The Sins of the God King

Chapter 35:Elly

Everyone erupted into coughing fits as they emerged from the ground. The twins retched, spilling pieces of fruit they'd eaten earlier. "I still can't get used to that," Elly muttered under her breath, wiping her mouth. Wren and Syl wobbled as they struggled to stand, legs unsteady. Brig remained sprawled on the ground, blinking up at the sky through blurred vision. "Is it night already?" he asked, voice thick with confusion.

Pan followed Brig's gaze upward, his brows knitting together as he took in the towering trees that blocked out most of the sky. "I don't think we're in Dhul'ar," Pan said quietly, his tone grave.

Wren suddenly bolted toward Boney, who was struggling to rise, his face twisted with pain. "What have you done?!" Wren roared, seizing Boney by the neck.

"Get off me, you roach!" Boney spat back, eyes wild as he shoved at Wren's grip.

Elly, her steps faltering on the moss-slick ground, scrambled to reach them. "Where's Pyla?" she demanded, her voice sharp with panic. Her gaze darted frantically over the scene, searching for any sign of where Pyla had landed.

While on the earth dive, Pyla was clearly exhausted, his body trembling with pain. Wren, Brig, and the twins continued shouting at Boney, their voices a chaotic blur. Boney had Pyla by a fistful of hair, clinging tightly as his position shifted precariously backward while they glide within the earth. If he let go, the earth would swallow him whole. He had no choice. His grip tightened as Pyla's cries of pain echoed through the journey..

it was two hours of torment for Pyla—pulled along through agony, the weight of it grinding into him every breath.

Syl's hand shot up, pointing frantically. "Theres Pyla!" she shouted. Near a tree tangled with vines, Pyla was struggling to stand. Without hesitation, everyone rushed toward him, even Wren, who finally released Boney.

They were almost upon Pyla when the trees around them began to stir. Branches creaked, vines twisted, and trunks shifted as if the entire forest were alive, moving of its own will. The sight halted them all in their tracks, fear flashing across their faces.

"Stay where you are!" Pyla's voice cut through the eerie rustling as he raised his hands, a desperate command.

Elly's wide eyes scanned the shifting trees, the sound of splintering wood filling the air like bones breaking. The ground felt unsteady, as if the forest itself was about to close in on them. Fear clawed at her chest, mirrored on every face around her.

"I'm sorry, Elly," Pyla choked out, his face twisted in distress.

Boney, now among them, circled nervously, his voice cracking. "Why are we here?!" Fear clung to his words.

Pyla's face darkened as he finally revealed the truth. "We're in the middle of the Fallen Woods."

He hesitated, eyes filled with regret. "I'm sorry. I've failed. I couldn't get us to Dhul'ar."

A heavy silence enveloped them as they tried to process their grim reality. "It's okay, right? Pyla? The forest won't hurt us because you're with us," Syl asked, her voice laced with hope.

Pyla sank back down, his body still trembling from exhaustion. "You're right. But that's not what I'm worried about," he replied, his tone sobering.

Elly's curiosity surged. "Then what's the problem?"

Pyla took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the musty air. "This forest has become home to countless creatures, each forced to evolve to survive the harsh environment the trees themselves created," Pyla said, his voice carrying a quiet reverence for the danger. "Like honing a dull blade to razor sharpness, those who've endured here have grown formidable—that made them the dominant force here."