Xinzu Celestial woke up to the sound of something extremely offensive.
It was loud.
Wet.
And disturbingly close to his ear.
"..."
He slowly opened one eye.
A large golden retriever was staring directly into his soul while enthusiastically licking his face like it had discovered the meaning of life.
"-AAAH!"
Xinzu launched himself off the couch and crashed onto the floor like a startled cat.
His name is Xinzu Celestial a 17 year old boy and its his summer break before going for exam for his college entrance.
Tall With Pale white skin and perfect set of teeth along with his Green Eyes and Blond hair.
Even his always wearing a glasses due to his bad eye sight.
That doesn't still hide that his drop dead gorgeous in human standards.
Just a bit timid making him the high schools "Shy Prince" albiet geeky he still had multiple admirers even in upperclassman.
The dog wagged its tail proudly.
From the kitchen, his older brother's voice echoed.
"Good morning."
Xinzu lay on the floor in defeat.
"Your dog just assaulted me."
"Im sorry for that,Whisky is little naughty you get used to it Xin."
Xinzu froze.
Slowly... very slowly... he turned his head toward the animal.
The dog blinked.
Xinzu blinked back.
"...Bastard!"Xinzu hissed angrily. His mood bad too much for early morning ..
Zapher appeared in the doorway holding a mug of coffee like a calm scientist observing chaos.
"Want some coffee?."
The dog barked happily.
Xinzu covered his face.
"This day is already cursed."
Twenty minutes later, the mystery dog had been escorted outside, and Xinzu was now sitting at the table staring suspiciously at his brother.
Zapher Celestial was the type of person who always had a plan.
That was the problem.
Whenever Zapher had a plan, Xinzu suffered.
Zapher pushed a thick folder across the table.
"Pack your bags."
Xinzu didn't even touch it.
"No."
Zapher sipped his coffee.
"We're leaving today."
"No."
"It's for research."
"No."
Zapher placed a plane ticket on the table.
Xinzu stared at it.
His soul left his body.
"Why does that say Philippines?"
Zapher smiled.
"The best discoveries happen in remote places."
Xinzu pointed at himself.
"I am not a discovery."
"You're coming with me."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Mom and Dad won't agreed ,Stay put don't drag me bro-"
Stamp*.
"Look-"
Something was shoved out his face and as the screen lights up its content make his eye shrink in disbelief ...
Their parents even give his brother a money so they could go out abroad for his brothers work expenses. Now talking about favoritism his heart felt itchy-...so much for middle child ..
He had 2 siblings and his the middle child ...Zapher the Oldest and the youngest is Mia which is currently out of town with thief parents. Leaving them alone in their house .
Zapher leaned forward.
"You already promised."
Xinzu frowned.
"I did not."
Zapher opened his phone and played a recording.
Xinzu's sleepy voice echoed from the speaker.
"Sure... whatever... just let me sleep..."
Zapher paused the audio.
"Verbal agreement."
Xinzu stared at him in horror.
"That was at 3 a.m.!"
"Still valid."
"That's illegal!"
"Pack your bags."
Clearly He had no choice but to comply ... Even without going there he will be left without money in home until his parents are back from trip.
...
Two days later, Xinzu found himself questioning every decision that led to this moment.
Which mostly meant questioning his brother.
The car bounced violently as it drove along a narrow dirt road surrounded by thick jungle.
Xinzu clung to the door handle.
"Why is the road shaking?"
Zapher answered calmly.
"Because it's a dirt road."
"Why are we on a dirt road?"
"Because the village is remote."
"Why is it remote?"
"Because it's hidden near Linlang Forest."
Xinzu stared out the window.
The trees were enormous.
Their branches twisted together overhead, blocking out most of the sunlight.
The deeper they drove, the darker it seemed.
His stomach twisted. This road is so much glittery that makes his stomach acid goes out to take a puke. Bad place and bad ride great-
"Hey... Zapher."
"Yes?"
"Why does this forest feel like it's watching me?"
Zapher adjusted his glasses.
"That's psychological."Looking around zapher adjusted his glasses again up to point out that he didnt give a care in worldly matters but his research.
"That's terrifying." Xinzu felt out of place being with a total hard core scientist in the room .
They arrived at the town just before sunset.
It was small.
Too small.
A handful of wooden houses stood around a dusty road, and an old store sat at the center.
But something about the place felt... wrong.
People stared at them.
Not curious stares.
Warning stares.
This place looks so much like ignorant people who haven't seen anyone out of there place...Its like telling them there not welcome here or like wearing a "Look at me and you're dead meat-" yah....so unfriendly .
Xinzu leaned closer to his brother.
"Why are they looking at us like we just announced we're ghosts?"
Zapher parked the car.
"Probably because tourists don't come here."
Xinzu whispered.
"I feel like we shouldn't be here."
Zapher grabbed his research bag.
"You're being dramatic."
This brother of his or the people was stressing him out...too much it felt like a his the only normal human with common sense ,making him felt like an outcast... Zapher Kier Celestial 28 year old he's many years older than him and Mia his younger sister was only 1 year apart younger ...
Even if they bicker he couldn't deny his still his older brother and he's just a mad geek ..always curious on new plants.. and now he's dragged just for a plant thesis..
They walked toward the small store.
The moment they stepped inside, the room went silent.
An old man behind the counter looked at them carefully.
Zapher smiled politely.
"Good afternoon. We're looking for directions to Linlang Forest."
The old man's face changed instantly.
His expression turned pale.
"You shouldn't go there."
Zapher tilted his head.
"Why?"
The man didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at Xinzu.
Long.
Carefully.
Like he was trying to see something hidden beneath the surface.Xhinzu felt goosebumps from the old man ..his stare gives him creeps so much he looked back at his brothers face for assurance.
Then he spoke quietly the old man whispered .
"That forest... does not welcome outsiders."
Xinzu's heart skipped.
Zapher remained calm.
"We're researchers."
"Researchers disappear too."
The silence in the room grew heavy.
Another villager whispered something.
The word sounded unfamiliar.
But Xinzu caught the last part.
"What dissapear too-?"
His stomach dropped clearly not expecting these news ..he's not researcher but a "forced assistant" for a mad geek.
Zapher cleared his throat.
"We'll be fine."
The old man leaned closer.
His voice became a whisper.
"There is an abandoned village inside the forest."
Xinzu felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"Don't go there."
Zapher asked calmly,
"What happens if we do?"
The old man looked toward the forest outside the window.
His answer was barely audible.
"They will find you."
Xinzu swallowed.
"Who?"
The old man's eyes darkened.
"The ones who howl at the moon."
...
That night, Xinzu stood outside their small inn near the center of the Wide Lake Town.
He couldn't sleep nor eat properly , the place was uncomfortable even the food was odd...
FLASHBACK:
"TWO ORDERS PLS.." Xhinzu said un energetically to the waiter at counter as he grabbed the menu..his brows frowned the food is exotic that he couldn't choose which to eat..
"Give Us the best seller in Town-" Xinzu said awkwardly as he the dish name was unfamiliar and they don't had photo in the dish just name ...better eat what locals do to felt more like locals...
He better just make it like a unexpected vacation so he would have fun in these trip or place and not make it dramatic ..
"I want something vegetarian salamat-"Zapher said softly to the waiter and then go back to the book in his hold.,clearly occupied from the contents..He's always reading anywhere .
The waiter didn't answer immediately.
He just stared at Xinzu.
Not the normal customer service stare either.
It was the kind of stare people gave when they were quietly deciding whether you were worth talking to.
Then the man slowly nodded and disappeared into the kitchen.
Xinzu exhaled.
"Friendly place," he muttered.
Zapher didn't even look up from his book.
"Mmm."
Xinzu leaned across the table.
"That wasn't sarcasm, by the way."
"Mmm."
"Did you even hear what I said?"
"Mmm."
Xinzu stared at him.
"How are we related?"
Zapher calmly turned a page.
The restaurant was small.
Too small.
The wooden walls were dark from age and smoke, and the single light bulb hanging from the ceiling flickered every few seconds like it was struggling to stay alive.
Outside, the wind moved through the trees around the lake.
It made a low whispering sound.
Not like leaves.
More like something breathing.
Xinzu rubbed his arms.
"Why does this place feel like a horror movie?"
Zapher flipped another page.
"Because you watch too many horror movies."
"No, because normal places don't look like this."
Zapher pushed his glasses up.
"This town is probably just underdeveloped."
Xinzu looked around again.
Three villagers were sitting at another table.
They weren't eating.
They were just staring at them.
Xinzu lowered his voice.
"They're still staring."
"Curiosity."
"That's not curiosity."
Zapher finally glanced up.
"They're probably wondering why outsiders came here."
Xinzu leaned closer.
"They look like they're wondering where to bury us."
Zapher sighed.
"You're exaggerating."
Xinzu sank back in his chair.
"Right. Sure. I'm exaggerating the death vibes."
The food arrived.
Xinzu immediately regretted his life choices.
The plate looked... aggressive.
It was a bowl of thick dark stew with strange leafy vegetables floating inside it like seaweed that had seen things it didn't want to talk about.
The smell hit him first.
It wasn't rotten.
But it wasn't friendly either.
It was bitter.
Earthy.
And something else.
Something metallic.
Xinzu stared at it like it might attack him.
"What... is that?"
The waiter answered flatly.
"Local soup."
"That doesn't answer my question."
The waiter had already walked away.
Xinzu looked at his brother.
Zapher was already eating.
And smiling.
"Wow."
Xinzu blinked.
"You're smiling."
Zapher nodded enthusiastically.
"This is fascinating."
"That is not the word people use for soup maybe becouse your vegetarian."
Zapher pointed at the bowl.
"This plant is probably from the Linlang ecosystem. The bitterness suggests high alkaloid content."
Xinzu stared.
"You just said the soup is poisonous in scientist language."
"No, no," Zapher said cheerfully. "Just chemically interesting."
Xinzu pushed the bowl slightly away.
"I'm going to die, aren't I?"
Zapher continued eating.
"Highly unlikely."
"That's not comforting."
Xinzu reluctantly scooped a small spoonful.
He sniffed it.
His brain immediately said no.
His pride said eat it.
He took the tiniest sip.
His soul left his body.
The bitterness exploded across his tongue like an angry forest.
Xinzu choked.
"-WHAT IS THAT?!"
Three villagers looked over.
Zapher blinked.
"It's not that bad."
Xinzu grabbed the water.
"It tastes like someone boiled a tree and then added sadness."
Zapher shrugged.
"Your palate is just untrained."
"MY PALATE IS TRYING TO SURVIVE."
He shoved the bowl away.
"I'm eating biscuits tonight."
...
Dinner ended with Xinzu eating plain rice and silently judging every life decision that had led him here.
By the time they left the restaurant, the sun had already disappeared behind the mountains.
The town became darker.
Much darker.
There were barely any street lights.
The lake beside the town reflected the moon like a sheet of black glass.
Even the air felt colder.
Xinzu shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets.
"I hate this place."
Zapher looked around excitedly.
"It's beautiful."
Xinzu stopped walking.
"Beautiful?"
Zapher nodded.
"The biodiversity here must be incredible."
Xinzu gestured toward the silent houses.
"No one is outside."
"It's nighttime."
"The villagers warned us."
"Local superstition."
"The forest howls."
"Probably animals."
"People disappear."
Zapher smiled calmly.
"Statistically exaggerated."
Xinzu stared at him.
"You are the most optimistic idiot I have ever met."
Zapher looked proud.
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
Later that night, Xinzu stood outside their small inn near the center of Wide Lake Town.
The inn was old.
Really old.
The wooden floor creaked whenever someone walked.
The windows rattled when the wind blew.
And somewhere inside the walls something kept scratching.
Xinzu had tried sleeping.
But the bed smelled like dust and ancient wood.
So now he stood outside under the moonlight.
The lake was quiet.
Too quiet.
The moon hung low in the sky, shining over the dark outline of the forest beyond the water.
Linlang Forest.
Even from far away it looked wrong.
The trees were taller than any forest Xinzu had ever seen.
Their branches twisted together like giant claws blocking the sky.
And the deeper parts looked completely black.
Like the moonlight refused to enter.
Xinzu shivered.
"Yeah... nope."
He turned around.
"Tomorrow we leave."
A voice behind him answered.
"No we don't."
Xinzu jumped.
"AAH-!"
Zapher stood there holding a notebook.
"You scare too easily.
Xinzu grabbed his chest.
"You move like a ghost!"
Zapher walked past him and looked toward the forest.
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Tomorrow we explore Linlang."
Xinzu stared.
"Did you not hear the old man?"
Zapher nodded.
"Of course I did."
"And you're still going?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Zapher smiled.
"Because places with myths usually hide undiscovered species."
Xinzu rubbed his face.
"You're going to get us killed by a plant."
Zapher flipped his notebook open.
"Impossible."
Xinzu pointed at the forest.
"That forest looks like it eats people."
Zapher calmly wrote something down.
"That's scientifically unlikely."
Xinzu groaned.
"My brother is going to get eaten by a haunted tree."
Then-
From deep inside Linlang Forest-
A long, distant sound echoed through the night.
A howl.
Low.
Deep.
Not quite wolf.
Not quite human.
Xinzu slowly turned toward the forest.
His stomach dropped.
"...Zapher."
"Yes?"
"Tell me that was a dog."
Zapher listened carefully.
Then adjusted his glasses.
"Acoustically fascinating."
Xinzu stared at him.
"You're unbelievable."
Another howl echoed.
Closer this time.
The wind moved through the trees.
And for a moment-
Xinzu felt something watching him from the darkness of the forest.
Not curiosity.
Recognition.
His skin crawled.
"...Yeah," Xinzu muttered quietly.
"This trip is officially the worst trip of my life."
I'll call mom and ditch these place let them hire somebody else and not there middle child... the older is naive, Xinzu thought that tomorrow is perfect for ditching .
....