Into the forsaken forest
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dense canopy of the Forsaken Forest, Argolaith adjusted the straps on his satchel and set his gaze forward.
The world ahead stretched out endlessly, filled with mystery and danger, and he couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
"Well, here we go," he muttered to himself. "Two years of walking. I'll either discover something incredible, or I'll collapse from exhaustion."
He glanced down at his feet, taking in the sight of the well-worn path beneath him. The ground was soft with moisture, the air thick with the smell of earth and leaves.
The Forsaken Forest was a place of untold beauty and unimaginable peril, a place where magic flowed through the trees, and where creatures of all kinds roamed, often unseen.
He had only just set out, but already he realized that the journey to find his Five Trees was going to be much more difficult than he had anticipated.
As he walked deeper into the forest, the realization hit him harder than the weight of his sword at his side.
"I'm going to be walking for two years, at least," Argolaith mused aloud, adjusting his satchel as he trudged along the muddy trail.
"At least I'll meet new people along the way. Maybe even make some friends."
The thought of companionship lightened his mood for a moment. He had always been the solitary type, focusing on his training and his alchemy, but the idea of traveling alone for years on end began to feel a little daunting.
The silence of the forest, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or distant bird calls, seemed louder with the absence of human voices. He was alone with his thoughts, his sword, and the weight of his purpose.
But there was a decision to be made first, one that could affect the entire course of his journey. He had studied maps of the region and knew there were two possible paths he could take.
The first was the well-traveled roads, which were safer but might also be slower, leading him around the edges of the forest and towards more populated areas.
The second path was through the heart of the Forsaken Forest, where he could collect rare magical plants and the meat of strange creatures—resources that could aid him in his quest.
However, the forest was treacherous, and its depths held dangers that could make his journey far more perilous.
"Should I take the roads and stick to the safer route for now?" Argolaith thought aloud, pondering his options as he looked at his map.
"Or should I plunge deeper into the forest and risk the unknown? It might take longer to get to the other side, but I could learn more about the mysteries of this place."
He stopped for a moment, pulling his map from his satchel. It was a detailed map, one that he had painstakingly studied during his time at the tree house, but as he scanned it, he realized something.
"Wait a second. This map only shows 500 miles of the Forsaken Forest. How much further am I actually going to have to go?"
He rubbed his eyes, feeling the weight of the realization sink in. Athos, had warned him that the forest stretched on for thousands of miles.
"Over ten thousand miles to the other side," he had said with a grin. "Don't get too comfortable in there. The trees are as ancient as the world itself."
"Well, at least I won't run out of space to explore," Argolaith muttered, tucking the map back into his satchel. "Looks like I'm going to be in here for a while."
After a moment of contemplation, he made his decision. "I'll head through the Forsaken Forest," he said to himself, his voice firm.
"It's the best option. I'll gather what I can and learn as much as possible. Who knows? I might even stumble across a clue that leads me to my Five Trees."
With renewed determination, he adjusted his satchel once more, making sure he had enough food and water to last for at least a few weeks.
"I'm lucky to have the storage ring," he mused, glancing at the ring on his finger. It was a magical artifact that allowed him to store supplies without the weight of heavy bags.
The ring that he had stolen from athos's lab, and it had proven invaluable during his time training in the forsaken forest in the past. With it, he could carry everything he needed without worrying about overloading himself.
Taking a deep breath, Argolaith stepped into the forest, his boots crunching on the soft undergrowth as he ventured further into the heart of the Forsaken Forest.
Days passed as Argolaith walked deeper into the forest, the dense trees closing in around him.
The path was often obscured by thick underbrush, and he had to rely on his instincts to navigate the maze of roots and branches.
The further he went, the quieter the forest seemed, as though the very air held its breath. The trees here were ancient, their trunks wide and gnarled, with twisted branches that seemed to reach out like fingers.
The sunlight barely pierced the thick canopy above, casting the forest floor in a perpetual twilight.
It had been a relatively uneventful journey so far. Argolaith's meals consisted mainly of dried fruits, magical herbs, and the occasional small strange beast he had caught along the way.
Fortunately, he had enough supplies to last him for a while, and he found himself growing accustomed to the solitude of the forest.
He passed the time by practicing his swordsmanship with the trees as makeshift sparring partners, swinging his blade in slow, deliberate arcs to keep his skills sharp.
The rhythm of the movements was soothing, almost meditative, as he honed his technique with each strike. But even in the quiet of the forest, Argolaith couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him.
"It's been too quiet," he muttered to himself one evening, setting up camp near a small creek.
"No strange creatures. No sounds at all, really. It's like the forest is holding its breath."
He glanced around warily as he began preparing a fire, his eyes scanning the shadows. His senses were heightened from years of training, and he could feel the faint stirrings of magic in the air. The forest was alive, pulsing with energy, but it was a kind of energy he couldn't yet understand.
As he stirred the fire, he thought back to the magical plants he had been collecting. Along the way, he had come across a number of rare herbs and fungi, their vibrant colors a sign of their potent magical properties.
Some of these plants were useful for making potions, while others could be used in elixirs or even poisons. Argolaith made sure to carefully harvest each plant, storing them in vials he had prepared for just this purpose.
"I can always use these for something," he muttered, his hands deftly cutting the plants and placing them into containers.
"Whether it's for making elixirs, creating pills to enhance my strength, or poisoning strong creatures… I can't let any of these slip away. Every plant I find could be the key to surviving whatever comes next."
The thought was both comforting and unsettling. He knew he would need all the resources he could gather in the coming months—maybe even years—if he was to survive the challenges the Forsaken Forest would inevitably throw his way.
But for now, the night passed uneventfully. The fire crackled softly as he ate, and his thoughts turned to the road ahead.
The days turned into weeks, and the forest remained eerily calm. Argolaith had encountered only the occasional small creature—horned rabbits, 6 winged birds, and the like—but none of the strong strange beasts that he had had been on alert for.
It was as though the creatures of the forest knew he was coming, sensing the strength and confidence that radiated from him.
Though he was not yet sixteen, he had trained rigorously, his mind and body honed for the trials that stand in his way.
Still, despite his strength, Argolaith couldn't shake the feeling that something was waiting for him deeper in the forest.
It was a feeling he had grown accustomed to over the years—this sense of being watched, of being tested by forces beyond his understanding.
And as he pressed on, he found himself becoming more attuned to the strange magic that pulsed through the trees.
The deeper he ventured, the more powerful the magic seemed to grow. It whispered to him on the wind, tugging at the edges of his mind, urging him forward.
Argolaith had always felt a connection to magic, but here, in the Forsaken Forest, that connection felt stronger than ever. It was as if the very forest itself was calling to him, beckoning him to uncover its secrets.
And so, with each passing day, Argolaith pressed on, his mind focused on the goal ahead, his Five Trees.
But for now, he would have to survive the Forsaken Forest, gathering what knowledge and resources he could, all the while knowing that the true challenges lay ahead.
He tightened his grip on his sword, adjusting the weight of his satchel, and continued forward, one step at a time. The forest would reveal its secrets in its own time, and Argolaith would be ready when it did.