Surrealism

 Forests as ancient as the ones occupying the Stygia-Exousia borders weren't as ordinary as they seemed to appear.

 Just like a living being, it sees and hears everything that happens inside it with the help of the magic that pumps through the soil.

 But just like all things that exists, magic can run out too and because of that, the land constantly searches for potential pillars to absorb whatever magic they can, just like parasites.

 This was one of the disadvantages of being a creature born with immense magic flowing throughout their bodies; it could never be kept a secret.

 Varen was particularly unsafe here due to his abilities being the most desired amongst many.

 Because of that, he was a walking pillar to these creatures, and there was no doubt that he would attract unwanted attention from whatever that could sense him.

If, he was to use it of course.

 Zeya, on the other hand, had a much better chance of staying on the low because of one tiny detail; she had the ability to communicate with the shadow creatures that resided here.

 Before they even stepped foot into the forest, Zeya had already ensured a safe passage for both of them thanks to the authority she had as their ruler's sister.

 As difficult as it was to track without the use of magic, it was the safest option to go with in order to move through the forest as discreetly as possible.

 Although they could easily fight off anything that dared to attack them, it was better to not cause a scene in such a wild and untamed It was close to sunrise, yet the forest was almost pitch black thanks to the lush forest canopies that effectively blocked out almost all the sunlight.

 Despite knowing t ^hat he was indeed safe with Zeya by his side, Varen made sure to stand where there was a ray of sunlight shining past the lush forest, just in case these things decided to attack out of nowhere.

 He could see hundreds, if not thousands of eyes peering at him curiously from the darkness, all of them gathered here just by Zeya's presence. 

 "Wait, where's the map?" Varen questioned when Zeya nonchalantly started walking without much thought. "Don't tell me you're just going to walk into this blind?"

 "Why? Afraid that I'll stab you in the back and leave you behind for dead?" She looked back at the wary emperor with a mischievous smile. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. As much as I hate to admit it, you are still of good use to me. And, I have this godforsaken contract keeping me chained."

 "They claim to know where we need to go." She filled Varen in on what she has been told by the one shadow next to her. "It appears like my brother received the news I had for him."

 "Well, he made it quite clear that he doesn't seem to trust me at all." Varen said half-jokingly, referring to the enormous gathering around them, almost like a shield. "Or perhaps he does not trust the other creatures lurking here?"

"He's just making sure we're not facing any obstacles. It might not look like much, but these forests are as old as we are... maybe even more so." She explained, looking around her surroundings cautiously before continuing forward. "They don't tread lightly to visitors; ranks mean nothing to them." 

 "I mean, they are trees after all. What use would a rank bring them when all they do is just stay in one place and provide us oxygen?" Varen replied rather cheekily, earning a warning glare from the Roseabelle as a result.

 "I see you still can't seem to take a joke even after all these years." He pushed even further, finding joy in her expressions.

 "And I see you still can't keep your mouth shut when you need to." Zeya retorted without looking back but somehow Varen already knew what kind of expression she had on.

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 An opening slowly came into view after some time of trekking. Memories that were long forgotten rushed through her mind as she saw it, her mother's greenhouse. Large, sturdy branches of her overgrown trees protruded out of the glass walls of the greenhouse like a thousand hands, silently boasting of its miraculous survival despite having no one to care for it.

 Despite having been neglected since the passing of Zeya's mother, the rare plants she had planted inside had all survived, though many had overgrown their respective pots and had started to plant their roots on whatever they could reach. 

 "I remember this place." Varen stood in awe as he stared at the abandoned place, something stirring in his eyes that she couldn't quite place.

 "It wouldn't had gotten this bad if I had known of its location sooner." Varen confessed most likely to himself than to the Roseabelle. "She would've been heartbroken to see her favorite place so... disheveled."

 "You of all people shouldn't have the right to say that don't you think?" She questioned him, her voice cold and full of hatred. "My mother may have cherished you like her own but at the end of the day, you are the sole reason as to why she is no longer by my side."

 It wasn't because the man before her used to be her significant lover that caused Zeya to lash out like that. It was the fact that he sounded so... genuinely upset was what pushed her buttons.

 Her gritted teeth and tightly clenched fists were the only way to stop herself from losing her temper.

'After all, if only you hadn't done what you did... she would've still been alive.'

 "... Forgive me. " He said after a moment of silence hung heavily between them; his head lowered. "I went too far with my words."

 "I'm going in." She stated, completely ignoring his apology. "You can either just stand there like an idiot or help me look for the book. Just don't get in my way."

=================

 Many would've thought it was weird to go looking for an ancient book in a greenhouse, but Zeya's mother herself was a peculiar individual to begin with. She was known by many to be a seeker of knowledge, a scholar of all things who was always seen with a book at hand. She had a study built in all the places she spent her time in, so that the knowledge she wished to seek was always within her reach, including her greenhouses.

 There was still a slither of doubt brooding within Zeya, but it never hurt to try. 

 The shadows helped her as much as they could, reducing the search time to a significant amount. Just when she was about to get to the last section of the infrastructure, footsteps rushing towards the Roseabelle caught her attention.

 "It would be far too easy to get it on your first try, don't you think? You need to put in more effort if you want to find a book that sacred." An unfamiliar voice said from behind Zeya, taking her by surprise.

 Three figures greeted her as she turned around to face them, one of them being Varen.

He laid on the floor unconscious next to another man that seemed rather familiar to Zeya. 

 "...And here I thought all this time that I got rid of these two for good." There was an edge in the way that she spoke, clearly more upset to find out the two Valors she had battled against during the war were still alive than having been caught in a trap. "I'm more surprised how you managed to get your hands on them in the first place."

 "Well, they were rather upset with my foraging. They didn't like it one bit, oh no. Perhaps I had gone a bit too far with hunting down the children, but why blame me when they make it so easy to hunt them down?" The puppet laughed as she spoke, shaking her head as she reminisced their encounter. "I was going to give them the same fate, but I was told that these two in particular were the emperor's most prized soldiers, so I figured I'd send them back as a gift." 

 "Putting that aside, are you not curious of what brought me here?" The female mused, her head tilting way past her body's capabilities, like a broken puppet. "Don't you wish to know more about my interest in you, Zeya?"

 "The only thing I want to know about you is how to kill you." She confessed without batting an eye, much to the monster's amusement. "If that is not what you wish to share with me then, I implore you to stay far away, or I'll have no choice but to hunt you down."

 "I bring you no harm, Your Majesty. For now, of course." It raised its hands in a playful manner, yet still managing to exude a menacing aura. "Like I said, I'm just here to give back what's not mine."

 It tilted its head at Varen and pointed to itself, smiling unnaturally. 

 "But before I must leave, let my appearance be a reminder of what I've told you before, child." It spoke sweetly as it stepped away, her eyes slowly starting to mutilate. "Find the one who saved you, for only they can save you from this curse that you carry. Remember, you were brought back for a far greater cause than hunting me down, so don't let it go to waste. Your savior is closer than you think."

 "Your mother would be so disappointed to see what would possibly happen to her one and only daughter."

 Zeya's cool vanished at the mere mention of her mother, her hands immediately reaching for her sai.

 Just when she was ready to strike its neck, the Valor fell limp onto the forest floor, indicating its escape from Zeya's grasp yet again.