Fantasy Kind Of Story

Chapter 23: Cabin In The Woods

Lara was leading the group through the forest, the path ahead was barely visible, as the deeper into the forest they went, the gravel disappeared underneath the overgrowth. The trees and foliage became denser and blotted out the sky, darkening the area around them.

In less than an hour the path had completely disappeared, causing the group to panic.

"Do you know where we are going?", Silas asked Lara impatiently.

"Of course I know where we're going, I know these forests", Lara said, attempting to reassure the group, desperately looking at her map for where they are supposed to be going.

"We have passed this tree before, five times total", Jiro chimed in.

"So we're going in circles!? Gimme that map!", Marya exclaimed as she ripped the map from Lara's grasp. She looked to see that the map showed nothing inside the Dark Forest, it only showed a black area with the words "Dark Forest-Do Not Enter", in the center.

"What the hell? This map is useless, and we are lost!", Marya yelled, throwing the map into the dirt and angrily stamping on it.

"M-maybe we can ask for directions?", Silvio stammered.

"From who?! The trees? The nonexistent path? Or maybe we can ask the very hungry wolves that are most likely waiting for us to fall asleep so they can eat us?!", Marya ranted sarcastically.

"I was actually thinking we could ask whoever is living in that cabin over there", Silvio replied, pointing to a clearing with a small cabin in the center, a bright let emitted from it and smoke bellowed from its chimney.

"Oh sure, why not?", Marya said in defeat.

The five of them approached the cabin, Kiburi stopped and walked back, the others looked back at him.

"Where are you going?", Lara asked.

"I'm taking a leak, just go without me", Kiburi said as he began unzipping his pants and walking off.

"Jiro, go make sure he doesnt get mauled by a bear or something", Marya ordered, Jiro nodded and followed after.

Lara, Marya, and Silvio stood at the door and waited, they looked at eachother, none of them wanted to be the one to knock for fear of who would answer. Marya shook her head and knocked on the door, they waited for a moment and heard clammering from inside the cabin, eventually a rather small, elderly lady answered the door, she wore ragged shawl, she was hunched back, her hair was grey and tousled, and she used a cane to move around.

"Why hello! How can this old windbag help you all today?", she said with a smile.

"We were wondering if we could get directions? we're kind of lost", Lara asked kindly.

"Well I think I might have a map somewhere around here, come on in and take a seat wherever", The elderly lady ushered them in.

The house was very nice, it was rustic and pretty, it had a small chandelier, a fur rug, a warm fireplace, and comfortable seating, it was very accomodating for a single elderly lady living in the Dark Forest.

The lady frantically looked around her cottage for something, she was pretty spry for an old lady. Marya plopped dow onto the couch in the living area and reached for some candies in a bowl, Lara smacked her hand and shook her head, Marya stuck her tongue out at her, waited for her to look away, and took a handful and stuck them in her pockets. Silvio looked around the house as well.

"Sit down and relax, what are you looking for?", Lara whispered to him.

"I dont know, something doesnt feel right", Silvio answered.

"I think you're just paranoid", Lara said mockingly.

The elderly lady let out a triumphant "aha", as she pulled out a rolled up piece of paper and unrolled it onto an empty table, Lara walked over to the table and Marya jumped up from her seat to join them. The lady began to give them directions through the forest.

Meanwhile, Kiburi finished doing his business and turned to see Jiro holding a small golden trinket amethysts in it while meditating.

"What are you doing?", Kiburi asked.

"Im performing a ritual", Jiro answered calmly without opening his eyes.

"Why?", Kiburi asked further, causing Jiro to appear slightly annoyed.

"Because something doesnt feel right, I think someone is trying to hide something around here, the ritual will reveal what is hidden", Jiro explained.

"Yeah right, all that monk stuff is just for show, it doesnt actually do anythi-", Kiburi said skeptically, but as he did Jiro grabbed his arm.

The trinkets gems began to glow and released a wave of magenta energy through both of them, causing their iris' to turn violet briefly while their pupils dilated.

Their vision became blurry before adjusting, the world around them changed from a bright and beautiful homestead to something horrid. The grass and trees were now withered and decayed, the garden replaced by overgrowth and bramble, and the lovely cottage became a broken down house, the planks cracked and the windows shattered.

"We have to get them out of there!", Kiburi yelled as they both raced towards the house, but as they ran the ground began to move and surround their legs, stopping them in their tracks.

Inside the house the lady finished giving them directions, she even let them keep the map. Lara and Marya thanked her and began to walk away.

"Why are you in such a hurry, why not stay the night? It is getting dark and those forests are quite dangerous", The elderly lady went on.

"I think we will be alright, but thank you for your hospitality", Lara said, kindly rejecting her offer.

"But I really must insist", The lady pleaded, she got really close and practically grabbed them, as she did Silvio spoke up, they all turned to look at him.

"We have a problem", Silvio said as he held his wand, a stream of green light flashes outwards, as he waved the wand around, the green light changed anything it shone on to what it really was, revealing a cauldron, spellbooks, stolen items, and jars full of body parts.

The lady let go of them and began to change,  she went from small and sweet to tall and lanky, her skin pale and bones visible, her fingers became long and sharp, and the whites in her eyes turning black, as black lines spread throughout her body. Her shawl changed into tattered witches robes and her cane became a spear made of bones and a skull appeared in her hand, the skulls eyes were embedded with onyx.

"Uhm, guys", Silvio faltered as he pointed behind them, Marya and Lara turned and their facial expressions changed to horror as they saw her.

"Oh come on!", Lara exclaimed angrily.