'It's already dark. How is finding a giant tree this hard?'
"Why can't we just climb a normal tree? Is it not the same thing?"
"The normal trees won't stop creatures from climbing up them and ripping both you and me to shreds. The Great Trees generally repel most creatures."
'Why have we not found this tree yet? I thought this guy was Scribed? Don't they have enhanced vision, even if only slightly? Shouldn't we have found this tree already?'
"Usually, finding these trees is a lot easier because you can just see through the other trees, but this damn forest has way too many leaves overhead. I can't see anything past them; it's like a ceiling, so keep your eyes peeled for a tree resembling a wall of bark."
'Is this guy reading my mind? How did he know what I was thinking? Does that have to do with his Scribed ability?'
It was pitch dark. There was no light where the moons would usually shine some of their light; the thick ceiling of leaves made it nearly impossible for light to shine through. It was basically impossible to see.
The only guidance was Leonis. Bird held firmly to the man's clothing in hopes that he was guiding them to this "great tree"
'How in the world are we finding anything? This is insane, my eyes won't even adjust to the dark, it's just dark'
Suddenly, Bird realised that there was only one way Leonis could have been leading them through the lightless forest
"Leonis?"
"What?"
"Is the sole purpose of your Scribed ability to see through darkness?
"For the most part, why?"
'Just my luck, zero combat ability. But at least I had found someone.'
"If that's the case, why in the world are we still los…"
Leonis suddenly interrupted Bird in a panicky tone, lowering his voice from the normal conversation volume.
"Shh, do not talk from this point on, stay close and hold your breath for as long as you can."
After Leonis said this, Bird's heart sank into his stomach. The thought that he couldn't see anything, having to trust this stranger with his life, again. He hated it. Not knowing if there was a creature nearby or if he was just being cautious, all he could do was trust him and seal his breath until further notice.
The pair started to pick up the pace, not walking anymore but not jogging or running either. This sudden change in pace did not help Bird's anxiety. He did not like that it felt like a frantic search for this tree rather than the relaxing walk through the desert forest they were having earlier.
Almost as instantly as they had picked up the pace, they were back to a standstill, quietly listening. Bird tried to focus all feeling onto his ears, but that only made the suspense of life or death worse. He could hear the wind rustling the leaves, the sand wisping around him, but was it really the wind? What if it was an extremely nimble creature just waiting to rip his head off before he could even see it in front of him?
'Damn it, why did I steal that food? I wouldn't have been pushed down here. Now I'm going to die in the middle of the night with some random Scribed who doesn't even know how to fight.'
Right as that thought flashed through Bird's head, they started to move again, this time at a full sprint. Leonis must have known to run a little slower so that Bird's legs could keep up, but even then Bird was struggling to keep a hold of the burly man's shirt.
He couldn't keep up; his legs were too heavy. It was strange; his thighs started to burn, deep inside a burn he hadn't felt since being given the iron boot. It was like having matches lit deep under his skin and jabbed into his flesh from deep inside. He had not run much since getting an iron boot. staggering and limping now; he was getting slower. At some point, his hold on Leonis had also been released. He was now in a shroud of darkness, limping and alone.
'This is it. I can't move. I am dead.'
He was starting to give in; he was no longer running. Bird had stumbled and fallen onto the ground, smacking onto the sand. He snapped back to the situation for a moment and thought.
'Shit, I can't keep up. I'm going to die with no meaning, nothing to remember me by, on some random layer to some unknown creature. Screw hope, why did I ever think that everything would work out? I should have learned how to live, what was I doing?'
It was all over. Bird's legs wouldn't go; they gave out, and he embraced the sand with regret and a hint of bliss, knowing he was of no importance. Not needed. He knew he was dead, he couldn't do anything, he was hopeless and restrained by the situation life had given him.
That is what he had thought, but he didn't like it. He hated it. The thought that nothing could break the restraints life had given him did not sit right with Bird. He wished to fly.
'Light?'
It seemed life's restraints loosened just for a moment. Bird could see a little spherical light just ahead of him, resting above the finger of Leonis. In that light, he could see Leonis screaming, behind Leonis, a giant wall of bark was reaching through the leaves; it looked as if it was trying to grab the stars.
It was the Great Tree.
'Run, I have to run'
This is what Brid was thinking, but his legs stayed still. It was the weirdest thing he knew this was his chance at life, but they would not move; they were just too heavy.
"BIRD MOVE! YOU HAVE TO GET UP. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"
'Shut up, Leonis. I'm trying, but my legs have stopped working. MOVE DAMN IT MOVE!'
Bird started to slowly crawl towards the tree. Bird could hear the supposed wind from earlier moving a lot more violently and whipping through the shrubs; it was no longer a breeze, but instead it sounded like a mini tornado that was about to crash into him.
"AHHHHHHH MOVE PLEASE JUST MOVE."
Out of desperation, Bird ran his hand along the sand until he had grabbed a small stick, and almost as soon as he grabbed it, he lifted it and plunged it into his left thigh. The shock from the stab gave him an adrenaline boost and made the burning slightly subside. While screaming in agony, he lifted himself to one leg and started to hobble for his life.
Unknown to him, right behind him was a small creature wielding its hands as axes. The creature didn't have any features; it was as if it were a shadow. The creature took the form of a very small human with axes instead of hands.
Leonis noticed the creature while staring at the death chase. The creature's shape began to change. Its entire body was turning into a condensed spring with a spear-like tip at the end. The spring-like spear materialised and lunged towards Bird at a frightening speed.
"DIVE YOU HAVE TO DIVE!"
Leonis was making a desperate call out to help Bird. Leonis couldn't tell if he could hear him or not, but he had to try. It was all left to whether Bird would dive or not.
'huh?'
Bird fell. He did not dive; the kid tripped face-first.