|Location: Wasteland, Heart|
-NUK-
The voice pierced the heavy silence of the forest—sharp, almost unnatural, like the screech of a wild animal. Yet, despite the forest making it seem like an eerie sound, I recognized it instantly.
"Dia?" I whispered, my eyes drawn downward to the weak glow of the flickering lamp at my feet. The dim light barely held back the shadows that danced across the uneven ground, casting shifting patterns over jagged rocks and brittle twigs. The forest itself seemed alive, breathing in the darkness, its twisted black trees looming like silent watchers.
There she was—tangled in thick vines, her wild green hair caught in the thorns near her face, framing her pale features with chaotic strands. Her slender arms clung to the thick, rough vines twisted around the ancient trees, but her legs dangled helplessly, unable to find any foothold beneath her.
Her scowl was fierce, a deep crease of frustration and exhaustion, almost as if she were silently blaming me for her predicament. Oddly, rather than relief, a strange prickling sensation of offense stirred inside me—as if I'd somehow failed her by being there.
But underneath that, confusion churned like a storm. Why was Dia here—in this dark, tangled forest? How had she ended up in such a precarious position, clinging desperately to vines as if her life depended on it?
It didn't make sense. It didn't feel right.
"What are you doing?" I asked softly, moving closer to the edge where she hung.
She tried to pull herself up, but her strength was clearly failing. Her breaths came fast and shallow, each one sharp and desperate. Her eyes locked onto mine, searching—not for rescue, but something else. I couldn't read her intentions, and that unsettled me.
"What do you mean, 'What am I doing?' Stop staring and pull me up," she snapped, frustration bleeding through her voice. Her fingers stretched out, trembling, barely brushing mine. Suddenly, the grip of the vines loosened—their hold on the tree slipping away.
"Ah!!"
Her scream tore through the stillness, raw and terrified. Her wide eyes fixed on mine, filled with panic and something I couldn't place.
And yet… beneath her struggle, a shadow of doubt coiled in my mind. If it were me, there'd be no trouble surviving this fall. But she acted like she couldn't—like she wanted me to do more than just pull her up. Was it a cry for help, or something else?
Suspicion twisted inside me, tangled with a deeper confusion.
"Okay, stay still," I said firmly, gripping her hands and pulling with all my strength.
She was lighter than I expected. With one swift motion, I lifted her free from the vines—but the momentum was too much. She slipped from my grasp and hit the ground hard with a loud thud.
Dia lay still for a moment, then pushed herself up, rubbing her back, relief softening her scowl. But her eyes immediately narrowed into a glare sharp enough to cut through the darkness.
"There. You okay?" I asked, stepping closer, offering my hand.
"You could have pulled me up more gently," she grumbled, brushing dirt from her sleeves.
I swallowed, a swirl of emotions twisting inside me—confusion, concern, suspicion. This encounter felt strange—something is off.
Why was she here, in the heart of this dark forest? How did she get trapped like that? And why was she acting so oddly—like she was hiding something? "And what is this weird feeling like something's crawling behind my head?"
"Huh? What are you murmuring about?" Dia noticed what I whispered to myself, she tried to create some distance from me, she also looked at me with a frown while making this look on her face something along the lines of weary or disgust.
I didn't dwell on it for long and turned my attention back to the forest. I waved my hand to check up on SAI, and there it was in the loading bar still stuck on the loading screen, it seems like what it mentioned before about the interference is really — interfering
I dismissed SAI and chuckled for a bit after making that pun on my head.
After that I turned my focus — total focus now — to the forest that seemed to close in around us. The trees, black and twisted, stretched their branches upward and outward like grasping hands. The damp earth beneath my feet smelled of moss and decay, the cold night air heavy with an eerie stillness that pressed against my skin.
I turned my attention to Dia looking a bit anxious for some reason, maybe it's the forest or something else but something is telling me that in this oppressive silence, where my suspicion grew. I didn't know what secrets Dia was keeping, but I sensed there was more to her presence here than she let on.
Still my curiosity is getting the better of me, especially this so-called signal tower — my curiosity skyrocketed and so I needed help. Also seeing as Dia is a local she might know a thing or two about this area of the 'wasteland'. But it also got me thinking that something about her screams along the lines of — not reliable. I did hope Nuk was here.
"I should've waited for Nuk," I muttered, regretting biting at my tongue. My conscience itches me from the inside after remembering that I was lying in his face earlier. "But since I'm already here..."
I looked at Dia again, searching her face for answers. My mind was hoping she would act like a guide. I grinned and smiled sheepishly.
"My bad," I said awkwardly, "but can I ask you for help?"
Dia turned slowly, eyes narrowing into a sharp glare that made me take a step back.
"Demanding, aren't we?" she said, sarcasm thick in her voice, though there was a softness underneath it. The look that screams, I saw this coming.
"Well, I have this... ability," I began, hesitating. Should I tell her about SAI? Something inside warned me against it. But something also tells me to go and search for that signal tower "Long story short, I want to get here."
I pulled out the holographic map SAI gave me. The vague glowing lines and shapes hovered dimly in the lamp's flicker. Dia stared at it, confusion and disbelief twisting her features.
"What?!" she exclaimed sharply. "You're acting weird, what's with these hand gestures?"
Then she went back to her demeanor from before looking at me like I was trying to tell her an unfunny joke. I blinked, startled — taken a back from her reaction.
What did she mean by weird hand gestures? Could it be that she can't see the map?
I stared at her face for a bit observing her and it seems like she wasn't faking it — her surprise reaction was genuine.
A chill crept down my spine. This felt dangerous—like I tried to reveal something that shouldn't even be mentioned. An unpleasant memory from before when I questioned SAI flashed in my head. I quickly turned my attention to SAI, which seems to be continuing to hover silently, no flashes of 'error' or me blacking out, which gave me a sense of relief.
"Ha... ha... wait, I'll draw it," I — again — turned my attention back to Dia and said that after grabbing a twig and etching the rough layout onto the soft ground beneath her flickering lamp. "Done." I said proudly towards my artistic side.
Dia stepped closer, her face showed nothing that tells me she's impressed, if anything she looked taken back. Biting her nails and mumbling softly under her breath. I held back, sensing she needed space. The forest seemed quiet, as if following Dia and also holding its breath.
After a long pause, she looked at me, meeting my gaze.
"The Heart," she said quietly, twiddling her thumbs, clearly nervous from what I could tell. "I see now."
Her words puzzled me. "The Heart?" I asked, leaning in.
She smiled, but it wasn't warm. It was the kind of smile that sent a cold shiver down my spine—full of secrets and warning.
"Forget it," she said, brushing off my question. "I know where that place is."
"Really? Can you help me get there?" I asked eagerly.
"Yes," she said with quiet confidence. "I was heading there anyway. You can come."
I jumped up, excitement bubbling inside me. "Great! Let's go!"
I started running toward the direction she indicated, heart pounding with hope and a flicker of trust.
Suddenly, Dia grabbed my collar from behind—a reckless move.
My momentum didn't falter, and she nearly fell face-first. I caught her just in time, steadying her with a firm grip.
She sighed deeply, shooting me a glare sharp enough to sting.
"Hold up," she said firmly, standing upright and grabbing my hand. "Follow me. Don't wander off."
Right. She was the guide now. And Nuk's silhouette then flashed besides her, reminding me that they really are siblings.
She pulled me along the dark, twisting path, the lamp's dim glow barely holding back the forest's oppressive shadows.
The trees seemed to lean closer, their twisted branches scraping the sky like ancient claws. The cold air wrapped around us, heavy with the scent of damp earth and pine.
As we moved, the sound of our footsteps was swallowed by the forest—the silence almost suffocating. The flickering lamp cast long shadows that danced like ghosts on the trunks, and the occasional rustle of leaves made me jump.
I felt a strange mix of awe and unease. The forest was beautiful in a dark, wild way—but it also felt dangerous, as if it was watching us, waiting.
I kept stealing glances at Dia. Her face was tense but focused, lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, I wondered what she was thinking—what secrets she carried in those sharp eyes.
After a while, I broke the silence. "Why were you... there or here? Are you trying to do something"
Dia glanced back at me, her eyes narrowing. "It's not like I wanted to be," she said quietly. "But sometimes... the forest has ways of catching you when you least expect it."
I frowned. "But why were you so far in? This place isn't safe."
She hesitated, then looked away. "I had to check something. Something important."
I wanted to press her further, but the forest swallowed my words. Instead, I nodded slowly, realizing some things she wasn't ready to say.
We walked in silence again, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging between us.
The lamp flickered suddenly, casting a brief flash of light on Dia's face. At that moment, I saw something—something fragile beneath the tough exterior. A flicker of fear, maybe even regret.
The forest seemed to close in tighter, the path narrowing. The trees grew taller, their branches weaving overhead into a thick canopy that blocked the moonlight. Darkness pressed down on us.
"Almost there," Dia said softly, her voice barely breaking the silence.
I looked up ahead, trying to catch a glimpse of the signal tower she promised.
The journey felt longer than I expected, every step heavy with tension and anticipation.
Finally, in a small clearing bathed in faint moonlight, the signal tower rose—tall and solitary, its metal frame creaking in the night breeze.
Relief and wonder washed over me. After the confusing, tangled night, we had made it.
Dia turned to me, her sharp gaze softening just a little. "You see that?"
I nodded, heart pounding. "Yeah I can see it. Let's finish this."
"Huh? What are you talking about, that's cringey, this isn't something straight out of an adventure story, just follow me."
She said with one brow raised.
••••••••