UNFINISHED TALES OF GASNAR: BOOK 1 - THE CLICHÉ FOREST OF DARKNESS

III - The Forest of Darkness

After leaving the old witch's cabin, the group headed towards the entrance of the forest. Abruptly, they noticed the change in the environment: the open woods were closing in until nothing could be seen above the trees. Even a gigantic mountain in the middle of the forest had disappeared. Gradually, day turned into night, and the name of the forest began to make sense. In that darkness, it didn't even seem like it was still morning. The eerie noise of seemingly living trees and strange animals haunted them like specters as they ventured further into the forest along a narrow trail. Finally, they reached a fork in the path. The search party paused for a moment, uncertain. Suddenly, Alain took initiative and took the right path without waiting for the other members of the party, accompanied only by his faithful animal.

Luke, Sombrak, Bernàbares, and Gordin exchanged glances with a doubtful expression. They didn't know whether to follow the druid or not. To break the deadlock, the wizard took one of the few coins he had from his pocket and said:

- Let's let chance decide.

Bernàbares and Sombrak agreed, but Gordin had another plan:

- Since he went right, you guys go left. I'll accompany him to make sure he won't betray us later. Besides, we can explore the forest more quickly by splitting up.

The group found the dwarf's idea more interesting. So, Luke put away his coin and, along with the ranger and the barbarian, watched as little Gordin took the right path, running towards the druid to catch up with him. Within a few seconds, the darkness of the forest swallowed the two, leaving the three to take the other path.

Although very dark, the Forest of Shadows allowed a faint entry of light, indicating that anyone could enter during the day. But this same light allowed very little visibility. Beings with night vision would adapt much better there. Until that moment, this forest was like any other, and the druid suspected that the rumors had been spread by orcs and other evil beings that inhabited it. After the forest began to be more patrolled, they spread lies about fantastical stories of evil spirits from the Forest of Shadows stealing souls, with the help of some beings who didn't like the company of men opening roads and passing with their carts always full of people. But perhaps all this is just the imagination of this young druid. With time, everything would be explained.

Gordin was getting annoyed with the druid walking at that fast pace and not waiting for him. After all, a dwarf is not very good at these searches and walking through the woods things. On the other hand, the tiger and the druid roamed the forest as if they had known it for a long time. They walked in silence along the narrow path, communicating only the essentials through gestures. They continued like this, somewhat monotonously, until they were surprised by the sound of a neighing horse and malicious laughter. Among the laughs, a melodious but strident voice echoed through the forest, enchanting them:

- Filthy orcs, I won't let you take Egona! Leave this forest now, or the spirits of nature will turn you into cursed slaves!

- We won't just take this stupid horse, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! And these old ghost stories won't scare us, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! - replied a rough voice and laughing.

As soon as the druid and the dwarf heard this, they quickened their pace, trying to be as discreet as possible. They crossed a small grove of green beeches towards the voices and laughter until they reached a clearing in the forest. There, hidden among the trees, they could see a beautiful nymph, with skin as white as snow and short golden hair, riding a beautiful white sea. She had slightly pointed ears, resembling an elf, but her beauty was even more intense, almost enchanting. Furthermore, her clothes were very natural and she could not hide her curves and features. They saw that the nymph was trying to control her animal while avoiding several spears from humanoid creatures with skin ranging from greenish to magenta tones. The creatures looked like a mix of barbarians with wild boars: they were orcs, evil and unscrupulous creatures who thrived on the pleasure of tormenting their victims. There were eight of them surrounding the poor forest maiden with her mare.

Then, one of the orcs noticed someone approaching, but it was too late for him: the druid struck his staff on the ground, conjuring various vines that sprouted from the ground and trees, immobilizing most of the enemies. Then, the tiger and the dwarf joined the battle, finishing off the remaining ones and, later, the immobilized ones. Only one orc managed to escape into the woods, but they all knew he wouldn't have much luck walking alone there. The nymph, recognizing the brave gesture of her saviors, thanked:

- Noble travelers, I don't know how to thank you. If it weren't for you, my sweet mare, Egona, would serve as food for these dirty orcs. And who knows what would happen to me...

- It's the first time I've seen a nymph, and I'm amazed, - although it's not really my type, thought the dwarf and continued - but I've read about beautiful beings like you and know that you have a special power to enchant your enemies. Why didn't you use it against the orcs?

- The one who managed to escape was an orc shaman. He had some kind of amulet that protected them. However, you don't need to worry about him because alone, he won't go far. But, changing the subject, did you enter this forest in search of the Axe of OX, right? - the young nymph asked while the druid paid attention to their conversation.

- How, after all, do you know this? Do you have any clues about this artifact? - the dwarf questioned.

- This forest has eyes and ears everywhere. However, this evil ax should not be found. It should stay here to be forgotten - the nymph replied.

The dwarf, indignant, raised his voice a little, saying:

- This is blasphemy! It belongs to the dwarves! After saving your life, it was your duty to tell us where it is!

After these harsh words, without leaving her mount, the nymph approached the druid and bent down, giving him a light kiss on the cheek, and then caressed the tiger. Then, she disappeared into the woods before any of them could say or gesture anything.

A little annoyed, the dwarf continued on the path, followed by the druid, who still felt a trace of the maiden's lips. A little ahead, the path inclined in a slight descent. While they walked, Alain noticed that the dwarf's face was serious, indicating that he knew the nature of the axe. However, even so, the chief of the guard wanted to get his hands on the magical weapon. So, they continued walking, with the dwarf not saying a word.

After some time of walking, they heard the sound of flowing water coming from some point ahead. They walked for a few more minutes until they reached the edge of a large river. They saw that there used to be a bridge there, continuing the trail they were following, but it had been completely destroyed. Looking around, they saw a mysterious figure, entirely dressed in black, hooded, and holding an oar in their hands. The figure was in a canoe at the riverbank, on the same side as Gordin, Alain, and his tiger, and just by looking at him, they felt shivers. It was as if they were facing incarnate death. Then, the hooded figure turned to them, showing a hint of humanity beneath the garments, and said:

- Good morning, gentlemen. I am the ferryman of the Wild River of the Dark Forest, and I charge only one gold piece for the crossing.

Alain and Gordin exchanged doubtful looks and weighed their options: either pay the ferryman and cross the river or swim from one end to the other. The second option seemed too uncomfortable. Upon reconsidering the first, the idea of subduing that strange being and stealing his canoe crossed Gordin's mind. However, he wouldn't be so foolish to stay alone there without a plan. Moreover, the possibility of it being one of the ghosts of the Dark Forest frightened the dwarf a bit.

After a few moments of uncertainty, they decided to pay the strange ferryman and cross. Alain extended his arm, with the last modest coin in his hand. The hooded figure reached out a gloved hand - leaving the imagination to discover if it was really flesh and bone - and took the gold piece. Then, Gordin was the first to get into the canoe, followed by Alain and, shortly after, his faithful pet. The ferryman pushed the canoe away from the shore using his oar and began the crossing, speaking to his passengers with a sinister voice:

- You must be very brave. It's been a long time since I've seen anyone other than a forest dweller pass through here! Too bad you won't survive for long, as what you seek should stay here, where it belongs.

- So you know where the artifact is, don't you, abominable creature? - questioned the dwarf with an aggressive look while preparing his axe.

- There's no need for violence. It would be a waste of your strength. Perhaps you don't know, but we are over a very dangerous river. If you fell here, it would be fatal! - he said while navigating in the middle of the river. - Besides, maybe you don't know what you're doing. After all, one desires to possess the Axe, while the other seeks its destruction.

Gordin stared firmly at Alain. The druid, with a serious expression, remained attentive to every move of the dwarf. Then, the dwarf said, suspicious:

- Druid! This creature isn't telling the truth, is it?

But the dwarf received only silence as an answer, with no gesture, except for the druid's cold stare.

- Have you ever wondered why the druid is on this desperate quest for the Axe? Silly dwarf! Druids don't have much interest in material possessions; their coins offered on a mission would mean nothing! He has a greater mission. Look at his face - the ferryman began to taunt, trying to instigate a fight.

The dwarf, no longer listening to the ferryman and without second thoughts, grabbed his axe. Alain reacted, stopping the dwarf with both hands on the axe handle, which Gordin held. They both started a cruel battle on the boat, which began to rock, showing signs that it might tip over and throw everyone into the water. Alain's tiger stood still, as if some kind of evil spell had paralyzed him with fear. The ferryman delighted in the battle, giving loud and malevolent laughs:

- Ha-ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

While the former companions fought, the ferryman disappeared, leaving behind only a black smoke, as if he were a ghost: an apparition with the sole goal of hindering the noble heroes. The dwarf delivered a precise blow with the handle of his axe to the druid's stomach, throwing him lying on the boat floor. When Gordin prepared to fatally strike Alain, the druid jumped onto the dwarf, resisting the pain in his abdomen. That abrupt movement flipped the canoe, throwing everyone into the water. The currents were violent, and Alain lost sight of his tiger and Gordin. To make matters worse, they were heading toward a waterfall. None of them managed to escape, falling towards what seemed to be the end...

***

After the group separated, the wizard, the ranger, and the barbarian continued cautiously along the trail, which narrowed more and more. After walking for some time without noticing anything different, they began to suspect that this forest was a false legend. The fact that it had these trails meant that someone had been there before, spreading rumors to keep unwanted visitors away. While silently speculating, they encountered a repulsive creature, short, strange, and apparently harmless a few meters away. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was a wild goblin, a small, squat monster with greenish skin. It had no weapons and grunted and stared furiously at the group, as if preparing for an attack. Only its claws and slightly sharper teeth than other goblins hinted at any danger. Luke, trying to find an alternative to attacking the poor creature, attempted to communicate:

- Akwa arghtig sorngotinog!

Bernàbares and Sombrak looked at each other without understanding a single word while the hostile being slowly approached the group. It said nothing intelligible, not even to the mage, who should have known the language of these small beings. The only options left for them were to fight or flee. However, this small creature couldn't instill fear in our intrepid heroes. So, Luke was the first to try to attack it. He took his staff and ran towards the creature to finish it with a single blow. However, the small monster was not what it seemed. Before the wizard could hit it, it changed completely and rapidly. From just over half a meter in height, the creature began to grow, reaching between two to three meters. Its claws and teeth grew proportionally, reaching about half a meter. Moreover, a large tail, full of thorns, appeared out of nowhere. The color of the creature intensified, becoming a very dark mossy green, and, as the half-elf arrived in the middle of the transformation, the monster hit him with one of its paws, throwing him into a small bush nearby. The mage's staff had broken in half, and now they realized it was a Shapechanger (which was the name given to this monster in the language of the sovereign peoples of the north, as it sounded much better than the translation into the native language of Southern Berillion), a rare carnivorous shape-shifter that takes the form of harmless creatures to lure victims and arrange meals.

The ranger and the barbarian widened their eyes but gathered courage and went towards the monster to protect their fallen companion. The barbarian wielded his two-handed axe and aimed a blow at the creature, which ended up blocking it with its immense claws. Then, with its tail, it hit him squarely,

as if it were a huge club, throwing him headfirst into a nearby tree trunk. The ranger, a bit more cautious, entered combat against the gigantic creature. However, he only blocked the strong claw attacks of the monster with his sword while shouting:

- Someone help me here, for the love of Sombrahá and the other gods too!

His plea awakened the barbarian, who got up a little dizzy and could barely stand. Meanwhile, the mage had just stood up, unarmed. Luke remembered an old spell he had learned from Alezag, the bard. So, he concentrated, holding his hands together, and said:

- Periculum in mora!

At this moment, his hand became intensely blue. Then, he saw that the creature had its back turned to him, as it was almost devouring the ranger. Luke ran and bravely jumped onto the monster's back, touching it with his enchanted hand. The evil being fell sprawled on the ground, as if it were sleeping. Seeing that gigantic creature lying on the forest floor, the group decided to continue their way stealthily before the beast woke up.

After walking a bit, climbing a hill, Luke noticed a large wound on Sombrak's left rib. It seemed that the battle with the Shapechanger had caused serious injuries to each of them, but the ranger suffered the most. With the wounds still hurting a lot and a very tired face because of this battle, the group continued insistently moving forward. Finally, they came across a fragile bridge made of wood and ropes, over a small gorge with a violent river below. To continue the journey, they would need to cross that treacherous bridge. The forest obstacles were beginning to appear gradually, and they knew that the monster and that bridge were just the beginning.

The barbarian, either by foolishness or courage, was the first to cross the bridge, without even questioning its safety. It was very narrow and allowed only one person at a time, and as he walked on it, it moved, giving the impression that its ropes would break at any moment. Despite the chills, he managed to cross it without any problems, even considering the weight that the barbarian and his equipment should have. Soon after, the dark elf began the crossing. Although he weighed much less than the barbarian, everything indicated that Bernàbares had strained the fragile bridge too much when he crossed it first. Then, Sombrak began to realize that the ropes were starting to break, and he began to despair. The half-elf, showing another of his magical tricks, said to the ranger:

- Stay calm, Sombrak! Flotatio libelli! - and took a leap, grabbing the dark elf by the arm, in mid-air. Then, the two floated over the bridge with the magic that the half-elf mage had cast.

After the incident, the three heroes continued their journey through the forest, hoping to find some clues about where the Axe of OX might have ended up. It had been several hours since they entered the wild woods, and they hadn't found any signs of the reason for their quest. For a moment, they wondered how the druid and the dwarf would be within this forest so full of dangers. Despite this, after crossing the bridge, the walk was smooth, and the forest began to open up. They could see a few rays of sunlight penetrating through the tree gaps, making the walk easier. However, they realized that wherever the Axe was, it would be a very dangerous and deep place in the forest.

After a few more meters of walking, the group came across another fork in the path. This time, one of the larger paths continued forward, while the other led to a narrow path to the right, into the dense forest. Bernàbares, looking at the fork, said:

- I want to take the narrow path, ha-ha-ha! Who's coming with me?

With a nod of his head, the mage agreed and followed the barbarian. Then, realizing that his opinion wouldn't make much of a difference at that moment, the ranger simply accepted his friends' choice, and together, they disappeared into the darkness, among the trees.