Beneath the azure radiance, the heavens were quietly shifting, woven in silence, changing hue by hue.With steps as soft as drifting mist, it walked toward the ebony shadows.
Amid his wandering thoughts, Keeve's voice arose—"Does any among you bear an ornament of metal?"
All shook their heads in denial, save for Rudra alone. About his neck there lay a slender chain of platinum, its light adorning the sheen of his radiant skin, making it gleam all the brighter.
Unfastening it, Rudra placed the chain into Keave's hand. keave's gaze met his, but before he could speak, Rudra's words fell gently—"This chain holds little worth to me; you may keep it."
As he spoke, his lips curved upward of their own accord, and Drace's eyes, beholding this, were drawn into the depths of unspoken emotions.
Then Keeve's voice resounded, breaking through the veil of those silent feelings, and whispered into his ear -
"Now we will see what happens!"
Mave, Liam, and Thursday stood there as well. They nodded in silent acknowledgment.
Adrien sat nearby on a small stone, his pupils drifting in a deep, contemplative gaze.
With slow, deliberate steps, Keave approached the bare trees, their trunks enshrouded in sharp thorns. These trees were unlike any ordinary ones—strange, almost otherworldly. No twigs, no leaves—only jagged, thorn-wrapped trunks standing starkly.
A peculiar unease gripped everyone's hearts, yet not a single word escaped their lips. All eyes followed Keeve ,while their minds wandered across countless uncharted boundaries.
The chain coiled around Keeve's fingers shifted gently, moving with quiet intent
"Now, let us see what fate unfolds!"
The chain wound around Keeve's fingers, inching slowly toward the thorns…And then, with a sudden brush, it grazed the jagged surface.
The moment the edge of the chain touched the Thorns, keave was thrown violently off balance—as if an invisible force had shoved him.
No sound. No scent. Nothing—only a strange, silent transformation flowing through the air.
All eyes froze. It had happened so quickly that no one could grasp what had occurred. Hearts pounded as they watched Keave fall.
Rudra sprang forward, catching him before he hit the ground. Keave was unharmed, standing perfectly still, yet the tension lingered.
The others rushed to him, and all gazes turned toward the tree—the same tree that had moments ago inspired fear—and what they saw was beyond comprehension.
The surface of the tree had contorted, twisting into a grotesque, writhing form,like a blood-red flower crawling with life.Eyes, small as buttons, spun endlessly along its surface,each turn sending shivers down their spines.
The air thrummed with an eerie, unspoken energy,and for a long moment, nothing moved—except the spinning, glaring eyes.
It's real shit! Everything Adrien said is true. I'm trapped here…in this fucking nonsense place with weird people and thigs. I need to get out," Mave said, her fear flickering across her face, her voice trembling like a candle in the wind.
Thursday stepped forward. "We're trapped with you too! If you think panicking will help, it won't—nothing will happen to you!"
Before Mave could speak, Adrien's voice cut through like blazing a spark igniting dry leaves:"Shut up, all of you.We need to find those three first."
Keeve nodded silently, in quiet agreement.
Anger burned across Thursday's face,and Mave mirrored both fear and fury in her eyes.
Rudra glanced at the wilting flower and said,"We have a clue now. We can split into three groups and start searching for them."
Drace nodded in agreement.His voice, heavy with determination, resonated like molten metal flowing through the chimes of a burning bell:"We must not delay. If we place the metal objects along our path on some of the trees, we will leave a mark—and by following it, we can find our way back."
Liam replied, "But we only have two metal objects. Where will we get another one?"
Liam said, "But we only have two items made of metal. Where will we get another one?"
Thursday's voice echoed, trembling slightly. "I… I have another piece of metal, one I didn't want to give before. But now… you can take it. It's the last memento I have of my father."
Hearing her words, Mave's pupils sank, as if plunging into a deep river for a moment. Liam's eyes fell on Thursday, who was smiling—but in that smile, threads of pain were hidden in the corners.
"I don't want it. We can figure out another solution," Liam said.
Thursday's words echoed again.
Liam, just keep it safe. Don't lose it."
Keeve, standing in silence, muttered under his breath, "No time to waste. We have to find them."
The wind began to shift, carrying the cries of the animals that resonated throughout the forest.
Keeve, Rudra, and Drace moved east, toward the mushroom-like plants. Liam and Thursday headed west, while Mave and Adrien went north.