Down a never ending path, in between mushroom and fungi homes, stuck in the never ending woods with a strange blue haired boy with strange intentions. Terra followed Reuel as the homes became lessened, the road was not as kept. Now it was more of a dirt path with nothing but trees and homes for bugs and beetles.
"We are almost home my darling." Reuel hummed.
"Do not call me that." she grumbled as they approached an old stump.
Terra barely remembered waking up. She had slept the best sleep she had of all time. Which was incredibly worrying considering how she had ended up sleeping so well.
Though to her surprise, She had woken with a note on her bed.
I have chained myself inside room -45 as a promise that I did nothing to you but lay you to your sleep. I look forward to seeing you, my savior and hero. I do hope you slept well.
~Your love, Reuel
Terra nearly gagged at the note, though she couldn't help but believe him. Especially when Boonie came down to unlock door -22 and Terra entered the room to find Reuel leaning against a wall sitting slumped on the floor, chains heavily decorated across his body. How he had managed to tie himself up so thoroughly, Terra couldn't possibly imagine. Blue hair covered his face as he snored quietly.
It was an oddly satisfying sight for Terra to see. She even considered leaving him there after Boonie asked "Key?"
Though she admitted she needed him to fix her damned ears. And so Terra grudgingly took the key from Boonie and shoved the strange man awake.
Now Terra stood beside that very same strange man who grinned at her as she stared at a curved and ancient tree stump.
It was a fairly large stump at that, a few feet taller than her and Reuel.
"Welcome Terra, to the Sunken palace." Reuel smiled casually.
"Is it hidden under this stump?" she scoffed sarcastically.
A small twig stuck out from the side of the stump. Reuel walked towards it and snapped it off. After a moment of two, the world began to grumble.
"In fact, yes."
Terra stared at the twisting stump dumbfounded. Of course it was.
The forest shook, trees whispering with their leaves as the stump turned and rose revealing a lantern lit entrance, a hollowed out portion of the tree. Reuel stepped inside.
"No." she managed.
"No?" Reuel asked. He moved his arm into her view, the arm with more of the vines he used to handcuff her. The vines danced and slid around his arm as though to intimidate her.
She glared and stepped inside, arms crossed tightly to her chest.
"You will pay for this someday, Reuel, for all of it."
"I'm sure I will." He smirked as the world shook again and the stump lowered. Down, down, down they went. She crossed her arms tighter. Something about the hollowed stump reminded her of the memory which she would much rather forget. Though the cavern was lit with lanterns, it was too tight, too closed off from the forest and open air. The lower they dropped, the faster her heartbeat sped.
The loneliness, trapped, with no one to save her.
Afraid.
A hand lightly touched her back, she uncrossed her shaking arms. The hand traveled to hers.
Wordlessly traveling down further and further, Terra blushed shamefully as she stayed hand in hand with her strange blue haired man. Though her arm had finally stopped shaking. The stump suddenly stopped as well, revealing a long cavern tunnel lined with moss, vines, flowers, and lanterns to illuminate the dense cavern in a warm glow.
Drops of water could be heard creeping down the cavern walls and off the shards of rocks upon the ceiling.
Reuel, to her own agitation, was first to drop her hand from his grasp and stepped into the tunnel.
Tentatively, she followed.
They walked down the path and Terra studied the flowers. Each and every kind except daisies. A tiny part of her wondered why. Another tiny part of her wondered if Reuel stole them. She hid a small smirk.
"Now, a few rules for this place, though I know you'll go and break them anyways."
"No speaking to anyone besides me," she rolled her eyes, the first rule was already ridiculous. "No touching things, nor stealing, and most importantly..." he stopped abruptly in front of her and turned his head with a smile. "No killing."
"I thought you said nothing here dies. These rules are stupid."
"You may choose to follow them or not. Though I suggest you should do exactly as I say."
"Or else what." She snickered as they walked on.
"Or else you'll find yourself situated in unfortunate circumstances."
She rolled her eyes.
The path began to grow wider, a soft glow of many colors ahead as the path curved and hid the source from view.
Reuel tentatively snuck her hand into his again but she snatched it away.
First it was the smell, daisies and sweetness, lavender and pine.
"I'm not afraid." she sneered.
Then a soft sound of music and chatter, almost drowned out against the sound of rushing water and the pound of it against earth and stone.
And at last, the landscape she saw when the two turned the corner.
"If you say so." Reuel chimed.
A massive cavern, illuminated merely by a city, a jagged ancient looking palace, and many, many waterfalls.
A Sunken City.
YOU ARE READING
Forever Forest
FantasyA small house in the middle of the woods. A daughter and her father. A normal life Terra expected to live. Though the second she stepped into the forest, she found her world had turned upside down. Afraid of a fantasy, though her story would be just...
