone gate, but a gate made of metal wire. Like the ones you find in correctional facilities back on earth.

The gate was about fifteen foot tall. It had vines and plants coiling all around it. And it was mostly rusted. I never thought I'd see one of these in this world.

Judging from the looks of it, this gate has been here for a share number of years. Looking sideways, the gate doesn't seem to end. I wonder what a gate like this is doing all the way here in the forest.

"??"

I hadn't noticed this earlier, but the forest had suddenly gotten quiet. Too quiet, even more than a graveyard. Even the air and atmosphere of the forest had changed completely. The atmosphere it gave off was really creepy. Now it really feels like one of those dark forests of no return. It has this really eerie feeling to it. Maybe I went in too deep into the forest.

The trees in this area were a lot bigger, thicker and oddly shaped, which just added to the eeriness of the forest. Some even gave the impression of looking at you.

The canopies were a lot thicker as well. And this prevented light from hardly passing through. It feels like my sense of time has been cut off after arriving to these parts.

While taking account of my new weird surrounding, I noticed a sign which was hung on the gate. The sign said, *Do not enter* with a skull face and horns sticking out of it.

It was very convincing.

Yeah, I do not like the weird vibes the forest is giving me. It's almost as if I'm in an entirely different forest.

"Reo!"

A voice from behind reached me. It was Don's. Following him were the others. Guess they really did manage to keep up, though they all looked out of breath.

"Haa…haa..w-where is…" Don tried saying something, but was too short of breath.

"w…where's Muffin?" he asked.

Oh, right! Muffin. I was chasing that damn dog and I ended up here. I totally forgot.

"He's over there!" Kyle answered said pointing beyond the wire gate. Muffin had somehow made it over to the other side.

"C'mon, you guys." Don said to the rest of us, before following an opening in the wall over to the other side. I don't think he saw the *Do not enter* sign with a skull face.

While having mixed thoughts and feelings, I follow. We are in an entirely different part of the forest. The trees were oddly shaped and the canopies prevented most of the light from entering. The light barely got through.

After getting to the other side, we continued our chase with Muffin. Further in was a cave where Muffin had run into.

"Right, of course it had to be a cave." I muttered to myself as my mixed thoughts continued to grow.

We all stood at the entrance of the cave which oozed eeriness. Each and every one had an anxious expression. We were unsure about going down there.

I honestly don't think we should go down that cave. My danger alarm was on the red. Nothing good will come from doing this, I can already tell.

"L…let's go get muffin." Just as I was beginning to think of all the possible thing that could possibly go wrong if we were to dive into this cave, Don said with his voice trembling in every word.

He was trying to put up a brave front, but even he knew how bad of an idea this was. But even still, no one objected but followed.

And like that, we all delved into the mysterious cave. Our little adventure was taking a little turn west.