Woods

As Stella and Rachel walked down the hallway, Stella turned to her and asked, "Are you done for the day?"

Rachel nodded with a smile. "Yeah, getting all our credits out of the way early was a good idea."

"But what now?" Stella asked, her head lowering in sadness. "If I go home, my parents won't let me go back out."

Rachel's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Do you want to investigate this case with me?"

Stella's head perked up instantly, and she nodded eagerly. "Absolutely!"

"Alright then," Rachel said, her voice full of determination. "If we're going to do this, we should start by investigating our own backyard. There's a small forest not far from town. We can go there, look around, and return before your parents even think about looking for you." The thrill of the adventure ahead was palpable.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Stella affirmed.

They went to the bus stop that would take them out of town. The bus ride was quiet. When they got off, the road ahead seemed endless, lined with tall trees that loomed like sentinels, the sounds of the wilderness overwhelming their senses, the sense of fresh wood, the smell of wet dirt, a sight Stella had never seen before.

As they got off at the end of the line, Stella gazed at the towering trees ahead and asked, "Are you sure this is a good idea? What if we meet a bear?"

Rachel laughed, trying to ease her friend's nerves. "What are you worried about? There are no bears this close to the road. We'd have to go deep into the woods to find them."

Stella didn't look reassured. "So, there are bears in these woods? I was joking before!" she says turning back to Rachel with a horrified look on her face.

Rachel grabbed her hand and gently tugged her along. "Come on, let's go."

As they entered the woods, it was as if they had stepped into another world. The air was filled with birds chirping, leaves rustling in the breeze, and the crunch of twigs beneath their feet. The interplay of light and shadow through the trees created a surreal, almost magical atmosphere. The beauty of the forest was truly awe-inspiring.

Stella looked around in amazement. "This has been right outside town, and I never knew."

"You never had the opportunity before," Rachel said, her tone softer. "I've been in these woods more times than I can count. It started when I was around five, going camping with my parents. I just continued coming back alone as I got older."

Stella turned to her, a hint of hurt in her voice. "How could you keep that from me? We've known each other for years."

Rachel's expression softened. "I didn't want to remind you of what you couldn't have. Big trips like Costa Rica, where I'd be away for a week, couldn't be hidden from you, but these small excursions I could. It was the least I could do" she grabs Stella's hands and look into her golden eyes, "but now, that's no longer a problem. After this year, we'll explore the world together, might as well start now."

Stella's eyes watered, and she hugged Rachel tightly. "You're the best friend in the whole world."

Rachel patted her back, grinning. "I know, you big softie. Let's stop wasting time and collect data before we run out of daylight."

With that, they separated and ventured deeper into the forest. They walked for about thirty minutes, the trees growing thicker and more prominent with every step. The trunks of some trees were so enormous it would take four people to wrap their arms around them, and even larger ones seemed to loom further in. The mystery of the forest deepened with every step.

Stella was stunned by the sight. "How could a tree grow so big?"

Taking out her notebook, Rachel looked at the base of one of the massive trees. "If it's this big above ground, imagine how extensive the root system is. I've been coming here for about two weeks, and these trees are growing bigger by the day, it's completely unscientific. The growth rate is exponential—imagine how large they'll be in a month."

Stella asked, "How come the trees at the entrance aren't as big as these?"

"The changes seem to increase the deeper into the forest you go. And it's not just the trees—the animals are changing too. The last time I was here, I heard a roar and ran back, terrified."

Stella shot her a deadpan look. "And this is the same forest you decided to bring me to today? Great."

Rachel laughed. "Better than Ms. Sanchez's corny jokes."

"You're right about that," Stella agreed, joining the laughter as they continued collecting data.

(Meanwhile, deeper in the same forest…)

"The report says there's a Tier 2 creature in the forest," a figure said, their voice tinged with frustration.

"It's so unfair. Why do creatures get stronger so much faster than we do?" one of them muttered, as they stride silently on the treetops.

The figure beside them replied calmly, "You know why, the deal has already been made, and we can't change anything. Let's just get the job done."

They moved through the trees like shadows, each step taking them closer to the forest's heart.

"The mana levels in this forest are higher than anything we've monitored in the past few months," one of them observed. "At this rate, it will start affecting normal people."

"It already has," the other replied. "There have been reports of children demonstrating extraordinary abilities. We've had to start recruiting and monitoring the populace."

"Damn," the first one cursed. "Doesn't that mean there isn't much time left before the resurgence? What are they going to do?"

"That doesn't concern us. We exist only to serve. We complete the mission and report back."

"You don't have to be so uptight," the first figure grumbled. "We've all seen the benefits. Aren't we approaching Tier 3? We couldn't have achieved this much without the organization."

The other figure scoffed. "At least you understand."

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the forest, causing their figures to pause.

"We're getting close. Let's speed up," one of them said, and they accelerated towards the source of the noise.