Forest Edge

A few moments had passed since the tension between Haze, Kade, and Ghent had subsided. Haze had managed to snatch a few minutes of uneasy sleep, but it wasn't enough to shake the fatigue clinging to him. Now, it was time to move out.

Their mission was clear: leave early, study the terrain, and plan their approach. But clarity didn't make it any easier. 

The more cut out it was the vague it felt to them.

Standing before them, dressed in black, was Ruven, the mindbugger with the unnerving smile who had brought in Kade. His grin was as unsettling as ever, though today it seemed strained, as if even he wasn't entirely pleased with the situation.

"It's time," Ruven said, his voice cold and clipped. "I don't have to repeat myself. You've received your orders. Failure will cost you your lives. We'll be watching." With that, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

Ewald was the first to step forward, dressed in the black and ash-colored uniform they'd been provided. The kunai he'd picked up earlier hung at his side, though he didn't look entirely comfortable with it. Jingo's shirt was noticeably oversized, and no one offered to swap with him, but he seemed ready nonetheless. Ghent's expression was a mix of calm and simmering anger, his usual demeanor. Mark, Kade, and Haze were all geared up and prepared, each doing whatever they needed to do to maybe feel a little bit of ease.

As they filed out of the room, Ruven waited outside, his grin unwavering. He didn't speak, but his presence was enough to undo whatever trick they had done to feel ease.

It was approaching dawn outside. The early morning air was crisp, the forest around them shrouded in a faint mist that clung to the trees like a ghostly veil.

To Haze, the lack of a formal briefing was beyond strange. No instructions, no details, just straight into the mission. It felt reckless, almost like they were being set up to fail. Noticing his furrowed brow, Mark leaned in and asked, "Something wrong?" he knew fully well in order for this to be a success or for them to have even the slightest chance of success, Haze the one with more information needed to stay grounded.

Haze shook his head, brushing it off. [I've got this,] he thought.

As they moved through the forest, Jingo's voice broke the silence. "Haze," he called from the back, his tone unusually calm. "What's happening?"

Haze turned to look at him, and in that moment, he realized Jingo was just as confused as he was. Maybe even more so. Neither of them had answers, and that uncertainty only added to the weight of the mission.

When they reached the edge of the forest, they were met with an unexpected sight: it looked like there was more ground to cover, but the path simply ended. Kade stepped forward without hesitation, stretching out his hand. To everyone's surprise, his hand passed through the invisible barrier as if it weren't there. He knew it was safe, he'd passed through one earlier on his way to the facility.

Without a word, Kade stepped through and disappeared. Haze opened his mouth to call out, but no sound came. He waited, hoping Kade would reappear, but he didn't.

"Sighhh, well, I'll go after—" Haze began, but Mark cut him off.

"No, I'll go. If I don't come back, turn around and go home," Mark said, stepping forward. Before Haze could stop him, he stepped though and was gone just like Kade.

"Mark!" Haze called, reaching out, but he wasn't fast enough. Mark was already gone.

"What next?" Jingo asked, stepping forward. Without waiting for an answer, Ghent quietly walked through the barrier. Jingo followed shrugging as if it were just another day, a normal occurrence.

Ewald turned to Haze, his calm demeanor unwavering. "It's now or never," he said. "The world won't explore itself." With that, he stepped through, leaving Haze alone at the edge of the forest.

Haze stood there for a moment, his mind racing. He wasn't scared, just calculating. What lay beyond the barrier? What were they walking into? It was lack of answers that ate at him, but he knew hesitation wasn't an option. Without wasting more time, he took one last look around, then stepped through.

×××

One moment, he was on solid ground. The next, he was falling from the sky, the rushing wind roaring in his ears as he plummeted toward the earth from an impossible height.

"Ohhh no!!! Are they trying to kill us?!" Haze shouted, struggling to regain his balance. Still recovering from the shock, his hand, right, instinctively went to the katana at his side, and he unsheathed it in one swift motion. The blade gleamed in the sunlight as he gripped it tightly.

Below him, a dense canopy of trees rushed up to meet him. He had to land with as little injury as possible. Shifting his weight, Haze twisted his body mid-air, using the katana to slice through branches that would have otherwise broken his fall, or his bones. The blade cut cleanly through the wood, slowing his descent. Each swing of the katana sent splinters and leaves flying, and the impact jarred his arms, but he didn't stop.

Finally, he grabbed onto a sturdy branch close to the ground, his momentum nearly wrenching his arm from its socket. "Shit!" He squealed in pain. The bark scraped against his palms, but he held on, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Below him, the ground was still too far to jump safely.

Thinking quickly, Haze threw the katana downward with all his strength. The blade embedded itself into the soil, the hilt sticking up about a foot and a half from the ground.

Holding onto the branch, he released his grip and landed on the sword's handle, letting out a grunt as he steadied himself.

After the chaos of falling branches and leaves, the forest went quiet once more, save for the occasional chirps of birds alarmed by his fall. Broken branches and leaves were scattered around. Above, the tree canopy was partially destroyed, sunlight streaming through the gaps and casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.

Haze crouched low on the hilt of the katana, his right foot planted firmly for balance. His left leg extended slightly behind him, and his hands rested at his sides, helping him maintain control. His black and ash-colored uniform was slightly torn and dirtied, his hair disheveled from the fall. Despite the chaos, his expression was focused, his jaw clenched, and his eyes closed as he caught his breath.

[Well, that was a close call,] he thought, his eyes scanning the dense forest around him. [But where are the others?]