Chapter 47: Garret: Adopted Son of Misfortune

After several hours of trekking through the dense foliage, Garret let out an exasperated sigh. "We've been wandering around for ages," he complained, flinging his arms in the air dramatically. "It's just trees, trees, and more trees! Are we even making any progress? This forest seems never-ending!"

Alice smirked and nudged Ruchir. "Looks like someone's getting a little tired," she teased. "What happened to all that confidence you had at the entrance, Garret?"

Garret shot her a playful glare. "I'm just saying, this is ridiculous. We could be going in circles for all we know. I mean, look at that tree over there!" He pointed to a particularly gnarly tree. "I swear we've passed that one at least three times."

Ruchir, who had been quietly observing their surroundings, furrowed his brow. "You might actually be onto something, Garret," he said thoughtfully. "I think we might be walking in circles."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Are you just saying that to make Garret feel better, or do you really think something's off?"

Ruchir nodded. "I've been noticing the same landmarks too. It's almost as if we're being led in a loop."

Garret's eyes widened, and he let out a loud groan. "Great, just great! So not only are we stuck in a forest of never-ending trees, but now we're trapped in some sort of magical loop. This just keeps getting better and better."

Alice chuckled. "Well, look on the bright side. At least we have plenty of firewood if we ever need to set up camp."

Garret rolled his eyes. "Oh, sure, because making a campfire in a possibly enchanted forest is a brilliant idea."

Ruchir tried to suppress a laugh but failed. "Alright, alright, let's focus. If we are stuck in a loop, there has to be a way to break it. Let's try marking a tree and see if we come across it again."

They found a distinct-looking tree and carved a mark into its trunk. As they continued walking, Garret kept up his running commentary about the endless trees, much to Alice's amusement. 

Half an hour later, they found themselves back at the marked tree. Garret threw his hands up in exasperation. "I knew it! We're going in circles!"

Alice couldn't help but laugh. "Well, at least now we know for sure. Good call, Ruchir."

Ruchir smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment despite their predicament. "Let's think this through. If there's some sort of enchantment, there has to be a source. We need to find it and break it."

Garret sighed dramatically. "Great. Just what I needed—a magical puzzle in the middle of a never-ending forest. Can't we just find a normal, straightforward path for once?"

Alice patted Garret on the back. "Where's the fun in that, Garret? Come on, let's figure this out together."

Ruchir examined the marked tree closely, his mind racing. "Alright, let's think about this logically," he said, pacing back and forth. "If we're in a magical loop, there's usually a focal point or an anchor. Something that's keeping us trapped."

Alice looked around, frowning. "But everything looks the same. How do we find an anchor in all of this?"

Ruchir smiled. "We need to disrupt the flow of magic. If we create a strong enough disturbance, we might be able to break the loop. Follow me."

He led them a bit further into the forest, then stopped and began to channel his energy into a powerful blast. "Get ready to move quickly," he warned.

As he released a surge of energy into the ground, the forest shimmered, and the magical loop flickered. The trees around them seemed to waver, as if caught in a heat haze, and then, with a loud snap, the loop broke.

Garret blinked in amazement. "You did it, Ruchir! We're out!"

Alice grinned. "Nice work, Ruchir. Now let's get moving before something else happens."

They hadn't taken more than a few steps when the ground began to shake, and a deafening roar echoed through the forest. A massive shadow passed over them, and they looked up to see a colossal flying demonic beast descending upon them.

"Of course," Garret muttered. "We break out of one problem and land straight into another."

The beast, a terrifying creature with bat-like wings and razor-sharp claws, swooped down, aiming straight for Garret. He yelped and dove to the side, barely avoiding the beast's attack.

"Why is it always me?" Garret shouted, scrambling to his feet.

Alice drew her weapon and yelled, "Stop complaining and start fighting, Garret!"

The battle was intense. Ruchir and Alice coordinated their attacks, trying to keep the beast at bay while Garret, much to his dismay, found himself constantly dodging the creature's relentless pursuit.

"Does it have a personal vendetta against me?" Garret hollered, ducking as the beast's claws sliced through the air where he had just been standing.

Ruchir noticed a pattern in the beast's movements. "It's targeting Garret specifically. Use that to our advantage. Garret, keep it distracted. Alice and I will try to flank it."

Garret's eyes widened in disbelief. "You want me to what?"

"Just do it!" Alice urged, slashing at the beast's wing to draw its attention.

With a resigned sigh, Garret began to run around, waving his arms and shouting to keep the beast's focus on him. "Hey, ugly! Over here!"

The beast roared and charged at Garret, who led it in a zigzag pattern, making it harder for the creature to pin him down. Meanwhile, Ruchir and Alice took the opportunity to strike at its vulnerable spots.

Ruchir fired a concentrated blast of energy at the beast's wing joint, while Alice went for its legs, trying to cripple it. The beast roared in pain but didn't retreat.

"This thing is tough!" Alice yelled.

Garret, panting heavily, called out, "Can we wrap this up? I'm running out of places to hide!"

Despite their best efforts, the beast was relentless. After a particularly fierce exchange, it finally took to the skies, battered but not defeated. It cast one last, furious glare at Garret before flying off into the distance.

Garret collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. "Why do these things always happen to me?"

Alice helped him up, chuckling. "Maybe it's your charming personality."

Ruchir patted Garret on the back. "You did great, Garret. We couldn't have done it without you."

Garret gave a weak smile. "Yeah, yeah. Next time, can someone else be the bait?"

As the trio continued their journey deeper into the Thousand Inheritance Forest, they stumbled upon a serene pond with crystal clear water. The sight of it was a welcome relief after their exhausting battle with the flying demonic beast. Garret, parched and weary, eagerly approached the pond.

"Finally, something that doesn't want to kill us," he said with a grin, kneeling by the water's edge.

Alice and Ruchir watched as Garret dipped his hands into the cool water and brought it to his lips. Suddenly, a large, scaly hand shot out from the pond, grabbing Garret's arm and pulling him in with a splash.

"Garret!" Alice screamed, rushing to the water's edge.

Ruchir was already moving, diving into the pond after Garret. The water was murky, making it hard to see, but he could make out Garret's flailing form and the creature pulling him down. With a swift motion, Ruchir drew his sword and slashed at the creature, causing it to release Garret. He grabbed Garret and swam back to the surface, where Alice helped pull them both out.

Garret, drenched and gasping for air, lay on the ground, looking up at the sky. "Why is it always me?"

Alice laughed, shaking her head. "Maybe you just have a magnetic personality."

Ruchir chuckled as he wrung out his wet clothes. "Or maybe the creatures in this forest just find you irresistible."

Garret groaned, sitting up. "I'm starting to think I should have stayed home."

Their adventure continued, and it seemed that trouble followed Garret wherever he went. As they walked through the dense forest, they triggered various traps, each one targeting Garret in increasingly absurd ways.

At one point, Garret stepped on a seemingly harmless patch of ground, only for a net to spring up and ensnare him, leaving him dangling from a tree. Ruchir and Alice had to cut him down, laughing at his predicament.

"Another one for the record books," Garret muttered as he dusted himself off.

Later, they found themselves in a grove filled with beautiful flowers. Garret, ever the curious one, leaned in to sniff a particularly fragrant bloom, only to have it squirt a jet of sticky sap into his face, gluing his eyes shut.

"Great, now I'm blind," he said, flailing around as Ruchir and Alice tried to wipe the sap away.

"At least it's a good look for you," Alice teased, holding back her laughter.

Their journey took them to a narrow ravine. As they carefully made their way across a rickety bridge, a group of mischievous forest sprites appeared, targeting Garret with their pranks. They pulled on his clothes, tied his shoelaces together, and even dropped acorns on his head from above.

"Seriously?" Garret shouted, waving his arms to shoo them away. "Do I have a sign on my back that says 'prank me'?"

Ruchir and Alice were in stitches, unable to contain their laughter. "Maybe you're just too easy a target," Ruchir suggested.

Garret glared at them. "Oh, sure, laugh it up. Let's see how funny it is when it's your turn."

But it never seemed to be their turn. Time and again, Garret found himself the center of the forest's mischief. He stumbled into hidden pits, got caught in magical snares, and even had a run-in with a playful, but overly affectionate, forest spirit that insisted on following him around and tripping him at every opportunity.

One day, as they trekked through a particularly dense part of the forest, Garret stepped on a loose stone, triggering a cascade of pebbles that sent him tumbling down a small hill. He landed in a heap at the bottom, covered in dirt and leaves.

"This is getting ridiculous!" he shouted, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "It's like the whole forest has it out for me!"

Alice tried to stifle her giggles as she helped him up. "Maybe you're just the chosen one, Garret. Chosen to make us all laugh."

"What's next? A boulder chasing me down a hill?" he muttered.

Not long after, they encountered a narrow path lined with dense foliage. As Garret stepped forward, the ground beneath him gave way, and he fell into a hidden pit. He landed with a thud, the wind knocked out of him.

Ruchir peered over the edge, trying not to laugh. "Are you alright down there?"

Garret's voice echoed from the pit. "No, I am not alright! Can someone get me out of here?"

Alice sighed, tossing a rope down. "Hold on, we'll pull you up."

After several more incidents—Garret nearly being hit by falling branches, stumbling into nests of agitated insects, and narrowly avoiding a trap that shot darts from the trees—he was visibly frustrated and angry.

"Why does this forest hate me?" Garret exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

Alice couldn't contain her laughter. "Maybe you just have bad luck, Garret."

Ruchir shook his head, smiling. "Or maybe you're just attracting trouble. Either way, you're keeping things interesting."

The trio pressed on, but the forest's tricks seemed endless. At one point, they came across a beautiful clearing with vibrant, glowing mushrooms. Garret, curious as ever, bent down to inspect one, only for it to release a cloud of spores that made him sneeze uncontrollably.

"Great, just great," Garret said between sneezes. "Even the mushrooms are against me!"

Alice patted him on the back, still giggling. "Maybe you should stick close to us and let us check things out first."

Despite the constant harassment from the forest, the trio's spirits remained high. Garret's misfortunes provided a continuous source of amusement for Alice and Ruchir, who took turns teasing him about his apparent magnetism for trouble.

In another instance, they stumbled upon a seemingly peaceful grove with an inviting patch of soft grass. Garret, eager for a break, sat down, only to leap up moments later, yelping as if stung. It turned out the grass was home to a swarm of tiny, biting insects that had taken an instant liking to him.

"Why does this always happen to me?" Garret wailed, scratching at the bites.

Ruchir chuckled. "Maybe you just taste better than the rest of us."

Alice laughed so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes. "Garret, you're like a walking magnet for every trap and creature in this forest."

Garret scowled, but couldn't help but smile a little. "At least I'm good for something, I guess."

Finally, as they reached the deeper parts of the forest, they encountered a large, ancient-looking tree. Garret, still wary from all his previous experiences, approached cautiously. Suddenly, the tree's branches began to move, wrapping around him and lifting him off the ground.

"Not again!" Garret cried out.

Ruchir and Alice quickly sprang into action, using their weapons to free him once more. Once Garret was safe, he slumped against a tree, thoroughly exhausted.

"I think I'm done with this forest," he said wearily.

Ruchir patted him on the shoulder. "Just a little further, Garret. We've almost made it."

Alice grinned. "Besides, what else could possibly happen to you now?"

Garret gave her a skeptical look. "Don't jinx it."

Ruchir, however, was starting to notice a pattern. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he watched Garret brush himself off yet again. "You know, this is starting to feel a bit too... deliberate."

Garret looked at him, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Ruchir said slowly, "why is it always you? We've all been through the same areas, but you're the only one who keeps getting targeted."

Alice stopped laughing, her expression turning serious. "You think someone or something is doing this on purpose?"

Ruchir nodded. "It's possible. Maybe there's more to this forest than we realize. We need to stay on our guard and figure out what's really going on."

Garret sighed, rubbing his temples. "Great. Just what I needed. More mysteries."

Despite his frustration, Garret couldn't help but feel a little relieved that his friends were taking the situation seriously. As they continued their journey, they remained vigilant, looking for any signs of what might be causing Garret's misfortune.

But even with their newfound caution, the forest continued to throw challenges their way, each one more bizarre and targeted at Garret than the last.

From time to time, he would find himself ensnared in thorny vines that seemed to come out of nowhere, or nearly step into hidden traps that Ruchir and Alice would just barely manage to warn him about in time.

As they pushed forward, Ruchir's suspicions grew. There was definitely something fishy about the way the forest seemed to be singling out Garret. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, and that someone or something was orchestrating these events.