What Lurks Behind The Trees

The beginning

-1 day ago-

The day started like any other day. A chilly summer day in Wilagorn village, where lavender flowers glittered the fields with purple, and the sun peaked from behind the snowy northern mountains painting them with streaks of gold rays, where people were going on about their daily errands, shouting the names of the vegetables they were selling and fishing in the flowing river that borders the village from the rest of the kingdom with only a wooden bridge as passage. Wilagorn was a small village at the edge of the Osledel kingdom, right by the Stygian forest, an ignored village just like many of the other small villages in the kingdom.

Gregor walked around the village, crunching a red apple and smiling at the villagers that were passing by as they greeted him with the occasional pat on the back. He had just come back from archery practice in the field with his Uncle Sam who happened to be quite talented at fighting. He went to the river where the fishers would sell their fresh fish "Good morning Nev." Gregor said with a grin. Nev gave him the fish as usual, patting him on the head. "Thank you Nev." He said as he gave him the coins. Gregor made his way back home carrying the fish his mother told him to bring.

As soon as he stepped into the cabin he noticed something was off. Usually his mother would be peeling potatoes and his sisters would be milking the cows or picking flowers outside. But it was quiet. He checked the rooms and found everyone in his sisters' room. His elder sister Laina was lying on her bed unmoving, his mother and sister Celia were standing around her, his father was sitting on her bed and the village healer sitting on a chair by her bed. Gregor's heart stopped when he heard his mother crying, "What happened?" he asked worriedly.

His mother turned her head and with sad teary eyes said "She won't wake up. She's alive but she won't wake up." her words were a whisper, almost as if she was in disbelief, trying to convince herself.

"We believe she's suffering from a disease of some sort, one that I have never treated before." the healer said packing his tools into his bag. "There isn't much hope for her, since I'm not really familiar with the types of medicine needed for it. "

Gregor's eyes widened and looked at his sobbing mother.

"but" the healer carried on "there is one way which I remember reading about. It requires a flower that is found in the depths of the Stygian forest, the silent silverglow, a beautiful flower that might be easy to find because it glows in the dark. I don't know exactly where you can find it, but I hear it grows near the waters and ponds in the forest." he then attempted to draw the flower "It looks like this, and with this we can hopefully save your daughter, but you don't have much time." He glanced at Gregor's father "and from the looks of it, you sir Dyron don't look too fit to go out to the woods."

Gregor's father's leg had been bitten by a wolf the day before when he went hunting, and so he could not use it for a while. Dyron rubbed his face in distress and sighed, he felt hopeless and weak.

"Father I could go." Gregor said. Everyone stared at him in shock.

Dyron looked up eyes widened. "No you can't boy."

Tears were threatening to spill out of his eyes."but father, there's no other way. please, she's my sister-"

"And she's my daughter!" his father said sternly. "I can't risk losing you both. Don't you hear of the stories they tell about the forest. It is a cursed place."

Gregor walked to Laina, her face had lost it's colour, her brown hair splayed around her and her lips were dry as a desert, she looked gone. Gregor stroked her hair. "She doesn't have much time father. Look at her."

"Your son is right sir Dyron. With every second that passes, life is slipping out of her." the healer said.

"I- I can't lead my son to his death." Dyron stuttered.

"I can go with uncle Sam. Please father just trust me."

His father sighed, and said quietly with his head down "There's not much time. Go to your uncle and tell him, he should be at the barn."

"Yes father, I will come back with the plant, I promise." he took the sketch of the silent silverglow put it in his pouch and made his way to the door.

"Wait. Come here." His father said head still down in shame. " Take this with you." he took out a dagger from his pocket that had a dragon scale handle and a sharp silver blade with 'Blackwood' carved onto it. Gregor took it and examined it with astonishment. "It was passed down the family, it will keep you safe if need be." He then grabbed his son's shoulders hard. "Come back before nighttime, or you will never make it out. If something happens to you I will not forgive myself." A stray tear made it's way down his face. He patted his son on the shoulder and gave him a sad smile.

Gregor gave him a hug "Don't worry father."

He went to his mother and hugged her. "Oh, my son, please make it back before nighttime." she cried. He then hugged Celia and gave Laina one last glance before making his way out of the cabin.

He ran to the barn to look for his uncle, but he couldn't find him. He looked in the stable, he wasn't there. Gregor did not have time to look for his uncle, nighttime was in a few hours and he had to find the flower quickly. He mounted his brown horse ash, and rode towards the forest. Before he went into the bushy shadows, he exhaled nervously, staring at the dark mist that was hugging the trees.

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