Chapter 1: The Black Riding Hood
It was very blurry. I didn’t have any idea where I was during that time. From my peripheral vision, I saw only the dark yellowish lighting placed on the ceiling. My mind wasn’t clearly set, so I closed my eyes once more. I was very confident that I was only imagining things since, I thought, I had slept too long. But when I opened my eyes, I wasn’t wrong about what I had first thought. Indeed, I was in someplace unfamiliar.
I couldn’t remember anything before this. I only felt like I had been sleeping since ages. But that was impossible. I finally puzzled out that this might be a dream. I pushed myself up in a sitting position and tried to get a 180 degrees picture of the place. I thought that the shelter didn't look like a flat which you could find somewhere downtown. It was a little too cozy, small, and old-fashioned. I was guessing that it's a cabin in the woods.
Just… how did I get here? Is this really a dream?
That wasn’t the first time that I knew I was dreaming while I was in my dreams. But this time, things were different.
While I was still in the middle of wondering, I heard the clicking of the doorknob as it was being turned, and the door immediately opened afterward. I got scared for a moment, but at the same time curious to find out if I would finally find someone who'd explain things to me. But from behind the door entered a woman wearing a black hoody. By the shape of her body, I could tell she's a woman, but her face wore a neutral look that she could easily be confused for a man. Her long blond hair hang loose and she held a black staff. Her countenance was quite cold but serious, probably studying my face- whether I was feeling well or not. I didn't want to waste any more time and it appeared to me that she wasn't going to say anything, so I began to ask,
“Hey, where am-“
The black riding hood didn’t give me a chance to finish my words, but gave me an order in an austere and authoritative tone.
“Follow me.”
“Uh-huh? Where and why?”
She didn’t answer me. She just walked and opened another door, which I had first thought were a bathroom. But the door led to a smaller room where a strange well was hidden. This got be puzzled. Just why would a well be inside a house?
“I told you to follow me, so follow me literally. Got it?”
“Huh?”
I was skeptical. I didn’t know what this was all about. But suddenly, she jumped into the well. She jumped down the well! I was flabbergasted!
“HEY!” I exclaimed.
Wide-eyed, I stared down the emptiness of the well. What the heck did she just do? She just… she jumped! That’s suicide! She killed herself by jumping down the well! That was the first time that I had seen an actual suicide. I was completely nervous and aghast.
I felt my limbs tremble in shock; I didn’t know what to do. I kept staring at the empty, dark well, wondering if she really were dead already. But after a few minutes, I suddenly remembered that she had told me to "follow her literally". So… she wanted me to jump as well!
I was still sane enough to know that it wasn't a good idea. Why would I kill myself because some stranger had just told me so? But on second thought, this was all a dream. So why not try the “near death experience” right here and now? I stared down the well once more with a doubtful expression, thinking how deep this might be and what other thing-if not death- could happen to me if I were to jump. But a sudden surge of bravery engulfed all of my doubts and fears, and I even thought that I might be going insane. But if I couldn’t be this courageous in real life, then in dreams I should be!
Chapter 2: The Forestierre
How does it feel to fall in a deep well?
I was excited to finally experience what it’s like to be near death, but my dream made me experience something unreal. I couldn't be killed here, apparently. The well seemed to be more of a teleportation device rather than an actual well. The moment that I jumped was the exact moment that I came to find my body hanging by the edge of another well. I didn’t feel like I had fallen at all. No free-falls. That was nothing but magic.
What a strange dream.
I moved myself out from the well and studied the surroundings. I was already in a completely different place. After jumping into the well that was in a cabin, I found myself in what seemed to be a grassland. In front of me were two huge gates that concealed whatever was behind it. The gates were designed with ornate and peculiar patterns and shapes. Given that my memories were limited, I still had a feeling that I had never seen anything so exquisitely mystical as those gates. And in front of those gates stood the black riding hood whose enchanting appearance complemented the mysterious gates behind.
Even though I'd known that she couldn't have possibly died, I was still showered with relief by seeing her standing in front of me.
“Of course you didn't die.” I began. "How did I end up here? What is this place?" I bravely asked.
“I am the guardian of the Forestierre gates. But more importantly, I am the host of this game--this game, which you are about to play.”
Instant anxiety mixed with confusion flooded my mind. What is she talking about? She mentioned “game”. But what was about the game? My dream was getting more and more insane.
“Ligian Bahmatan, you will play the so-called ‘Escape Game'. This is the Forestierre gate, and behind this is a wide forest--the Forestierre.”
I was trying to pick up the words she was saying, but my brain was having a hard time processing them. How did she know my name? But in the midst of confusion I realized again that it was just a dream. And since this was just my dream, then I would just go with its flow. I held onto the belief that some time sooner, I would wake up from this bad dream.
“Fine. So, how can I win?” I asked with renewed confidence.
“Simple. The only thing that you have to do is to find the way to escape from that forest. However, since the place is, as I have mentioned, too wide, I will give you someone who would serve as your guide. As for the rest of the clues and instructions, you’ll know them along the way.”
In reality, what she said were all too unreal to me and I couldn't take her seriously. And if this were truly a game, her instructions were lacking. However, having the thought of this as being a "dream", I decided not to probe for more details.
“Okay, got it. So how are you going to play the ‘hosting’?”
She gave me a meaningful smile that gave me the chills. How freaky.
"I’ll do it my own way. Meanwhile, just do your job. Are you ready now? Once the gates start to open and close, there’s no quitting.”
I paused for a moment. I felt a heavy pressure all over my body. It’s like I was gambling my own life. But again, I persuaded myself that this was all a dream, and everything was going to be okay.
“Okay, I… I think I’m ready.” I replied.
The moment that I uttered those words, the great gates slowly turned wide open, splitting in two, revealing more of the view of the arcane forest. I was dazed by the serene yet threatening sight of Forestierre. It was weird that I felt both terror and excitement at once.
My knees trembled, but I managed to take one step, and then two, until I found myself walking past the black riding hood. I fixed my eyes on the forest up ahead, not making the mistake of looking at her. Just passing by her made me feel more anxious.
Finally, I got inside the Forestierre. I looked back and saw the gates closing slowly, and the black riding hood smiling at me. I wanted to run outside again, but something was stopping me. I couldn’t identify what it was exactly, but perhaps it’s the thought that this was a dream, and there's no turning back now.
When the gates shut, a strong gust of wind passed me by. I actually didn’t want to look behind me, terrified that I might find something that would make me wish that I had refused to participate in this game, but I did. And I saw the path that I should take, but reluctance overpowered my will. I turned around to where the gates were supposed to be, but they were gone. The gates had just vanished!
Even when I was sure where they were exactly positioned, I tried to search for the gates. I didn’t see anything but a long path, countless tall trees and unfamiliar plants and flowers around the forest. This, indeed, was magical. I didn’t know how to feel. Was I supposed to be amazed? Or perhaps, scared?
“Hi! You are Ligian, aren’t you? I’m Twinkle Bell- your guardian!”
I was startled. I looked around, searching for the one who spoke. The voice was small and friendly, and I couldn't help feeling glad that I had a companion. But where did it come from?
“W-where are you?” I asked nervously.
“What? I’m right here! Look behind you!”
I looked behind me, but there was none.
“Please quit the-!”
A firefly that was as big as a human thumb came to view, and it spoke!
“Howdy! It’s nice to meet you!”
I shrieked and stumbled backwards.
“W-what…! AHHH!” I screamed loudly after realizing that an abnormally-sized insect had just spoken to me.
Out of fear, I ran as fast as I could. I didn’t even know where I was heading. In my mind I cursed my dream and the black riding hood that brought me here.
“Ligian! Please don’t run away. I won’t harm you! I am your guardian, that’s why I’m here.” The insect explained as it chased after me.
The black riding hood’s words flashed back in my mind. I remembered him saying that there would be someone here who’d guide me all the way. But why does it have to be an insect? How could an insect guide me, by the way?
Okay Ligian, take things slowly. You are inside your dreams--REALLY strange dreams--so just go with it. You will wake up sooner or later. Stay calm.
I slowed down and caught my breath. I closed my eyes, readying myself as I struggled to calm down.
“Okay, alright. I’m sorry. I did over-react.”
“Well, it’s not surprising. For an ordinary human to have actually encountered a talking insect is quite foreign.”
“How did you know my name?”
“Just 'cause. I don’t know how to make the explanation understandable for you. Just think of it as though this is a story and you're the main character."
"Not sure if that makes things better, but I'll try. So, what do we do now? The black riding hood there told me that this game is all about escaping. So how do I escape?”
“Oh, you mean the Gate Keeper? She’s also the host of this ‘Escape Game'. Well, even I don’t know how to escape. We’ll just have to find out ourselves.”
I got very disappointed. Why wouldn’t he know? Didn’t he say that he’s going to serve as my guardian?
“How can you not know? Aren’t you my guardian? What useless little creature you are!"
“Please don’t speak harshly, Ligian. If I had known everything, then I shouldn’t be your companion. This game would be meaningless if your guide were omniscient.”
“Then, why are you here?” I asked snobbishly.
“I am here to help you. I can only guide you with the places and with some of the things that you should do.”
“Now that you've said that, what am I supposed to do now? Give me an idea.”
“First, you have to have a protection charm to fight against all the hideous creatures here. And the easiest way that I know is to get the one-eyed monster’s eye.”
I was truly shocked to hear that there were actually monsters roaming around here. And as he had just said, I needed to get a one-eyed monster’s eye! I couldn't even imagine a human giving up one of his eye. Then how much more for a “monster” with only “one” eye?
“D-did you just say… monster? How the hell will I be able to steal a monster’s eye? Will he give it to me willingly? How is that the easiest?”
“Yes it’s the easiest way. You have to do that or else, you’ll die in the hands of another monster.”
“Then, how do I do it?”
“Oh, that’s so easy. You’ll just have to kill the monster treacherously.”
“Kill?! Oh my goodness, I am no killer!”
“It's a monster, Ligian.”
I started asking why the dream was taking a little too long. Why wouldn’t I just wake up? The way that this little creature told me to kill the monster was as though it were as simple as sleeping and waking up. But did I have any other choice?
Before realizing it, though, I was already walking by the little insect’s lead. Is he already taking me to where the one-eyed monster is?
“Well, firefly, I see you’re confident there, huh?” I said with bitterness. Just why was he so carefree?
“Partly, the reason is because you’re the one who’s going to face the monster. And the other reason is, you’re not actually going to face the dangerous one. It’s the little Polyphemus you’re going to attack.”
Wait… what? Did he say, ‘Polyphemus’? Hmm… It sounds quite familiar. A one-eyed monster. Wait a minute, I know that I’ve heard of this before. I feel like I knew how to deal with this. But, just why can’t I remember?
“A Polyphemus, you said? I think, I…” I tried but couldn’t grasp that part of my memory.
“Yes, the little Polyphemus. You know, the Cyclops. Ah, never mind. You’ll see him in person anyway.”
I thought that it was really impossible. I knew so well that I was inside my dream. Couldn’t a person have all of her memories with her when she’s dreaming?
My thoughts were interrupted by the little creature as he spoke of something about the Cyclops and the game.
“You know, it’s already afternoon. Once the dark comes, the Cyclopes’ vision will get even sharper. You know, their visions are blurry in the morning. The heat of the sunlight irritates their eyes.”
“So, we’re going to attack tomorrow morning?” I asked.
“Yes. And you know… um, you don’t know, do you? Well, you have to find the escape as fast as you can. Just like any other game, you too, have a time running out.”
“Huh? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? How long is the time provided for me?”
“About 118 hours. But you’ve already lost four hours, so technically, you’ve got 116 hours left.”
“What? This is crazy! What kind of a game is this? And what will happen to me if I fail to escape in due time?”
The firefly didn’t respond quickly. It gave me the chills.
“Well, quite obvious, Missy. You’ll never be able to escape. Isn’t that what this game is all about? You are seriously trapped in the Forestierre, and you are supposed to find the way out seriously too. Once you fail, of course you’ll be trapped here forever.”
“Hah, you’re saying that to scare me? I know that this is a dream. Once I wake up in the real world, all of this fantasy would just disappear like nothing ever happened.”
“Up until now, you’re still thinking that this is just a dream? Think like that forever and there's no doubt you'll fail.”
I was suddenly out of speech. I was overcome by doubt and anxiety. Was I just trying to neglect the current situation and believing it to be unreal because I didn't want to accept the horrible situation that I was in?
Chapter 3: Region of the Giants
I opened my eyes and realized that I had slept under an oak tree. I couldn’t remember how I got under the tree, but it was clear that we were already far from where we first came from. What was I thinking about yesterday? Why didn’t I have my consciousness with me all along?
I tried to study the place, and realized that the evening passed by too quickly. It was morning already. And then there came the firefly.
I was just about to think that this firefly wasn’t real, but he came. So, everything that happened yesterday wasn’t a dream.
“Howdy! Now that you’ve finally woken up, I bet you’re really starving! I've just discovered some delicious fruits here! Follow me,” the firefly said.
Without saying a word, I followed him. Then I realized that I never mentioned his name before. I could remember his name, though. He introduced himself as “Twinkle Bell”, but I never called him that ever since we met. I called him in general terms, like “little creature”, “little firefly”, and so on so forth.
“Hey, come to think about it. Even though you have been very polite calling me by my name, I haven’t called you by yours. You did identify yourself very well, yet I rudely called you in general terms. I’m sorry, Twinkle Bell.”
“Oh! That, I really don’t mind. But I’m glad that you can still remember my name. Thank you, Ligian.”
Spending less than 24 hours with this creature was enough to put my trust on him. Besides, he was the only companion that I could have.
After what seemed to be a five-minute walk, we finally reached the tree bearing unique but sweet fruits. Indeed, they were extremely delicious!
“Whoa, this is amazing. I feel like it's the first time that I've tasted such fruit!”
“I told you so!” Twinkle Bell happily replied.
“By the way, how did we get here, and where are we? Are we already close to where the Cyclopes are?” I asked.
“Actually, we are already in the place where the Cyclopes dwell. So, we are very close to the cave where the Polyphemus and the little Polyphemus live.”
That revelation made me chill. Knowing that we were already “very” close to the Cyclopes, got me a lot more anxious. I hadn't yet planned my treachery to obtain the little Polyphemus's eye. But, I suddenly remembered that I could use the Cyclopes’ weakness which was heat.
“Hmm, then how about helping me make a torch?” I asked.
“What? Just how can a little insect like me help you?”
"Just tell me which wood to use.”
"Mind telling me what your plan is?" asked Twinkle Bell.
"You'll see."
With the help of Twinkle Bell, I was able to create a torch that could last for more or less two hours. Then, we left for the cave.
Carrying only the torch and a thin wood with a sharpened edge, we reached the cave and found the giant sound asleep at the opening of the cave. I was reluctant at first that this was little Polyphemus, since it was as big as a two-storey building. But Twinkle Bell insisted that this sleeping giant was actually the baby. The Polyphemus, his father, was a lot bigger than he was.
What? So if the other Cyclopes were twice as big as this little Polyphemus, then I’m dead once I make one mistake in stealing his eye. I should be careful.
When I was already in front of his face, I hesitated for a moment, feeling embarrassed by what I was about to do. It was too bad that I couldn't remember, but for that brief moment I had wondered whether I were in fact a violent person in the real world. It didn't last long, as I had the feeling that the Cyclops would soon wake up and get its hands on me before I did. So, I hurriedly placed the torch near his eye. His eye moved, which indicated that it already got irritated and he was about to wake up. Soon, he opened his big eye, and that was the moment that I swiftly stabbed his eye with my thin wood, and pulled it with all my might to remove his eye from the socket.
Due to pain, a loud scream, which caused a semi-earthquake, came out from his diaphragm. It took me less than a minute of effort to completely detach his eye from the socket. Heavy crimson blood oozed out from where his eye used to be. Since he was already blind, he stood out of panic and ran in circles while crying and screaming.
“Good job, Ligian! Now, run fast! The Cyclopes will discover this soon!” Twinkle Bell instructed.
I ran as fast as I could and hid behind the bushes and tall trees. After less than five minutes, the Cyclopes came to rescue. Polyphemus was most angered by what happened to his son, but I couldn’t do anything. Even though I felt sorry for him, and knew that it was treachery, this was what Twinkle Bell had told me. It’s for my survival.
I was glad, though, that I needn’t kill the baby Cyclops. I knew he was in deep pain, but at the very least, I didn’t take away his life. I looked at the eye forked by my thin wood. It’s as big as a human palm. But amazingly, it wasn’t so heavy at all.
“Now Ligian, since we have stolen the eye, we have to first stay away from the Cyclopes' territory. And after that, we’ll make a necklace for that eye.” Twinkle Bell said.
“What? No! There's no way I'm wearing this!” I complained.
“If you aren’t going to do it, then what’s the essence of even stealing it? The eye is meant to become a pendant. And the one who wears it will be protected from marauding monsters. Additionally, it will give you extra strength.”
Well, I realized that I had no choice. I simply sighed and followed after Twinkle Bell as we ran away from the Cyclopes’ territory.. The region of the Cyclopes was so big that it took us until late afternoon to completely stay out of their dwelling place. I worried as I wondered how much time had been wasted for running.
After the long run, we rested for a while. Then Twinkle Bell taught me how to make the necklace. Well, it wasn't so difficult to make one. Since the eye wasn’t so heavy, I didn't have any difficulty wearing it around my neck. Twinkle Bell strongly warned me not to take off the necklace no matter what.
I didn’t know where we were at that time. I didn’t realize that I had slept, and I didn’t feel like I did. But since I had woken up in the morning, I realized that I really did fall asleep without my intention of doing so.
My sleep was only disturbed by a loud noise coming from a distance. It started with what sounded like a trumpet, then stomps of feet. I had a bad feeling that it was the Cyclopes, sending troupes of monster-soldiers to catch me. I got pretty scared and instantly searched for Twinkle Bell.
“Twinkle!”
“That sound…” a small voice came from behind.
I turned around and saw Twinkle Bell.
“…that’s the sound from the Forestierre Academy. It happens when the classes start,” he continued.
“What? There’s an academy in this strange forest? Are you kidding? Then who are studying there?” I asked in an unbelieving tone.
“You’d be surprised, but there are actually students there. They are humans.” He responded.
“Huh? There are humans here?! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Sorry, I was going to tell you anyway. In fact, our next stop is the Forstierre Academy. Heaps of essential books can only be found there, since they hold the only library in the entire Forestierre.”
I felt like this Twinkle Bell was really mysterious. I started doubting his knowledge as a guardian. A guardian should know, however, and I had no choice but to rely on everything he said.
“Sorry Ligian. You’re a human, so I know how badly you want to take a bath. Right after finding the essential information from the library, we can go find the river next.” He said.
“I’m glad that you know my needs as a person. I’m also glad that we ended up near the academy. I bet you wouldn’t remember about this if we hadn't heard the sound.”
“Don’t treat me like that. It’s as if you don’t believe in my skills. I intentionally headed this way because I know that we’d get closer to the next stop through this path.”
Whatever.
Just as we thought, the academy was just meters away from where we last stopped. And I was surprised to see such big, beautiful, yet eerie academy in the middle of the forest. The gates were colored black, and we could see the other humans beyond the gates and walls. I felt very nostalgic. Of course, in the back of my mind I knew that I also went to school in the real world. And after all that magic that had been happening to me, I really never thought that I’d ever see anything close to normal, if normal at all, inside the Forestierre.
Chapter 4: The Academy
I didn't hesitate going inside as there were humans studying there. Twinkle Bell told me that he couldn’t come, since a tailing firefly would be weird. Also taking into consideration his size, he was as big as a human thumb. There’s no ordinary firefly that’s as big as he was. So I had to go inside all by myself. He strictly warned me not to talk to anyone if it’s not that necessary. I had to focus on finding their library, and search for essential books.
At first I thought that this was the only thing in Forestierre that would make me feel at home. I thought the academy was the most normal thing that I’d ever see here. But I was wrong. Everything in Forestierre was weird.
Following Twinkle Bell’s strict instruction, I had to keep my head down all the time by staring at the ground. I was also told that I should never meet their eyes. The tall uniformed man guarding the gates asked me a question before letting me in.
“Quid est nomen tibi?” (What is your name?)
“Ego sum mortale, Ligian Bahmatan.” (I am a mortal, Ligian Bahmatan)
Upon hearing my response, he instantly let me in. In truth, I didn’t understand what he had asked. But Twinkle Bell assured me that it was what he was going to ask me, so he instructed me to answer that, which I myself didn’t understand as well. It didn’t matter, however, since I safely got inside the academy.
As I was looking for the library, I also had a chance to shoot short glances at the people. They appeared to be very normal to me, aside from that they never talked to anybody. Everyone’s weird in Forestierre, indeed.
This academy is too big! Where could it possibly be where? I mean, the library?
I'd been inside the academy for as short as five minutes, but I had immediately ran out of luck. I didn't notice that I had stepped on a puddle. I lost my footing and fell on the floor, butt first. Instead of worrying about the pain, I shivered and got really nervous that I might've gotten everyone’s attention.
I helped myself up and made side-glances at the people around me to check whether they're looking or not. How I was startled that at that instant, everybody was already glaring at me!
Dang! This is no good… no good! Everyone is looking at me! How am I supposed to escape this?
I decided to just pretend as if nothing happened. I walked briskly. At the very moment that I stepped one foot forward, everyone else moved back to their own paces! Yeah, like nothing happened indeed.
Gosh. They sure are weird.
Not long after that incident, I finally saw the library. And boy, the library was so grand! It was spacious and it felt as though I had just entered the great hall at Lincoln's Inn. The shelves were high and decorated with intricate patterns. The place was just so full of books that finding the right book might be hard for me. Thank the heavens that they were using catalogs.
I searched for the shelves which contained books about Forestierre. I was awestruck that there was only one among the many shelves there that contained “few” of the books about Forestierre. Well, since the library was amazingly huge and wide, I didn't anticipate that the essentials that I was looking for would be so few.
I picked up three books randomly and brought them to the nearest table. But the librarian caught my attention as I sat on the chair. Twinkle Bell did tell me not to look at their eyes, so I pulled myself together. However, I knew, even without looking directly, that the librarian was gazing at me. Intently.
This is awkward… she makes me feel uncomfortable.
I told myself that I was just imagining things. I tried to ignore the librarian's piercing gaze as I opened the first book and read the contents. The book contained nothing but pictures about the natural resources here in the Forestierre. I decided to go immediately to the second book and look into its content. Fortunately, I found something interesting.
The Dungeon of the Forest… what about it? This is interesting.
I read that part. I discovered that in that dungeon lived a green witch. She granted wishes for something in exchange. I had the thought that perhaps, she could help me escape from this forest. And I thought that it was a good idea- to look for the dungeon.
I flipped the page and saw a picture drawing. Below it was written: “Gondola”.
Hmm… so this little boat is called “Gondola”, eh? So this forest has a river?
I had been reading seriously when I was again interrupted by the cold glare that the librarian was shooting at me. She really had a strange aura- worse than those of the ordinary students in the academy. Since I couldn’t stand the chills, I decided to move out of the table and just stay between the shelves, where she could not see me. I sat on the floor, picked up the third book, and opened it. But even before I had the chance to read its title, suddenly, I saw two legs in front of me. I looked up, and got horrified by her face that was suddenly up-close, and the accidental meeting of our eyes!
“YOU CAN’T READ BOOKS IN BETWEEN THE SHELVES.”
That was the only sentence that she said, but it scared the hell out of me. I left all the books and ran away as fast as I could. I left the academy once and for all!
That… that! That librarian freaked me out! I’m never going back there anymore! Weirdo!
I got very exhausted. I got down on my knees, and felt my sweat coming out excessively.
Finally, Twinkle Bell showed himself. Just where did he go?
“Oh dear… What happened to you? Why are you sweating? Have you found anything?” Twinkle bell asked.
“Damn… this is crazy! Everything, everyone! This is driving me insane!” I exclaimed.
“Now, now, what’s wrong with you, Ligian?”
I helplessly pointed my finger at the academy.
“That academy… I’m never going back there! The students, the librarian… everyone! They’re freaking me out!”
“Well… I guess a terrible misfortune have befallen us today. But did you find anything, though?”
“Please, Twinkle Bell… misfortune didn’t befall us ‘today’. It has been with us since the day that I came to this place!”
“I’m sorry, Ligian. It’s not like I’m happy that you are in this game, but…”
“Whatever, at least I still had read some information. I learned that there is a dungeon in this forest. I am interested about the green witch settling in a dungeon. Do you know about this, Twinkle?”
“Ah- the dungeon of the forest. Yes, I am well familiar with it. Let’s see, it must be somewhere close from here.”
Twinkle Bell flew up in the sky, trying to find out whether we were already close enough or not.
“Ah, well… I guess let’s just first go to the river.”
“Yeah, I want that too. But what’s the matter? Say, are we very far from the dungeon?”
“Uh, well, um… you see, the dungeon is an ancient structure. Although it must still be there up till now, somewhere in Forestierre, I’m pretty much sure that it’s either ruined or buried under the great sands.”
“W-what…? So are you telling me that finding the dungeon would be impossible?” I asked with disappointment.
"Not entirely impossible, but there's very small possibility of finding it. Moreover, we can't be sure about the witch.”
I decided not to speak anymore. I was losing hope. I wasted a lot of time already. I felt anxious.
The river wasn’t far. I felt refreshed when we reached it, considering that the water looked very clean and fresh! I immediately had Twinkle Bell leave for a few minutes, and then I excitedly jumped into the river and cleaned myself.
Finally! After all the tiresome and unfortunate events, here I am- taking my first bath in my dreams--or maybe not? Nevermind!
I didn’t take too long, and got out of the river. I searched around for the little firefly, but he was missing. I didn’t mind, perhaps he was looking for food.
I sat against a tree and reflected on the things that had been happening since the very moment that I had arrived here. But soon after my solitary moment, I heard noises. I was alarmed. At first I thought it was just Twinkle Bell. But no, it was the sound of a crawling beast. That gave me a fright.
I stood up and moved back at the slowest, calmest, and quietest way that I could. I was all ears, trying to locate whether the animal was still somewhere close by the sound of its paws. But after lingering for about a minute or two, I heard nothing. I sighed out of relief, but the moment that I turned to lean against the tree, a beast with two long sharp fangs frightened me as it was only a few inches away from my back!
It looked like a huge cat with two long fangs. Its fierce eyes were intently glaring at my face, and it was growling- as if it were very hungry and excited now that a prey stood cornered before it.
“Spare me… P-please,” was my only helpless plea.
It came closer, as if ready and sure that it was going to successfully have my insides churned up. I was thinking that this was my end, and I was crossing my fingers in hopes that I might at least wake up from the nightmare. I really, seriously did think that I was going to be eaten alive.
But,
“How… how did you get that eye?” a voice came from somewhere.
I dared search with my eyes. Who said that?
“I asked, how you got that, silly human!” it repeated its question.
Before I ever lost my sanity, I finally realized that the one who was speaking to me was this saber-toothed animal in front of me! He could speak the human language, but he wasn’t using his mouth. Another show of magic!
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t realize earlier that it was you! A-are you… sparing me?”
“Will you please just answer my question, lady? Or perhaps, would you rather be eaten?”
“N-no, no… um, I… I got this from the little Polyphemus. Please, if you’re their assigned creature to get me, spare me! I just followed an order!” I was already dead trembling when I spoke to the animal.
“What? You’re seriously thinking that a royal creature like me is serving the Cyclopes? Aren’t you blasphemous, Madame?”
“I’m so sorry! But if you aren’t their familiar, then who are you?” I asked.
“I am a saber-tooth, as you can see. I am a wanderer who has been interested in the Cyclops’ powerful eye. But I see that a mere human actually has beaten me already. Did you lure little Polyphemus into giving you his only eye?” It asked.
“N-no, I… I used heat to irritate his eye while he was sound asleep. And then I forked his eye out and ran away. I didn’t kill him, though.”
“Oh. You are, indeed, a treacherous woman,” it said.
“Holy! What are you doing here?!” said another voice from behind.
“Bell…? Is that you?!”
I looked at the other creature, and it was Twinkle Bell! They were acquaintances!
“Gee, so that’s why this girl has the Cyclops’ eye, huh? You helped her.”
“Um, actually, I only helped as far as taking her to the cave. But with all the tactics, well what can you say?” Twinkle Bell responded.
“Err… sorry, but, Twinkle Bell, you actually know each other?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. Don't bother asking about the history," replied Twinkle Bell.
I heaved a sigh of relief. At least I wouldn't get eaten.
"Let's get out of here, Ligian. We need to hurry to the dungeon, don't we?" Reminded the seemingly irritated firefly.
“I do not want to interrupt, but since your mission seems really important, I will accompany you on your journey.”
I was thrilled by his declaration. The more the merrier!
“You will? Whoa, then we’re a bigger group now! Thank you, Mr. saber-tooth!” Then I smiled from ear to ear.
“I am Yuzan. Don’t call me in general term, please, if you don’t want me to call you ‘Ms. Human’.”
I giggled and said,
“I got it, Yuzan!”
I glanced back at Twinkle Bell. I knew he wasn't comfortable having the saber-tooth around.
"It's fine, isn't it?"
"Whatever, Ligian. It's your choice. Let's go!"
Chapter 5: The Ruined Dungeon
We went on our way. Yuzan was actually useful because he knew where to find the dungeon. How wouldn’t he? He actually described himself as a “wanderer”. And what’s more, he carried me all the way to the dungeon! I needn’t get exhausted, and we arrived pretty much easier and faster.
“Whoa… is this really the dungeon?”
The dungeon was indeed, an ancient structure. It was already ruined. There were parts of its roof that had been torn off, and the walls had holes. But it’s amazing how it still stood erect after all. In this latent and gloomy place, was the long-forgotten treasure of the Forestierre.
“So, before you enter the dungeon, would you tell me your purpose for coming here?” Yuzan asked.
“It was said that a green witch is living here. I want to ask her about something.” I replied.
“But you know very well that asking a witch for a favor is dangerous, right?”
I nodded.
“It entails something that I should give in exchange. But I have to find the way out of Forestierre.” I said.
“Don’t…! Ugh. You've really said it.” Twinkle Bell said in a mixture of annoyed and embarrassed manner.
Yuzan looked at Twinkle Bell.
“Oh, so that’s how it is, huh? Then go with it, and then tell me what happens afterwards. Good luck fellas.” Yuzan said.
After that, Twinkle and I went inside the ruined dungeon. The place was dark, nothing but lit candles lighted the path that led us to where the witch was.
“You know, you shouldn’t have said that to Yuzan.” Twinkle said, as we descended the cold and grimy cobblestone stairs.
“Huh? Why?” I asked.
“You see, he’s never part of your game. There are only two things which may take place after casually telling him your real identity. He’ll help us or he’ll betray us.”
“What? How can you say that? Isn’t he your friend? You knew each other, right?”
“That’s not the point, Missy. Please remember that this is a serious game. Don’t lose your concentration. When somebody else comes, you would trust them because you believe that they’d be of help. I have nothing against your trusting nature, but you're in Forestierre. Be more careful.”
“I don’t get it. Of course I would want others to help me. I mean, I’m sure you also believe that we can’t do this all by just the two of us, right?”
“You’re getting me wrong. Just be careful. Even humans can be cruel towards their own friends. Then how much more for an animal, especially towards a human like you?”
I suddenly became speechless. Twinkle Bell was right, somehow.
We didn’t speak to each other then, until we found the green witch.
I had actually imagined the green witch to be literally green. But no, only her gown was colored green. She wasn’t surprised to see us coming her way. And it seemed as though she had expected our arrival.
“What do you want from me?”
I was actually startled. That wasn’t what I expected her to say at our very first meeting. Indeed, she’s a magical being.
“Well, you see, I need your help.” I said.
“Wow, you really can’t be a bit more reserved with your intentions, can you?” Twinkle Bell said. I could imagine Twinkle shaking his head in disappointment.
“Very well, visitors, please be seated. May I know what your favor is?” the witch asked as she motioned us to sit on an old stone bench. It looked cold and I assumed that I wouldn't take that long, so I remained standing.
“Please tell me how to win this game!” I said bluntly.
“Seriously! Ligian... Oh, dear.“ Twinkle Bell sighed helplessly.
The witch paused for a while. I could hardly guess her thoughts.
“Alright, I get what you want now. I will help you, in exchange of that necklace.” The witch said, pointing her finger at the eye pendant.
Twinkle Bell and I looked at each other. I realized that everyone would find this eye very interesting since it was powerful. She assured me that she would help me, but in exchange of my one and only protection charm.
What should I do? Should I give it up?
“I… I can’t give this to you. This is very important to me.” I said.
“You just stole it from the Cyclops. So how can this be important to you?” Asked the mocking witch.
“It’s my protection charm, you see. Please ask for something else.”
“You cannot bargain with a witch, do you know that, little girl? If you desperately want to stay alive, and make it to your family and friends once more, then don’t be stiff.” The witch threatened.
I looked at my necklace. But I thought she was right. This eye was less important than my survival in this game. I knew that I should hurry back to the real world.
“If I would agree, then how will you help me?”
“I have my own ways. I am a witch, remember? Do not underestimate me, and don’t make me wait too long. Don't test my patience. I am the spirit of this dungeon, and it will never let you escape.”
I got terrified by her threats. But even so, I still couldn’t make up my mind. I couldn’t let go of the necklace.
“We’ll just leave, Madame. Sorry for the intrusion.” Twinkle Bell butted in.
The witch scowled, which made me more freaked out. She was almost going berserk!
“I’ve had enough of you two! You made the wrong decision. You’ll regret that you showed your faces to the green witch!”
The witch's rage triggered the crumbling of the entire dungeon. It moved by itself as if it were alive. The grounds shook as if there were an earthquake. I lost my balance and toppled over a candle stick.
The fall was worse than I thought.
I fell, expecting to fall on the shaking ground of the dungeon. But I fell continuously as if I had actually fallen off a cliff. Yes, the ground was gone, and the pitch-black hole swallowed me up.
The next chapters will be in the "Advent in the Arcane Forest 2"