The Seven Wonders of the World

43. The Woods of Othloria

The darkness would seem to grow even thicker, as they would see strange shadows and figures in the distance. The silence would continue to be broken only by the faint sounds of night creatures that would dwell in this dark forest. Yet, the more Rater and Sora went into the forest, the darker it would seem to grow, and the more strange noises they would hear. Yet, the two remained determined to see how deep the forest would take them.
One strange noise that Rater and Sora would hear in the darkness would be the sound of footsteps. As the two of them would look in the direction of the sound, they would see a strange figure standing behind the trees, its appearance veiled in shadows as it watched their progress with curiosity.
However, as they entered the clearing, they were met with something strange. They saw a dark figure sitting in the center of the clearing, which seemed to be watching them from a distance.
The figure seemed like a shadow, as it was a complete silhouette, not making any sound at all.
Rater and Sora would be confronted by this dark figure, which stood silently in the middle of the clearing, watching them with quiet intensity.
The figure was like a shadow, a complete silhouette that was impossible to make out. It stood still, making no sound and revealing nothing about itself other than its ominous presence.
"Who are you?" asked Rater, breaking the silence of the clearing, as he tried to make out more detail of the shadowy figure.
The figure would take a moment to respond, as its tone became somewhat somber.
"I was once someone who mattered," it said, as its tone became somewhat mournfully nostalgic. "And now, I am nothing."
"That doesn't make sense," said Rater, as he stared at the shadowy figure. "If you mean to say that you used to be someone who mattered, then who were you before?"

"We used to live in a great village," said the figure, "in these forests, now we are like hermits, feared for the beasts that lay around us in the Battlefield!"
"A great village?" said Rater, curious to know more. "What happened to the village? And why are the beasts feared here in the battlefield? Are they more numerous or more dangerous than those found elsewhere?"
The figure's tone seemed to shift to one of sadness, as it spoke about the now-lost village.
"The beasts are plentiful, more than anything you could imagine," the figure would reply, its tone becoming darker. "More dangerous than any other, and more ruthless too. They have claimed this place as their own, and now it is a dark and deadly forest that very few dare to traverse."
Rater would listen carefully to the figure's descriptions, as he tried to grasp the magnitude of the dangerous beasts that lie within this forest. He would then ask his following question, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"And what of you?" he asked. "How do you survive in this forest?"
The figure would sigh, as it seemed to be searching for the right words to respond to Rater's question.
"Survive is an understatement," the figure would whisper, as its tone continued to be sad and nostalgic. "I merely manage to exist here, to endure day after day, while the beasts roam freely around me."
"Endure, you say?" said Sora, intrigued by the figure's response. "So you are living here by yourself?"
The figure would remain silent for a moment, as if it were contemplating the question.
"Yes, alone," it would finally reply, its tone becoming more mournful than before. "Alone, I have been left to live like this, surviving day after day, with nothing to keep me company but the beasts in the forest."

"That must be lonely," said Rater, trying to empathise with the figure. As the figure spoke, Rater could sense a deep sadness in its tone, as if it had been through many hardships in its current state. He felt pity for the figure, but not enough to stop himself from asking the next question.
"So, how long have you been living like this?" he asked, his tone becoming more sympathetic.
The figure would remain silent for a moment, as if it were pondering Rater's question.
"For a very long time, longer than I can remember," it responded softly. "Time passes slowly in this place, so slowly that I have long since forgotten how long it has been since I last saw a friendly face."
"I see," said Rater, realizing the figure had been living alone for a long time. His tone seemed to convey feelings of sympathy and concern for the figure, as he wanted to help ease the loneliness that the figure had been enduring in this forest. "Where are we?"
"The Woods of Othloria," said the figure, "once great, now reduced to a gloomy realm struck of fear."
"There are other villagers in the woods, right?" said Sora.
The figure nodded. "They all keep to themselves, though. They are too selfish I say, but I am no different."
"So you truly are living alone in this forest?" said Sora, a touch of sadness in his voice.
"Indeed, I am," said the figure, "and I would rather keep it that way."
Sora raised his eyebrows, surprised by the figure's response. "But why?" he asked, his tone of empathy returning once more. "Why would you want to be all alone here, with nothing but the beasts for company?"