Emerald Forest

Mɪssɪᴏɴ: Oʙᴛᴀɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ Nᴀᴜᴛɪᴄᴀʟ Nᴇxᴜs

Dᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴅɪᴇ !

Soren and Helios journeyed along the rugged trail, the barren landscape unfurling around them. With agility and speed, Soren ascended the rocky mountain path with ease. Glancing behind, he saw Helios close on his heels, just as he was about to reach out a hand, Nora beat him to it. As her hand clasped Helios's to pull him up the last difficult stretch. Soren watched the exchange, an uncomfortable feeling gnawing at his stomach, but he quickly dismissed it and continued upward.

As the group pressed on the now open path, Daniel sidled up to Soren. "Mind if I take a gander at our course on the map?"

Soren's grip on the map tightened, his response curt. "It's better I keep it. Less chance of misreading the path," he said in a way that will leave no room for argument.

From a few steps ahead, Helios cast a glance backward, his eyes meeting Soren's. With a slight, almost nod from Helios. Soren's grip on the map wavered, and with a grunt, he passed the map to Daniel.

"Aha!" Daniel exclaimed as he unfolded the map with Hayden peering over his shoulder. "Would you look at that? The Emerald Forest is right there on our path."

"The Emerald Forest?" Nora repeated, leaning in closer to catch a glimpse of the map.

"That's right," Hayden chimed in, "Daniel and I ventured there once for supplies."

Soren's brows furrowed, "And when was this field trip? How'd you manage to slip out without Helios?"

"Oh actually-" Helios interjected with a small, hesitant smile, "-they didn't slip out. I was with them. It was before the last big supply run." He said, his voice just a little too high. 

Soren's mouth opened, his initial response was 'Wow, thanks for the invite' but he promptly shut his mouth and tried again, this time with a "Did you run into any trouble?"

"I'm fine, Soren," Helios replied, his smile turned reassuring as he gestured to his intact figure. "You know I can hold my own just fine. Right?"

"Of course, you can. I just thought…" He trailed off, "Never mind. Daniel, you were saying?"

"Ah, right," Daniel continued, "The Emerald Forest is not that far, in fact, it's…over there." He pointed out into the distance

Ahead of them stretched towering trees, their trunks wide as houses, rose high into the air, their branches weaving a dense canopy far above.Thick underbrush, vibrant flowers and luminescent fungi carpeted the forest floor, a soft glow illuminated the winding paths.

Every so often, breaks in the dense foliage offered stark glimpses of the sky above, a deep crimson painted of ash-laden clouds that drifted overhead. Here and there, beams of red sunlight filtered through the canopy, a mosaic of light and shadow fallen onto the forests.

"Wow…" Nora breathed out.

"I know," Hayden replied softly.

"It was originally a park." Daniel looked up at the forest, "I used to bring my daughter here when she was a baby."

The group stepped into the embrace of the Emerald Forest, the transition from the open trail to the shaded woodland floor marked by a cool freshness in the air. Nora, her eyes alight with the wonder of a child, darted from one plant to another, her hands carefully plucking samples of the vibrant flora.

"Look at this one!" she held up a delicate flower that seemed to pulse with an inner light. "The petals are still vibrant, and the stem is covered in tiny, sparkling dewdrops. It's like it's been preserved in time!"

Daniel hummed as he leaned to inspect it, "Oh, I see that the cells there are actively regenerating," he observed, "It's almost as if the plant is in a constant state of renewal. Remarkable adaptability."

Nora nodded quickly, her eyes still fixed on the flower. "The resilience of nature, even in these times, never ceases to amaze me," she murmured, carefully tucking the flower into her pouch.

Soren, trailing a little behind, "Okay, we need to focus," he called out,"Daniel what's the quickest way out of this forest?"

Daniel, consulting a worn compass, pointed toward a deeper part of the forest. "This way, we need to head due north, through the heart of the forest," he instructed, his finger traced a straight line across the map.

They ventured deeper, sunlight struggled to penetrate this leafy dome, the shadows seemed moved in the blink of an eye. The air was cool and moist, and every breath felt like inhaling the essence of the forest itself. 

Around them, the vegetation grew denser, a lush tapestry of ferns and underbrush sprawling beneath their feet. Vines, thick and gnarled, clung to the tree trunks, winding upwards in a tangled embrace. Here and there, bursts of color from exotic flowers punctuated the sea of green, their petals glistening with dew, untouched and pristine.

"We need to be careful here," Helios warned, his voice low. "This place feels... different."

Daniel peered closely at the surrounding flora, "These floras are enchanted," he nodded, "Look at the cellular structure of these plants; it's unlike anything we've encountered before."

"Uh Daniel," Hayden started, "you're the only one who can see the living cells."

Daniel blinked, "Oh right," He said, "how unfortunate I can't share with you my special skill."

"Right," Helios unsheathed his sword, "Follow my steps, let's not go about touching these chanted plants."

The group made their way across carefully, Nora, usually so entranced by all forms of flora, kept her hands to herself.

They were halfway through the grove, they even picked up the pace. But as they moved, the grove seemed to stir with a life of its own. Suddenly, a vine shot out towards them with alarming speed.

Helios, at the front, sliced through the vine with his sword. However, a sharp offshoot of the vine, almost invisible in its speed, grazed past Hayden. It nicked his arm, leaving a shallow but noticeable cut on the side.

"Ah!" Hayden gasped, a sharp pain sweep sting in his arm. Blood seeped from the small wound.

Nora was at his side in an instant, "Hold still," she said, quickly examining the cut. "It's not deep, but we need to clean this right away."

"Keep moving! We can't stop here." Soren's eyes scanned the grove. From the shadows, tendrils of green, glowing with a sickly light, emerged, snaking towards the group. Helios' sword a blur as he sliced through the encroaching vines. Each cut was precise and swift, but for every vine he severed, two more seemed to spring forth in its place.

Soren watched as he clenched his fist he could wipe them all out with his powers but…he glanced at the others his eyes widened.

"Look out!" Soren lunged towards Nora, pushing her out of the way. The vine lashed at the air where Nora had been just moments ago.

"Thanks," Nora said, but as she turned to see it's Soren that did it, her grateful smile faltered slightly, "I guess."

Before Soren could respond, Daniel extended his hands, and a visible energy rippled from his fingertips. The vines hesitated in their assault.

Daniel's voice was a low chant, almost inaudible under the rustling of the forest. The aggressive vines began to writhe and twist. Then, to the group's amazement, the vines started to turn on each other, ensnaring themselves in a chaotic dance.

At the same time, the surrounding plants grow at an accelerated rate, forming a thick barrier of foliage that shielded them from the other attacking vines.

"Now! Run!" Daniel yelled.

The group needed no further urging. They dashed through the forest, their feet pounding against the forest floor. Branches whipped past them, leaves rustling in their wake as they ran through the undergrowth until the faint sounds of vines whipping and rustling fades to silence. 

They come to a stop, Hayden leaned heavily against a tree, his face getting paler and paler as his breathing in short, labored gasps.

Daniel, meanwhile, began to pace frantically, his hands running through his hair as he muttered to himself. "Cells, life forces, blood properties," he rambled, his thoughts spiraling, "Cellular regeneration, photosynthesis on steroids, maybe... no, no, what if the mitosis is reversed?—"

Hayden looked at the man's demented state and gathered his strength. He reached out and placed a steadying hand on Daniel's shoulder. "Hey, Daniel, focus," he said, "We need you here, with us, not lost in your theories."

Daniel paused, his eyes refocusing as he met Hayden's gaze. He took a deep breath, he wiggled his hands and fingers. "Right, sorry," he replied, his tone more even. "Got carried away there. Let's... let's-" 

"Let's rest." Helios finished, "This seems like a good camp."

"The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of twilight, casting a surreal glow over the forest.

Daniel observed Hayden carefully, "Thanks Hayden," He said softly as his hands reached out to Hayden's hand, "How are you feeling?" He trailed his fingers to Hayden's wrist and pressed his thumb on the center, checking his pulse. 

Hayden barely nodded his head. "I'm okay," he smiled.

The others didn't look nearly as convinced, nevertheless they set up camp. Soren and Helios gathered firewood, while Nora and Daniel worked to create a comfortable resting place for Hayden.

As darkness enveloped the forest, they gathered around the newly lit campfire. The flames cast a comforting warmth and light, pushing back the encroaching chill of the night. The sky above them was of deep purples and reds.

Wordlessly Nora approached Hayden, she drew her dagger and made a precise cut on her palm. As her blood began to flow, she pressed her hand gently over Hayden's wound. The group watched in silence as the cut on Hayden's body visibly healed, closing up until it disappeared completely.

"You could have just wrapped it up," Hayden said softly.

Nora shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "It's fine," she reassured him. As they watched, the cut on her own palm healed at an astonishing rate, leaving her skin unmarked as if it had never been wounded. "See?" She showed her palm to Hayden and the others.

With Hayden now out of immediate danger, the group began to relax. They arranged their sleeping areas around the fire, its warmth and light a small barrier against the darkness of the forest. They then settled in for the night.