Ep. 91 Apate Part 2

We slipped between the towering trees, moving with practiced caution. My hand never strayed far from my sword hilt as we navigated the shadowed path. The forest canopy filtered the sunlight into thin, scattered beams that dappled the forest floor, but even these meager offerings of light began to fade as afternoon yielded to evening.

Though my earlier wariness hadn't completely dissipated, I'd managed to push it to the periphery of my mind, focusing instead on maintaining the calm, composed mindset needed for whatever challenges lay ahead. The forest remained eerily quiet—no birdsong, no rustling of small creatures in the underbrush—just the soft sounds of our careful footsteps on the leaf-strewn path.

As we continued deeper with no sign of trouble, my thoughts began to wander, and the paranoia I'd fought to suppress crept back insidiously. Why had that old man approached us specifically? True, we'd built a modest reputation among fellow adventurers this past year, but at the end of the day, we were still just a group of young adventurers. Why entrust such an important task to us?

Most sensible people would hesitate to place their faith in a couple of kids, no matter their reputation. Why hadn't he sought out more experienced adventurers—those grizzled veterans whose very appearance spoke of countless battles survived and monsters slain? While I believed our trio had grown stronger than most low-tier adventurers, especially when working in tandem, the old man couldn't have known that from appearance alone.

So why us?

My thoughts continued to spiral when Rowan's abrupt halt yanked me back to the present. He turned toward Maya and me, his usually jovial face taut with tension.

"Something is near," he whispered, the words barely audible.

That three-word warning was all we needed. In an instant, I drew my sword, the familiar weight of it comforting in my grip. Beside me, Maya's hands came alive with dancing sparks, the faint red glow illuminating her focused expression. We formed a tight circle, backs to one another, scanning in every direction for movement.

For several agonizing seconds, nothing happened. Then came a rustling sound—something moving across the forest floor ahead on the path. My breath caught in my throat, sweat beading on my forehead as we waited for whatever creature approached.

When it finally emerged into view, my grip on my sword loosened, and a sigh of relief escaped my lips. I wiped my brow as Rowan spoke aloud what we all saw.

"A deer... it's just a deer."

I joined Rowan in nervous laughter, but my relief was short-lived. A troubling thought took root, casting a shadow over my momentary ease.

"Guys?" I ventured, my voice betraying my concern. "If this forest is home to even a small family of monsters, any prey animals like deer should have already fled the area around the monster den... so why is it still here?"

Rowan flashed his characteristic smile, seemingly untroubled by the inconsistency. "I'm sure it's probably nothing to worry about. If anything, it means this job might be much easier than we thought, right?" He chuckled, the sound strangely hollow against the dense silence of the forest.

"Yeah... I guess you're right," I responded, though uncertainty lingered in my tone.

With that half-hearted agreement, we pressed onward, deeper along the darkening path. Time stretched on, measured only by our steady footfalls and the gradual fading of what little light penetrated the canopy. The forest grew darker, the shadows between trees deepening from gray to impenetrable black.

When I could no longer suppress my mounting concerns, I broke the silence. "Rowan, let me see the map real quick."

He stopped, turning to face me with confusion etched on his features. "Sure, here." After rummaging through his pack for a moment, he produced the crude map the old man had given us.

I studied it carefully, comparing our progress against the landmarks indicated. What I found only confirmed my suspicions.

"Guys, according to this map, we should have reached the cart a long time ago," I said, unable to keep the worry from my voice. "We've been on this road for hours, and it's already dark. I think whatever made this forest home must have destroyed any remains of the cart." I looked between my companions, conviction strengthening my words. "I say we turn back now before it's too late. I really have a bad feeling about this."

Maya nodded, her expression serious in the growing darkness. "You're right. We should have seen that cart ages ago, so it's probably already gone."

Rowan appeared thoughtful, his usual quick agreement absent. After a moment of consideration, he raised his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We should probably head back before it gets too late. I was hoping to sleep in a bed tonight anyway."

Relief washed over me at their agreement. I grinned, nodding as I prepared to turn around and begin our journey back to Delocard. But before I could take a single step, a sound reached my ears—similar to the earlier rustling when the deer appeared, yet fundamentally different.

This time, the sound didn't come from a single point ahead of us. It emerged from multiple directions, surrounding us completely. And unlike the deer's erratic movements, these sounds were deliberate—slow, methodical footsteps that reminded me of...

Humans.

My blood ran cold as I realized what was happening. We weren't alone in these woods, and whatever surrounded us had been stalking us, herding us deeper into the forest with every step. I exchanged alarmed glances with Maya and Rowan, both of whom had clearly reached the same conclusion.

"Formation," I whispered urgently, and we instinctively moved into our defensive stance—backs together, weapons ready, eyes straining to pierce the darkness that now enveloped us completely.

The footsteps drew closer, still maintaining that measured pace. We could hear them clearly now—the soft crunch of leaves and twigs beneath careful feet, coming from every direction at once. Whoever or whatever stalked us was coordinated, patient, and had us precisely where they wanted us