Master Maker

Chapter 10 - Forest of the Dead

We came to the forest of dead which was extremely confusing, you would expect the forest to be dead right? Or at the very least creepy as hell. Nope, the trees looked inviting, the flowers were blooming and everything thing around just screamed with welcome.

“don’t stray from the path” Lucis said looking behind himself as he walked on. I nodded and slowly started to follow.

I could hear birds but I couldn’t see them. I looked at the grass as I walked. I heard something running on it but again I saw nothing. I moved faster so that I could be closer to Lucis.

“why is this called the Forest of Dead,” I asked touching his arm. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me

“listen” he whispered I stopped and listened, wind blew through my hair as a bird sang

“Now look carefully,” he said pointing towards one of the trees. On the closest branch as a bird, only it wasn’t quite all there, meaning I could see but I was mostly looking at its skeleton, almost like the bird had become transparent. I looked down at the grass again this time seeing a squirrel, again it mostly the skeleton. The outer body was there but not as much as the birds one had been.

“The plants are sustained by sucking the life of another, don’t stay from the path” Lucis warned again he started walking again. I looked around me once more and bolted after Lucis, this time keeping close to him as we walked. all the while looking around as I went. I now and then caught glimpse of other animals.  At one point I had an owl swoop near my head almost knocking me off balance.

“Lucis,” I said softly, stopping as I listened, this was the third time in the last few seconds that I could hear human chatter. Lucis stopped looking at me with a raised brow.

“come-“

“shhh, listen” he came closer to me. Suddenly Lucis looked up and looked behind us. There was a small and narrow path that leads into a thicket of trees and shrubs.

“Stay close and don’t let anything touch you, things are going to cross over, don’t scream don’t get distracted,” he said

“not a child Lucis” he smirked at me and pushed me ahead of him, we walked along the narrow path, I had to watch where I put my feet. There were several areas where the grass had grown over the path meaning we had to jump over the patches to avoid them. I was watching my feet as I walked while Lucis was looking straight ahead.

“watch the snails,” I said as I jumped over them.  We soon came to a split in the path, one-way lead into a dense looking part of the forest the other was opening up, I looked back at Lucis he looked as though he was listening to something

“I can’t hear anything,” he said through gritted teeth. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds around me, blocking out the sounds of the animals and the wind moving the plants.

“There is water running down that way,” I said pointing to the thickening forest

“you sure?” I closed my eyes again focusing on the running water, where there was water there would be people.

“I’m sure,” I said making my way down the narrow path. I was looking ahead at the river that suddenly came into view, picking up the pace I moved towards it. It wasn’t until I had Lucis pull me back that I realized that my shoes were wet

“lucky for you,” he said softly “that’s just water” I looked at the edge of the river, it saw filled with grass.

“looks like I had the right idea though,” I said pointing over to the ground. Lucis looked where I was pointing and let off a loud sigh.

“watch out for anything that can bite,” he said as he went into the water.

“it’s an ankle-deep moron”

“Loki” I heard two voices coming from behind us. I turned to see 4 men walking towards us.

“Lilith,” Justin said as he walked past me “you called, I delivered,” he said spreading his arms wide and pointing at the three other men.

“I have brought with me Dean, Troy, and Matt” one by one the men greeted us, I wasn’t sure but I could have sworn that Matt was, the Matt I knew, except he didn’t talk to me.

“any of you done this quest yet?” Lucis asked eyeing Matt as well. everyone replied with no.

“I guess we learn as we go,” I said jumping into the water and started making my way to the smoke that I could see.

“where are you going?” Justin asked

“You don’t see it?” all the men kind of looked at me dumbfounded. When no one answered I pointed towards the smoke. Again all they did was stare

“Are you blind? There is smoke” Lucis shook his head at me, “well then follow me,” I said as started to move again.

We walked for a few minutes, the men behind me were complaining about their soggy shoes and that they had no idea where I was walking. I stopped dead in my tracts when I spotted something that looked like a tent. I looked back at them and put my finger on my lips, then pointed at the tent. Once again I was met with stares. I stomped my way over them.

“do you want to tell me that you can’t see the camp?”

“what camp” Lucis was visibly looking frustrated. I looked at the men they all looked as frustrated as Lucis

“There is a camp right there” sudden realization hit, Lucis stopped hearing the sounds I could hear when we reached the fork in the road

“How did you guys get here?”

“Lucis gave us the directions”

“so you didn’t hear the river?”

“nope”

“no”

“negative” the other two joined in with Justin.

“How often do men get lost in here,” I asked

“People usually stick to the path so I have no idea”

“Why are you singling out men” I was assuming that was Matt

“you are the same class as me and you didn’t hear or see the things I did,” I said touching my ears

“so?” Matt said crossing his arms over his chest

“so, there is a block, keeping you guys from seeing or hearing the camp”

“give me your hand” Lucis said he took my hand, holding it in both his hands “look towards the cam” he instructed. I saw his eyes start to glow a bright green, I looked towards the camp, the huge white tent slightly moved as someone had touched it. Lucis let go of my hand, the glow in his eyes fading as he did.

“This just got a whole lot harder,” he said looking back at the other three

“just send the girl in to get the egg,” Matt said

“the egg isn’t here” I blurted out, they all looked at me like I had lost an eye

“it has to be the guy in the Inn said”

“what we seek is information on the egg, the egg is somewhere else”

“I still say send the girl in,” Troy said

“her name is Lilith” Lucis said through his teeth “best you remember that” Matt’s expression seemed to change for a fraction of a second.  Got ya, I thought to myself.

“here is the plan” Lucis started, grabbing everyone’s attention “you lead us to the camp get us in places to surround it, we will keep eyes on you, keep you safe while you go in and get what we need”

We made our way towards the camp. Each of the four men getting into position as we circled it. the camp itself was made on the bank of the river, I took note of where the grasses ended and the sand started. Slowly I walked into the camp, I was sure about what I was meant to do.

“Who goes there?” My low gruff voice made me jump. I looked around to see no one”

“How did you get here; no man can see my camp” I looked towards the tent an old man sat at the entrance of the tent.

“I am no man,” I said softly

“come closer” he commanded. I did as I was told and walked closer to the old man. As I got closer I noticed things I had not seen before. His mouth was black, his wrinkled skin was grey, and seemed to hold no life what’s so ever. He opened his eyes and looked up at the sound of a twig breaking. I had to stop myself from letting out the scream that suddenly caught in my throat. The old man had no eyes, as in none. His eye sockets were empty.

“come sit my dear,” he said when I made no move he stood up and started to walk right to me, pulling his hood up over his head to stop the sun from reaching his skin

“what is it you seek” he hissed

“We are looking for the whereabouts of the dragon’s egg”

“the egg of a dragon is priceless,” he said, “what on earth do you want it for?”

“to return it to its mother, she is causing havoc along the valley”

“There is no egg here”

“I understand that, I want to find out where it is” the old man’s black mouth suddenly cut into a smile revealing broken and blackened teeth.

“everything for a price,” he said with a small laugh

“I have nothing to give,” I said low, looking to the ground

 “you will, and when that time comes I will collect” I nodded my understanding, his smile widening

“look towards the Dark wood, there you will find a man with failing lungs, he has that of which you need” I thanked the old man and I started to make my way back to the river.

“one last thing, be careful of who you trust, not everyone is a friend.