The island wasn't at all what they expected.
After stepping onto the sandy shore, Narisva and Vastarael ventured further inland, their boots crunching against the soft earth. They moved cautiously at first, wary of traps or hidden dangers, but the deeper they went, the more the landscape revealed its almost unnerving tranquility.
Massive trees stretched toward the heavens, their trunks so thick that even Narisva had to admit she couldn't punch her way through one if she tried.
Each tree was spaced at a perfect distance from the others, their arrangement so precise it felt unnatural, like someone had planted them purposefully, row by row. There wasn't much of a canopy above them; the branches seemed to grow high enough to let the late evening sunlight filter through, bathing the forest floor in golden hues.
"This… doesn't feel like a forest," Narisva said, her voice laced with unease. "It's too… clean. Too perfect. Who plants trees like this?"
Vastarael tilted his head, studying their surroundings. His fingers brushed against the rough bark of one of the colossal trunks.
"You're right. This is more like… a massive garden. Or a grove."
Narisva scoffed, "Yeah, a grove built for giants, maybe."
They wandered further, their steps echoing faintly in the eerie stillness. There was no undergrowth, no bushes, no tangling vines, no fallen leaves cluttering the ground. It was just soil, roots and occasional patches of grass. And then, as they approached a small clearing, they froze.
There, grazing peacefully in the middle of the grove, was a herd of deer.
But these weren't ordinary deer. The males stood at an imposing three meters tall, their sleek brown bodies covered in a faint shimmer as if their fur was dusted with stardust. Their massive black antlers twisted and curled like dark, elegant crowns, radiating an aura of primal majesty. The females were slightly smaller but just as breathtaking, their eyes glowing faintly with an inner light.
Narisva's jaw practically hit the ground.
"What the hell... why are these creatures this big!? What do they eat, people?"
Vastarael chuckled softly, leaning against one of the massive trees.
"No, they're herbivores. Relax. You're not on the menu."
She narrowed her eyes at him, still not entirely convinced. "You sure? Those antlers don't scream 'peaceful vegetarian' to me."
"They're defensive creatures. They won't attack unless provoked. Just don't do anything stupid and they'll leave us alone."
"Define 'stupid,'" she muttered, though she kept her distance.
They spent a good hour just observing the herd. The deer moved with an elegance that seemed almost unnatural, their heads lowering to nibble at patches of grass or to sip from a nearby stream. The males occasionally locked antlers in slow, deliberate sparring matches, their movements more like a dance than a fight. Vastarael watched them with quiet fascination, his gaze lingering on their every move.
'Spheraphase really is just a twisted version of Earth. On Earth, deer are… what, maybe a meter tall? Two at most? And their antlers are impressive, sure, but nothing like this. Everything here is… exaggerated. Bigger, stronger and stranger.'
Spheraphase was like Earth turned into a fantasy. Some things were too familiar like the creatures, the technology, even activities. And seeing three meter tall deer was something he did not expect.
He watched one of the younger males approach a female, its movements cautious and almost shy. It was moments like this that reminded him of just how strange and beautiful Spheraphase could be. It was a world of chaos, yes, but also wonder.
As the evening deepened, the golden light dimmed and the grove began to grow darker. They decided it was time to set up camp, heading toward the edge of the grove where the trees gave way to an even neat forest.
Vastarael found a suitable spot near a small creek, pulling a collapsible tent from his inventory. Narisva leaned against a tree, watching him with an amused expression as he efficiently set up their camp.
"You know, for someone who can barely fight before becoming a Divine, you're freakishly prepared for this kind of thing."
He smirked. "I like to think ahead. Besides, I have you for the fighting part, remember?"
"Damn right you do."
Once the tent was up and a small firepit was built (courtesy of another item from Vastarael's seemingly endless inventory), they settled in for the night. Vastarael sat cross-legged by the fire, stirring a pot of stew he'd pulled out of storage, while Narisva sprawled on the ground nearby, idly tossing pebbles into the creek nearby.
Her strength caused the rocks to skip and even dent some trees.
The forest around them came alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures; chirps, rustles, the distant howl of something that was probably better left unidentified. Despite the eerie atmosphere, there was a strange peace to it all.
"So," Narisva said, breaking the silence, "what's the plan tomorrow? More wandering around this freaky island, or are we gonna, I don't know, actually do something?"
Vastarael took a sip of the stew, "We keep exploring. This place isn't normal, Narisva. It feels… important, somehow. Like we're supposed to be here."
She frowned, tossing another pebble. "You're really leaning into this 'instinct' thing, huh?"
He shrugged. "Not instinct. Just… a gut feeling."
"Well, your gut better be right. Otherwise, this is gonna be the most boring adventure of my life."
Vastarael chuckled, the firelight reflecting in his eyes.
"Trust me, Narisva. Things are never boring when I'm around."
And as the stars began to peek through the gaps in the trees, casting their faint glow over the forest, neither of them could shake the feeling that this island had far more to offer than just giant deer and perfect rows of trees.
°°°°°°°
Vastarael and Narisva set out early as they ventured deeper into the unknown. After a quick breakfast of dried rations (Vastarael swore he had something better in his inventory, but Narisva impatiently vetoed his rummaging), they decided it was time to move with a bit more efficiency.
"Alright, Prince Charming," Narisva said, stretching her arms before cracking her knuckles. Her tone was light, but her cocky smirk betrayed the excitement bubbling underneath. "Watch and learn. I'll show you what speed really looks like."
Vastarael raised a brow. "Do I get a warning before you break the laws of physics?"
She rolled her eyes and tilted her head towards a distant outcropping of boulders, several kilometers away, barely visible to the untrained eye.
"Sight Teleportation, duh. It is my Essentia Form. Haven't used it in a while. You're lucky I'm generous enough to flex for you."
"Generous, huh? Just try not to teleport into a tree."
Narisva shot him a wink before her eyes began to glow faintly as she focused her gaze on the distant landmark.
The enhanced sight of her divine bloodline made it almost absurdly easy to pinpoint her destination, even at such a ridiculous range. In an instant, her body blurred, disappearing in an instant and reappearing atop the distant boulders.
"Show-off," Vastarael muttered, shaking his head in mild amusement. He joined her shortly after, leaping atop the boulders with far less flair but no less determination. They continued this way for hours, with Narisva leaping great distances and Vastarael running at top speeds, slowly but surely covering ground that would've taken days on foot.
But then, things took a turn.
It started with a distant crunching noise. Narisva froze mid-step, her hand instinctively stopping Vastarael.
[You hear that?] She asked, her telepathic voice laced with tension.
He nodded, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area.
[Sounds… off. Like something big. Really big.]
They crept forward cautiously, following the sound as it grew louder. And then they saw it.
In the middle of a clearing stood three massive creatures.
Marble Centaurs. At least, that's how they looked like.
Towering over ten meters tall, their bodies gleamed like polished stone, their muscles intricately carved and impossibly smooth. They looked like statues brought to life, their movements unnervingly fluid for beings made of solid rock.
And they were feasting.
Narisva's sharp intake of breath echoed in Vastarael's mind. The centaurs were holding deer—those same majestic, three-meter-tall creatures they had admired just yesterday—like snacks.
One of the centaurs raised a struggling buck in its massive hand, its antlers snapping like twigs as it brought the animal to its mouth. With a sickening crunch, the centaur bit down, its stone teeth effortlessly pulverizing bone and flesh. Blood sprayed everywhere, staining the pristine marble of its jaw, dripping onto the forest floor in viscous pools.
The other two centaurs were no less brutal. One grabbed a doe by its hind legs and ripped it in half as if it were nothing more than a loaf of bread, devouring each piece without hesitation. The third crushed a fawn underfoot, the pitiful creature's cry cut short as its body crumpled like paper.
Narisva's face twisted in disgust, her hand gripping her starry scythe so tightly her knuckles turned white.
"What the actual hell am I looking at? They're made of stone. Why do they even need to eat?"
Vastarael's expression was grim, his gaze locked on the horrific scene.
"I don't know. Maybe they don't need to. Maybe they just… want to."
"That's worse!" She snapped, her voice laced with a mix of horror and fury. "Look at them! They're eating like it's a buffet. They don't even care—"
Another crunch cut her off as one of the centaurs bit down on a deer's head, its antlers snapping audibly before being swallowed whole. Blood smeared across its polished features like grotesque war paint. The sight was so surreal, so wrong, that Narisva could hardly tear her eyes away.
"Nature's cruel," Vastarael said quietly. "It's not pretty but it's the way things are. But this… this isn't just nature. This is just... wrong. And it's uncomfortable."
Narisva snorted, though her usual cocky tone was absent.
"Yeah, no kidding. What kind of sick god made these things? Stone giants eating live deer? What's next, trees that bleed?"
Vastarael didn't respond immediately as he tried to make sense of what they were witnessing. The centaurs, though horrifying, were clearly a part of the island's ecosystem. But their existence raised questions. Why would beings made entirely of marble need to consume organic matter? Was it some twisted mimicry of life?
Narisva grimaced, her gaze flicking back to the centaurs. One of them had finished its meal and was now scanning the clearing, its glowing eyes sweeping over the trees. She instinctively ducked behind a trunk, her heart pounding.
"Great. So not only are they horrifying, but they're also smart. Wonderful. And they are of the Third Ascender Rank. They're not Krepsunas either..."
Vastarael followed her lead, crouching low as he observed the creatures.
"We need to be careful. If they spot us…"
"Relax. They're slow, right? They're made of stone. We can outrun them."
As if on cue, one of the centaurs moved. It wasn't slow. It crossed the clearing in three strides, its massive hooves shaking the ground with each step.
Narisva swallowed hard.
"Okay, scratch that. They're fast. Really fast."
Vastarael sighed. "I hate this island already."
The two of them stayed hidden as they watched the centaurs finish their gruesome feast. The creatures eventually moved on, their massive forms disappearing into the grove.
"We should follow them. They're intelligent beings from the looks of it. You in?"
Narisva groaned, "As if I have a choice."