The Beginning Of An End

Chapter 8

Sweat was dripping from my forehead, almost feeling feverish after that message delivery. Without thinking too much, I started shaking Loki awake and he shot his eyes open, completely confused.

"We need to get the hell out of here," I said as convincingly as possible but Loki's expression still showed complete bewilderment. It was understandable but I had no time to explain, all I knew was that we needed to move.

"What are you talking about?" he mumbled, his voice still groggy from waking up. He started putting out the fire with a wave of his hand and focused intention. I quickly got up from the ground, completely dismissing his question while he was frowning looking at me. He slowly stood up as well, his eyes now giving a hint of concern. "You're really worrying me, what happened?" He insisted and the more I remembered the Devil's voice, the more I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

"He's here... I don't know where but he managed to get to me... I heard his voice in the vision. He's sending out a warning." The words were struggling to get out as I was also trying to piece together what I had heard and trying to come to terms with it. "He might know about you."

As soon as Loki heard that last part, there was a noticeable shift in energy and he started becoming as frightened as I was. "You're right, we need to get the hell away from this spot." Without saying anything more, we both started making our way through the forest.

The trees stretched out before us were almost touching the sky. There was an early morning smell reaching our nostrils. The sun rays were struggling to come down due to the density of the tree branches. The silence around us was almost deafening, it was like every creature ran and hid away from something dangerous looming nearby. We were going slowly so as not to scare more creatures or rather not to draw attention to ourselves. Based on what I knew the creatures lurking in these woods weren't as dangerous as they were treacherous. They wouldn't kill you but you'd wish you were dead.

The sound of a nearby stream reached our ears, signaling that we were finally close to a clearing. We instinctively followed the sound, making our way towards what seemed to be the west side of the forest. As we approached the water, the trees thinned out, creating a more open and inviting space.

It wasn't long before I caught sight of a turquoise-blue stream winding its way through the forest. Even from a distance, we could hear and see its burbling as it splashed over the limestone rocks in its path. The water was strikingly clear, just like the river that had brought us to this realm. Every detail of the stream bed was visible, from the smooth pebbles to the occasional darting fish.

The sight and sound of the stream brought a sense of tranquility, a stark contrast to the tension that had been building up inside me. Loki and I exchanged a glance, both of us momentarily caught in the serene beauty of the scene. It was a rare moment of peace amidst the chaos that had defined our journey so far.

I knelt down by the water's edge, dipping my hand into the cool, refreshing stream. The sensation was grounding, a small but significant reminder of the natural beauty that still existed in the world, despite all the darkness we had faced. I splashed some water on my face, feeling a bit more awake and alert.

Loki joined me, crouching down and letting the water run through his fingers. "It's almost too perfect, isn't it?" he mused, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah," I agreed, standing up and brushing off my hands. "It's like something out of a dream."

We lingered for a few more moments, taking in the scene before us. It was a small respite, but one that we both needed. Finally, Loki stood up and nodded towards the stream. "We should keep moving," he said. "We can't be at one place for too long."