Legacy: A Hero Has Come

Book 1: Chapter 2

"So...tell me again why we are here?"

Roland and Josephine hiked through the forest, passing through the tall evergreens and oaks, and climbing over the rivers that flowed through. Raising their heads at the sky, they both saw the sun gradually descend from its zenith. They had walked for over an hour and a half, already reaching the forest's end.

Josephine glanced at each tree, taking note of each of their position while making sure to watch her step.

Birch, Oak, Evergreens, Weeping Willows...we're definitely on track.

"I told you, Roland. This is where your next present is," she mused. "If we run into any trouble, you can use that sword to chase them away."

Having no experience in swordsmanship, that was going to be an issue for Roland if ever a beast or a monster pounce unexpectedly. Josephine twirled around and playfully skipped backward, but then turned back as she almost tripped. They walked across a long log bridge that hovered a rapidly flowing river. If she had fallen, then it would have been the end.

"Well, you better be careful. These logs are slippery and if anything happened..."

Roland spoke too soon. Right when Josephine placed her foot down, she slipped, her leather loafers gaining friction on the moss-covered surface. She lost her footing and nearly fell into the river, screaming at the top of her lungs for her dear life. Fortunately, Roland acted fast and quickly grabbed her arm. The thought of losing his childhood friend was unbearable for him, which gave him the strength to save her from such a fate. He lifted her back on her feet, an accomplishment his scrawny arms managed to do, pulling her close to his chest while looking down to see if she was alright, though he knew she was tough enough to pull herself together. Nevertheless, that didn't stop him from worrying.

Josephine frowned, holding him tight, grateful that he had saved her life on time. Her life nearly flashed before her eyes, reminiscing of the times Roland got her out of such sticky situations, and vice versa. She thanked him under her wheezing breath, her heart still beating rapidly. The forest grew silent as they felt like time had remained still, refusing to let each other go. They then gazed into each other's eyes, their lips slowly coming closer but then pulled away. The birds above the canopy chirped, and they both came to their senses.

A loud crack emanated from underneath Roland and Josephine's feet, and they had to get to the other side as fast as possible. From their combined weight, the rotting wood below was breaking. The two immediately jumped off and, right at that very moment, the log collapsed, breaking in two and sailing adrift down the river.

"Well, I guess we're going to have to find another way back, huh?" Roland tried to make light of the situation, but Josephine nodded, her cheerful demeanor faded. They then pressed onward, their faces completely red.

Calm yourself, Josephine. You put too much into this, and you can't afford to mess it up. Josephine sighed and clenched her small chest. She had a determined scowl, her brow furrowed as she walked farther away from her friend. After we get to the spot, I'll tell him how I truly feel.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Adamant Forest, two farmers walked through the thick oaks, their bare feet shallowly sinking into the mud. The long leaves were large, rarely allowing any light to shine, except for a few glimmers beaming throughthe leaves . Their straw sunhats became useless in such an environment. Lugging large bags over their shoulders, they stumbled into a hollow where small quarry too up much of the space while the bog covered the marshy floors. Towering over them was a large stone ring with inscriptions carved on the ridges, a relic of a bygone era as it remained motionless, gathering moss and nature unhurriedly engulfing its size.