Secrets of the Forest's Dark Heart : 13

"But it won't be a simple journey," Nevata's smile carried a hint of intrigue.

Oric met her enigmatic smile with determination. "I never expected it to be easy," he responded, his gaze locked onto Nevata's, unwavering. "So, what steps should I take to escape this place?"

Nevata's voice held a mysterious allure as she began to share her knowledge. "Before you can even think about leaving, there are five crucial things you must understand," she said, and Oric listened with rapt attention. "Firstly, you need to know the name of this place—just knowing this specific part of the forest is enough."

Oric's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Why is knowing the name of this place so important?"

Nevata's words carried a weight of ancient wisdom. "This place is a living entity with its own set of rules, even for creatures like us. Secondly, you've surely noticed how this place constantly changes, making it hard to maintain your sense of direction. It plays tricks on your mind with voices, sounds, and hallucinations, attempting to drive you to madness. I'm amazed at your resilience to keep your sanity intact. Thirdly, there are times when the monsters go berserk, flooding them with mana and bloodlust, driving them to relentless killing."

Oric's concern showed on his face. "How long until they go berserk again?"

Nevata's tone grew serious. "You didn't know? Given your current situation, I don't believe you have much time to prepare. You likely have just around three days left."

Oric's determination solidified. "How can you be so sure?"

"Have you not felt the increasing concentration of mana throughout the entire forest lately?" Nevata asked.

Oric nodded, resolute. "I've noticed it. I must act quickly to secure the entrance to my cave."

Nevata observed him with a penetrating gaze. "Before you proceed, tell me, how did you find yourself here, speaking more like a human than a creature from here?"

Oric leveled a thoughtful look at Nevata. "How is it that you, who have not ventured beyond this forest, understand human behaviors so well?"

Nevata's smile retained its mystery. "I've absorbed their souls and mana cores when they lost their sanity near the pond. It has given me their memories, while my friend consumes their essence," she said with a hint of mischief.

Oric, keeping his guard up, thought to himself, "On the surface, she may appear harmless, but appearances can be deceiving. She's dangerous, sinister, and calculating. It's clear she's attempting to make me drop my guard even before addressing me as 'master,' with the intention of devouring me whole during the berserk night."

Nevata sought clarity. "So, will you tell me your story or not?"

Oric was unyielding. "You're drifting away from the main topic. I ask, and you answer. Understood?"

Nevata responded with a mockingly dramatic tone, "Well, that's quite harsh. Very well. Moving on, fourth, to escape, you must locate this area's core to gain control. However, you need a robust soul and a powerful mana core; otherwise, death is inevitable."

Nevata's internal musings revealed a sense of respect and fascination for Oric's shrewdness. She hadn't expected his level of intelligence and distrust.

Oric pressed further. "But how can you be so certain when no one else has managed it?"

Nevata explained, "That's because every high-ranking creature like my friend, whom you recently defeated within this forest section, covets it and is tirelessly searching. Meanwhile, some dismiss it as a mere rumor and claim territories, believing it to be untrue."

Oric questioned her assumption. "So, you're not entirely sure if it's true or not?"

Nevata hesitated, her thoughts wandering. "Well..."

Oric prompted her to continue, resolute. "Alright, please proceed with the fifth."

Nevata emphasized, her demeanor unwavering, "Lastly, always be vigilant and expect the unexpected. Here, the unspoken rule is that the strong hold sway, and the weak meet their demise."

"Alright, it's time to prepare," Oric declared. He embarked on a frenzied hunt for soul and mana shards, filling his pouch to the brim. At the entrance to his cave, he planted some of the shards in a strategic pattern.

Nevata, curious and inquisitive, peppered Oric with questions, but he remained tight-lipped. Oric also harvested wood from trees exuding strong mana, constructing a formidable wooden fence around his territory. He meticulously crafted a reinforced entrance using a substantial amount of wood.

While Nevata watched his preparations, she couldn't help but be perplexed. Oric's methods were far from ordinary. He seemed to possess a level of sophistication that defied her initial expectations.

With his fortifications in place, Oric turned his attention to crafting an arsenal of arrows. He affixed hellhound mana cores to the arrows and coated them with venom extracted from the poisonous creatures he had slain. The resulting poisons were so potent that mere contact meant instant death. As a final touch, Oric placed some of his pre-made food near the entrance, using it as bait.

Amidst the feverish preparations, the night of berserk monsters finally arrived.

In the dead of night, Oric took to scouting, peering through the fence's windows. That's when he spotted a horde of monsters converging in his direction. "It seems they're after the mana pond, not the bait I set at the entrance," Oric deduced.

Nevata, seemingly caught off guard, spoke, "We creatures usually target weaker foes, but sometimes, if we aim for a stronger adversary, we unite. Oh, I should have considered that. Why didn't I think of it?"

Oric's gaze turned piercing as he inquired, "There's something that's been troubling me for a while. Why haven't you succumbed to the berserk frenzy?"

Nevata responded confidently, "I carry royal blood from the nixies, so I am impervious to such a fate."

Oric paid no heed to her explanation and readied his bow, loading explosive arrows. However, an unexpected dizziness overcame him. He suddenly realized he was perched on an exceedingly tall tree. "An illusion?" he questioned, swiftly grabbing Nevata. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?"

Nevata sneered, "Oh, now you realize, fool!"

"YOU... cough! cough!!!" Oric examined his trembling hand, baffled by the sight of blood. As his body weakened, he fell from the tall tree, using the branches to break his fall. He thudded onto the ground with a resounding "Bam!"

Oric, still coughing and disoriented, crawled towards the entrance of his cave. To his shock, he discovered it sealed off by menacing wooden spikes coated with deadly poison. A sinister voice echoed through the air, taunting him, "Oh, how lovely! I'd like to see how you survive in that state. Don't blame me in the afterworld; I'm just getting my revenge for a friend. Good night."

As Oric's heart pounded with dread, he heard the relentless approach of the monstrous horde. He knew he was facing a dire situation, weakened and poisoned, with the odds stacked high against his survival.

The grotesque forms of the monsters drew closer, bathed in the eerie glow of the mana pond.

End of chapter 13