Chapter 303: Cost Of Leaving

"That is because you have finally been given an opportunity to appreciate how little of the Crimson Forest you have actually seen," Aelric said in response to Valmyr’s musings.

He stood a short distance from the group, his forest-green tunic stirring gently in the breeze. Unlike the others, he seemed entirely unconcerned by the imposing landscape.

His gaze travelled across the forest with the familiarity of someone inspecting a place he had visited countless times, rather than someone standing above a wilderness capable of swallowing entire groups of exiles.

If anything, Aelric had the disposition of a traveller admiring an old landmark, not a man surveying a region where almost every shadow might conceal something intent on killing him.

The moment he finished speaking, Aureleah turned towards him and raised an eyebrow.

"Did you bring us here just to show us the forest?" she asked. Her voice carried a measured scepticism, sharpened by a faint trace of irritation.

Even she had to admit that the sight before them was astonishing. The crimson canopy, distant mountains, and strange fog drifting between the trees would have impressed someone considerably less difficult to impress than her.

That, however, did not mean she appreciated all the trouble Aelric had put them through. If this was what he considered important, perhaps he needed to revise his understanding of the word.

In response, Aelric offered a single-word reply.

"Partly."

The answer was so curt that the group briefly wondered whether he had decided to conserve his breath rather than explain himself.

"Partly?" Vaelorin repeated, his brows drawing together.

"Excuse me, but do you mean to tell me that the reason you made us abandon the prospect of returning to a perfectly serviceable shelter, walk through a forest we know practically nothing about, and bring us to the edge of a cliff was merely to show us a rather impressive view?"

He then rolled his eyes before adding. "Oh, please. Surely there is a more convincing explanation you could concoct than that."

Aelric turned his green eyes towards him. His expression remained composed, although a subtle tightening around his mouth suggested that Vaelorin’s commentary was beginning to test his patience.

"Would it hurt you if you made no unnecessary remarks for just a short period?"

Vaelorin blinked, momentarily taken aback. He opened his mouth, evidently prepared to demand what Aelric meant, but the latter continued before he could speak.

"Besides, do you think I would be so dull as to bring you here just for the scenery? Use your head."

The rebuke landed with sufficient force to silence Vaelorin. His earlier sarcasm had clearly exhausted what little patience Aelric possessed for such exchanges.

Knowing better than to make himself the target of another reprimand, Vaelorin merely pursed his lips, gave a stiff nod, and turned his attention back to the view.

Regaleon intervened before the atmosphere could become any more strained. He glanced briefly at Vaelorin, then addressed Aelric with a conciliatory expression.

"Uhm, Aelric, don’t be annoyed by my asking, but what exactly is the purpose of bringing us here?"

Aelric drew a small breath and shifted his attention towards him. Unlike Vaelorin, Regaleon had asked without an accusatory edge, and the green-eyed youth seemed willing enough to provide an explanation.

"Well, bringing you here serves two purposes. The first is to give you a visual illustration of the Crimson Forest, while the second is to help you understand what the journey to the Sanctuary will entail. I wanted to use this opportunity to give you some idea, however limited, of how the journey will proceed and what you should expect along the way."

At last, the group began to understand why Aelric had insisted that this detour was important. Their previous journey through the forest had offered them little opportunity to appreciate its scale.

Beneath the canopy, every direction had looked much the same, and the towering trunks had concealed as much as they revealed. From this height, however, the forest’s immensity was impossible to overlook.

Before they could dwell on the explanation, Aelric continued.

"You see, this vast expanse of trees and fog is what I told you is called the Scarlet Canopy." He gestured towards the landscape with an almost casual sweep of his hand.

"Although I have mentioned it before, words alone cannot help you properly visualise or comprehend its scale. A description can give you an idea, but seeing something with your own eyes is an entirely different matter."

He allowed his hand to fall.

"As I have also explained, this is the outermost region of the Nether Lands. However, despite its location, what you see from here represents only a portion of its actual territory."

"Only a portion?" Kaeloris adjusted his spectacles, peering towards the distant vegetation. "The forest already appears to extend beyond the limits of our visibility. Are you suggesting its boundaries stretch considerably farther than this?"

"Yes," Aelric replied. "As I have established, the Crimson Forest is considerably larger than you might imagine. In fact, it is far larger than anything you could reasonably explore on foot within a short period, although its precise boundaries are difficult to establish."

Kaeloris’s expression grew thoughtful. Even with the extraordinary view before him, he found it difficult to reconcile the visible expanse with the possibility that so much more remained beyond it.

The forest was not simply a stretch of wilderness. It was a world within a world, vast enough to make their week-long journey seem almost insignificant.

"In any case," Aelric said, drawing their attention back to him, "if you want to understand why I referred to this place as the outermost region of the Nether Lands, look over there..."

He raised an arm and pointed towards the distant horizon.

The group followed the direction of his finger. At first, they saw little beyond the hazy mountains and endless crimson vegetation. Then, as their eyes adjusted to the distance, a peculiar formation emerged through the atmospheric veil.

It resembled an enormous dome, faintly visible against the farthest reaches of the landscape. Its curved outline seemed to stretch across the horizon, although the haze made it difficult to determine its true dimensions.

"You see, what you are looking at is what I would call the boundary of the Nether Lands," Aelric explained. "Or, in simpler terms, the edge of the Crimson Forest. It is around that area that the teleportation platform which brought you here is located."

He paused, allowing the group to examine the distant formation.

"Moreover, it is because that boundary exists that no one—and I mean no one—who enters the Nether Lands can simply leave."

The change in the group’s expressions was immediate. Their appreciation of the scenery gave way to renewed seriousness, and several pairs of eyes returned to the distant dome.

"Aelric, I have two questions based on everything you have just told us," Kaeloris said.

The bespectacled Gnost turned towards the green-eyed youth, adjusting his glasses before pointing towards the horizon.

"First, what is the meaning and significance of that dome-like structure? And secondly, does its existence mean we can find our way back to Valoria? I mean, since we were brought here through those teleportation platforms, surely we should be able to use one to travel outside the Nether Lands and return to Valoria."

At last, Kaeloris had asked the question that had lingered in the minds of the entire group since their first day in the Nether Lands.

Surely, despite everything Aetherium’s accounts said about this land of death and desolation, there had to be a way out. Being thrown into the Nether Lands could not necessarily mean that one was condemned to remain there until death.

Although they had gradually grown accustomed to life in the Scarlet Canopy, they still yearned for civilisation, familiar comforts, and the ordinary security of a world where every rustle in the bushes did not warrant a hand reaching for a weapon.

And perhaps that longing was one reason they had been so impatient to reach the Sanctuary after learning of its existence. Yet, beyond the prospect of finding refuge, their deepest desire remained the same: to leave the Nether Lands altogether.

Now that Kaeloris had finally voiced the question, every member of the group turned towards Aelric. Their gazes were intense, carrying a mixture of expectation, anxiety, and a hope they had scarcely dared to entertain.

Aelric, however, remained calm beneath their scrutiny. Upon hearing Kaeloris’s questions, he allowed a small smile to play upon his lips.

"As for your first question, the existence of that boundary is something I cannot explain to you right now. It involves a certain phenomenon that you would not understand unless you experienced it yourselves."

His smile lingered for a moment before he addressed the second question.

"As for whether someone can leave the Nether Lands, the answer is... yes."

The instant Aelric gave his answer, the group could not contain the sudden surge of joy that passed through them. Hope, long suppressed beneath the weight of their circumstances, stirred once more. Several exchanged glances, while others seemed ready to question him immediately about the method.

Thankfully, all hope was not lost. Yet, just as they were about to ask how such a thing could be accomplished, the green-eyed youth added something chilling.

"You can leave the Nether Lands, but it is a very great undertaking that comes with a steep price..."