"W, what do you mean?"
Eli got goosebumps.
It was true that he hadn't paid any attention to their surroundings the whole time they were traveling, but he also never felt anything strange along the way.
They didn't encounter anything unusual, and the atmosphere the whole time never felt eerie to him. Is Uncle Vick perhaps wrong? Eli couldn't believe it.
He looked at Mr. Chad who was sitting quietly with his eyes closed, not making any move. Eli wondered if he was sleeping, or simply did not care about the commotion.
Vick looked around the forest. The giant tree he used as a landmark to tell if they're moving is now stressing him out. He had never experienced anything similar before.
"How could this…?"
His hands landed on his waist out of bafflement.
Eli frowned, then gently shook Mr. Chad, who still hadn't said a word.
"Mr. Chad, Mr. Chad."
"Tsk, what now?"
Chad clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was relishing this precious time he could relax, and now this kid is bothering him.
"Mr. Chad, Uncle Vick said we've been looping around the same place for a while now."
Chad stared at Eli,
"What do you want me to do, then?"
"Uhm, well, c, can't you help?"
Eli didn't know what to say.
Isn't it obvious? Out of the three of them, surely Mr. Chad is the one who can get them out of there fast.
However, Chad still didn't move. He just looked at the kid like he's a fool.
He lifted his hand to point at his own eyes,
"You brat. You have those darn eyes, don't you? Have you tried using them first before asking me?"
Eli paused before speaking,
"H, how is it gonna help?"
He was flabbergasted. Mr. Chad already knew that his power is all about detecting lies. He couldn't understand how such ability could help them get out of the forest loop.
"Haa…"
Eli flinched when he heard Mr. Chad sigh deeply.
Chad glanced at the dark sky above them.
Was it out of sadness? Disappointment? No, perhaps he was just missing the times when he didn't have to worry about such things.
How did he end up with a kid who knew nothing about the world?
'Maybe I should've listened to Michael, after all?'
The man who kindly offered to give him bodyguards, yet he blindly refused.
If he had those guards with him, he wondered if he would be in the situation he's in right now.
However, regret is not in his vocabulary. He had always lived with the mindset of putting his future problems to the future him.
Perhaps this is just one of those moments, and he now had no choice but to face one of them.
He groaned before speaking,
"Just use your divine mark and get on with it. The Eye of Discernment should be able to handle that much. You'll know what I'm talking about then."
"Eye of Discernment?"
Eli tilted his head.
However, this made Chad frown at him.
"You brat, I'm talking about the spell to tell lies from the truth! The one you always use!"
"Ah, yes, sir!"
Eli clenched his fist.
He quietly activated Solomon's mark without revealing it, causing his index finger to twitch.
His body shivered as his vision slowly turned red.
It felt as if the dark forest in front of him roared, viciously trying to swallow him up.
"W, what is this?"
Eli looked at Mr. Chad in horror.
"Calm down. It's just an illusion. If you focus hard enough, you'll see the real path."
Chad turned to Vick who was still trying to look for a way out.
"Old man, get on. Eli knows the way."
"Huh?"
Eli said in a daze.
Vick was surprised. He asked the kid,
"Really, Eli? How'd you know it?"
"T, that is…"
Eli glanced at Mr. Chad, silently pleading.
"He'll tell us the direction. Let's go."
But Mr. Chad didn't say anything more.
Vick sat in his position. He wasn't sure how the kid would know the right path, but he decided to trust his companions. They had been roaming around the same place with no clear path for a while, so he didn't mind trying another way.
It was better than staying in a dark forest that is slowly creeping in.
"Phew…"
Eli exhaled.
He closed his eyes and opened them again.
Based on what Mr. Chad said, these eyes should know the right path.
'The Eye of Discernment…'
It can discern lies from truth, so then can it also tell what an illusion is from reality? Is that what it means?
Maybe this mark of his has uses he just didn't know yet.
He activated the spell as he clenched his fist.
The terrifying image of a demon swallowing him came to his vision once more.
He felt his body getting cold. The very image of that creature made him want to crawl out of the forest.
He wanted to run away.
'Why am I doing this?'
It hasn't been long, but Eli was already starting to miss his grandpa. His warm grandpa who always gave him warm food and comfort in every way.
Not even a day has passed since he bid his farewell, but the 12 year old child already wanted to go home.
The longer he looked at the red forest, the more he felt exhausted.
Eli squinted his eyes, looking for an opening. Mr. Chad told him he can find the path if he tries hard enough, so he will do just that.
Strangely enough, even though that man acts all grumpy, he still finds him reliable.
'No, maybe it's because he's grumpy?'
When he shifted his focus, a light from his dark vision came out.
"Uncle, go left! To the very left!"
Eli shouted to their cart driver, making sure Vick could hear him loud and clear.
The wooden cart quickly shifted from right to left.
However…
"Huh?"
"W, what in the world is this?"
Vick couldn't help but utter in fear.
The tree leaves started drooping, turning red as if blood was dripping all over them. The trees slowly merged into each other.
It was a phenomenon unheard of by both Vick and Eli.
Vick's grip loosened when he started panicking.
"Don't let go!"
Eli's voice made him snap out of it.
The child went to hold his arms, making sure he would not forget his job.
"Uncle, it's okay. We'll get out of this. Trust me."
Vick gulped,
"Y, yeah."
Their bodies both shivered as they kept their gazes forward, taking the bloody forest head on.
Eli's sweaty hands held Vick as hard as he could. It was both to make sure Vick will not let go of the horse, and to make sure his body leans forward and does not fall off.
The vision that his mark gives him is much more terrifying than a normal pair of eyes could see. Dark creatures started creeping up on him.
'N, no… G, get away! Please, get away from me!'
Eli couldn't even bring himself to let out his voice.
He wants to close his eyes. He really wants to close his eyes. He wanted nothing out of this anymore, yet he didn't. He kept his eyes wide open, tears started flowing.
Eli had never felt this kind of fear before.
– Go a, way!
– Pl, please! H, help!
– Get, get ba, ck!
Different voices roared out, warning them to stay away from the forest, but also asking for help. Voices so deep, they kept ringing in his ears.
"Kugh–!"
Eli's left eye closed, but he tried to keep the other one open. He knew it would be over once he completely shut his eyes.
"W, who are you?! Help you with what?!"
He shouted in the void.
– G, et b, back!
– He, lp!
– Ple, please!
The voices screamed as if they were drowning in agony.
Vick was now trembling. As if the view of the forest did not terrify him already, and now he is hearing different voices roaring at them.
As his hands started losing strength, someone finally pulled him out of his misery.
"Sit back there."
Chad yanked him out of his seat and shoved him to the back of the cart. He took over Vick's position as the cart driver.
He turned to Eli,
"Tell me which way to go."
Eli was surprised.
He thought Mr. Chad wouldn't make a move at all, considering how he kept his silence until now.
"Yes, sir!"
Were they finally in a situation where he needed to get involved?
The road showed three paths they could go. For a while now, the bloody forest kept on making them choose between three or four paths. That was how Vick kept getting lost without guidance.
He knew they had to go East, so he kept on choosing the one on the far right.
However, now that Eli is using Solomon's mark, they will no longer get lost.
He lifted his hand,
"Go to the furthest left!"
– Get a, way!
– N, no! Kiek–!
– H, help! Plea, se!
The screams continued to ring in their ears.