Chapter 338: Whispering Forest [3]

’...U-Urgh...’

’A... little more...’

’...Finally!’

Soren twisted his body one last time, the sticky webbing finally loosening enough for him to pull his arms free. He ripped the gag from his mouth and gasped for air, his lungs burning from the effort. The webbing clung to his clothes and skin, but he ignored it and focused on his surroundings.

Strangely, even without his sight, he now could sense everything around him. He guessed it must be because of his character or the forest itself. But more importantly, thanks to listening to the whispers for more than an hour, he managed to piece things together and almost figured out the truth. Including the fact that Ethea might be heading right into a trap.

’I have to find her fast.’ He thought. ’But first...’

He turned his head slowly, following the whispers’ guidance. Around him, hanging from the ceiling like grotesque ornaments, were dozens of cocoons. They were wrapped in the same sticky webbing that had bound him, and he could sense faint life forces inside them.

’...I have to free them.’

However, there was one big problem.

’...’ He raised his head, looked far above, and saw them. A cluster of glowing red eyes, dozens of them, staring down from the darkness. ’Gulp...’

Despite knowing this was fake, he still couldn’t help but swallow.

’I think... they should add a horror tag to this story.’

If it were someone with a weaker heart, they might have screamed or fainted on the spot. Fortunately, he had faced far worse things in reality, so a giant spider-like monster in an illusion wasn’t going to break him. Still, the sight of those unblinking, cold eyes made his skin crawl.

’...Let’s just save them later.’

He decided after a moment’s thought and forced himself to look away.

’Let’s focus on the whispers...’

He closed his eyes and let the voices wash over him. They were clearer now, no longer the fragmented noise he had heard when he first woke up. Many of them still overlapped and intertwined, but he could pick out individual threads if he concentrated enough.

’...this way...’

’...follow...’

’...closer...’

He opened his eyes and started moving. The whispers guided him through a narrow crack in the wall, barely wide enough for him to squeeze through. He had to twist and turn, the rough stone scraping against his shoulders, but eventually, he stumbled out into open air.

His sight, which had been useless in the darkness, suddenly began to clear; the surroundings started to take shape. And the first thing he saw was the massive structure he had just crawled out of.

’...Is this... a tree?’

It was enormous. The trunk alone was wider than a big house, its bark dark and gnarled, stretching up into the canopy so high he couldn’t see the top. Roots the size of buildings twisted into the ground, and between them, he could see the faint glimmer of webbing.

’I see...’

He had been inside that tree the whole time. And it was definitely the lair of the monster and the place where the ending, or perhaps the final battle, would take place. However, for that to happen, the other characters had to find their way here first.

’...I think I might be the one who brings them here.’

He nods at his conclusion and looks at his body.

’...Unfortunately, this body is weak. I can’t fight, I can’t run fast, and I definitely can’t take a hit.’

If he got hit badly and died, he would be kicked out of the story.

’...Hah.’ He let out a quiet sigh. Of all the roles he could have gotten, he ended up as a helpless child. But then, despite everything, his lips curled up.

’...Well, it’s a challenge. And I like challenges.’

With that, he started moving, following the whispers through the dark forest.

───────

"Urgh... Damn it!" Mona cursed. "We are really lost!"

"..." The knight, Theo, sighed helplessly but couldn’t refute her. "Let’s keep moving."

Elea watched them from behind, her ears twitching at every sound. The forest was still noisy, full of whispers and rustling leaves, but she had long learned to filter through it.

’Hmm?’

Suddenly, she froze as she heard something else, heading straight toward them, probably running.

"Something’s coming," she warned.

"Not again," Mona groaned, raising her hands as flames flickered to life around her fingers.

Theo drew his sword and stepped in front of the group. "Be on guard."

They formed a tight formation, backs to each other, weapons ready. The footsteps grew louder, closer, and Mona prepared to fire.

But Elea’s eyes widened when she saw the figure first. "Stop!"

She shouted at Mona.

"W-What?" Mona froze, barely stopping herself from shooting. "Damn it, Elea!"

Before Elea could answer, two red eyes appeared in the shadows. They grew brighter, closer, until they took shape. A small boy stumbled into view, his black skin blending with the darkness, his red eyes wide and unfocused. He looked similar to the black monsters they had been fighting, but something about him was different.

He tripped over a root and fell to his knees, breathing in ragged gasps.

"It’s... a child?" Theo lowered his sword slightly, confusion replacing his earlier tension.

Mona stared, her flames flickering uncertainly. "Is that... not one of the monsters?"

"No." Elea stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the boy. "He’s not."

The boy lifted his head, his red eyes meeting hers. There was something familiar in them, something that made her heart skip.

"...Soren?"

The boy’s expression lit up, but to Mona and Theo, it looked extremely eerie.

"W-Who are you!" Mona demanded, taking a few steps back and intensifying her flames.

"!" The boy froze and turned toward her, opening his mouth. "Gnh... ngh... ah..."

"?" Mona and Theo made confused faces, while their wariness grew.

The boy himself looked the most confused, as his voice sounded broken, like words that had been crushed before they could leave his throat. He tried again, his face scrunching with effort.

"Ah... gnh... nnh..."

Nothing coherent came out. Just those same shattered noises, over and over.

Mona furrowed her brows. "What’s wrong with him?"

"Nnh..."

The boy stopped trying to speak. His brow furrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line, frustration flickering across his face before something like embarrassment replaced it.

"He can’t speak," Elea said, stepping between the boy and Mona. She knelt down to his level and met his eyes. "Are you one of the ’kidnapped children’?"

The boy looked at her for a long moment, then nodded.

’Dear, I finally found you.’

’Mm... Me too.’

Ethea’s lips curled up behind her mask, and her heart, which had been pounding since the moment she saw him, finally began to settle.

Mona let her flames die down, though her expression remained wary. "Okay, so he’s a kid. Fine. But where are the others?"

Theo glanced at her, then back at the boy. "Can you show us the way?"

The boy turned to him and nodded. But then his expression shifted. He pointed behind him and frowned, his small face scrunching with something that looked like urgency.

"...Monsters are coming." Elea translated. "A lot of them."

Mona cursed again and flicked her fingers, a large circle of flames surrounding the four of them.

"...die... humans..."

"...kill... them... kill..."

"...keke.. kke...."

The whispers intensified, and countless monsters emerged from the trees, surrounding them from all sides.

’Even though this is an illusion,’ Elea said, ’let me protect you this time, dear.’

She winked at the stunned boy and vanished into thin air.

"Boy, get behind me!"

The knight stepped forward and swung his sword. A wave of light erupted from the blade, cutting through more than ten monsters in a single blow. They dissolved into mist, but more took their place.

Mona was even more impressive. She raised her hands, and a storm of fire erupted from the circle. The flames danced and twisted, incinerating any monster that came too close. She also sent lances of fire into the darkness, each one hitting its mark with deadly precision.

And Elea... one moment she was beside him, and the next she was behind a group of monsters, her daggers flashing. They fell before they could even turn around. She moved like a shadow cutting through the horde with an elegance that made it look effortless.

’...She’s cool.’

The boy smiled. But more than that, he was happy to see her walking and moving around freely.

’...I will make it happen for real too... I swear.’

He tightened his fists and watched as the trio fought, and after what felt like hours, they finally managed to kill all the monsters. They took a few minutes to rest.

"Now," The knight, Theo, turned to him, "please take us to where other children are."

The boy nodded and started walking, leading them through the Whispering Forest. The others trailed beside him, alert for any sign of danger.

’Dear... do you want me to carry you?’

’!’ The boy nearly tripped over his own feet, catching himself on a tree root just in time. He shot her a look, his red eyes wide with embarrassment. ’N-No, I’m fine.’

’...Pfft!’