Heirs of the Gods

Ch 57: In a heartbeat

Ella hadn't known what to expect upon walking into the Barren Forest.

Howling wolves and cawing crows? A menacing sign that read "Keep Out"? The impaled skulls of the deceased fools who's dared enter? In reality, it wasn't anything as conspicuous.

They'd taken the petrium into Annatea, a town that bordered the forest. It was lonesome and rather cold, only a few dispersed houses here and there, devoid of the usual ruckus that came with busy places. That was the one sign they were near the forest; no one wanted to live in the outskirts. Although Annatea and any other bordering towns were regulated and under the surveillance of Gerrathea, the threat of being so close to lawless terrain made anyone uneasy. Who wanted to raise a family near a constant source of danger?

It had been hours since they'd left the isolated little town, the place where they'd mounted on their saddled horses and wandered into the dark, looming forest. Now, they rode in silence, their horses following in a steady line, marching along the mulchy terrain like a quiet pack.

Quiet, that was the encompassing word. They'd been advised to remain quiet if possible, not call attention to themselves. It was a moot point to make; whether one wanted to comply or not, the forest demanded silence.

When they'd first stepped in, they'd been hit by an eerie wave of power. A force that demanded respect, awe. Ella could only stare wide-eyed as the sensation swept over her, deep into her bones. It was much like the first time she'd stepped into Faerie, that tangible change in the air, that electrifying static she could taste.

For hours they'd made their way in silence, save for the occasional muttered directions as Blaise consulted the map they had. There were no jokes or jabs, just resolute somberness. It felt strange to speak, as if they were polluting a sacred environment.

The Barren Forest was vast. It was a cluster of trees--firs, oaks and birches--mossy hills and mulchy ground. Its terrain sloped and tapered unevenly, full of roots and large boulders, as well as hills and small creeks. Some of these areas were clearly more explored, the ground even held markings of previous travellers. There were even some small signs left behind to aid whoever passed by. But other areas weren't blessed by the same luck.

As the hours passed and they plunged even deeper into the territory, the forest began to grow darker. Dense and tangled trees soared above, so thickly ensnared, they robbed the ground of anything more than slivers of light. It had been dawn when they set out and it was still early morning, but the forest was plunged in cool, gloomy tones.

For the past hour, they'd been forced to ride through a dense area. Treelines so tangled, they no longer had the option to ride side by side. Rather, they'd been forced to ride in a single file line, ensconced between a rocky hillside and dark, knotted trees.

It was an unbearably narrow space, so tight, branches poked out at times and caressed their legs. The treelines rustled and groaned, the sounds of the forest amplified by their claustrophobic path. There was a permanent sensation of being watched. Napes prickling with the keen over-awareness that between the trees and from atop branches, curious eyes were watching, observing, gauging. It was enough to make anyone uneasy.

"You're going the wrong way-- No, that's not what it says there," Valren hissed in a low tone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were the one holding the map," Blaise hissed back.

"Well, maybe if you knew how to ride, I could actually read the map and we would be there sooner."

"Go to hell, Valren. Just because I can't ride a horse doesn't mean I can't tell signs. You can barely read a book, how about you--"