“Dear Feng, this book contains the knowledge about Renar and its royalty, as well as tools for your survival. I wrote it because one day, the council will try to send you there, and I fear I won’t be able to stop them, or you.”

  “The kingdom of Renar has a kind king for a ruler, who allowed me access to the library and education to learn the language of the kingdom’s people. The knowledge will be passed on to you through this book, in the other book deeper in this bag is knowledge of our people for the kingdom of Renar to prepare. The king will want to know what he can do to help. Do not open that book yourself, it is for the king’s eyes alone.”

  She kept reading “Now for a story. As you now know, I once crossed this forest and it’s dangers myself. What it holds in store for you, I can’t say. It seems different for everyone, but I trust that the tools I give will be of some use. The first, is that guile will not save you from much, traps will probably be useless against any enemy in Letalio.

  I learned this when I crossed the forest, there was a maze for me. A maze of pure darkness I had to traverse, if I stepped out of the darkness, I was brought back to its entrance, and the wall was not solid. It took me quite some time without light.

  When I crossed the forest, I found myself in a large field, and there was a strange child, who told me a message. I can’t remember what the child looked like, the child’s gender, or its message, but I suspect it had something to do with you, as you were a small child when I returned from the other side of the forest.

  I do remember when I finally saw the city in the distance, it was different to ours. There weren’t slanted roofs or colored masonry, and the houses weren’t made with wood. There’s no bamboo either, so the houses were all made with stone in rectangular shapes. The doors and windows were thick, made of wood, and would swing open.

  They also had what’s called a gate, which is a giant metal door that slides down and up, but has holes in it so it can be looked through. Again, Letalio doesn’t do as much with secrecy, they’re more upfront with their tactics. A guard saw me and instructed the gate to be raised, then escorted me to the castle.

  I was told to wait while the cook made some food. It was bread made from wheat (similar to rice in how widespread it is and how often it was used as a complimentary food) and some meat between the bread. Apparently it’s called a sandwich, and seemed much easier to make than sushi, though the meat was tougher. It also had aged milk called cheese, which tastes better than it sounds.

  As I waited, the king’ brother, Julian, greeted me.

  “Welcome, I’m Julian, kin to king Aray and queen Silia. Who are you?” He asked. Of course, I couldn’t answer as I didn’t understand what he was saying. Which was alright, as there was a loud sound outside. Even without knowing the language, I could tell that it was royalty.

  The cheers got louder and louder, and eventually stopped once they reached the castle. The king and queen came inside, along with a group of Leydians, which are humans with darker skin, some nearly the same shade as a shadow. They looked disheveled, and I wondered what manner of treatment they got from the king to look like this.

  That’s when the king said something, and they all sat down, looking around as if scared, while a feast was brought out for them. They weren’t happy though, they still looked scared of something, of the situation. They ate, slowly. And they needed it too, many had faces sunken and shallow as the creek of Jiang, but with none of the hope or peace.

  One set of these Leydians, a man and a woman, appeared to have a child with them. He had red eyes for some reason. Not bright red like your eye, but dark red, like thickening blood. He was no older than 13, only a few years my junior.

  The king and queen’s faces changed from focus to happiness when their child ran to their arms. She was also your age, and happy as could be. Her name is Serta, and I think you 2 will be great friends.

  After the king seemed to address the group the last time, he walked over to me, with his wife and child, and said something. It was probably a question, something like “who are you?” but I couldn’t understand.

  Serta grabbed my hand and so I decided to follow, knowing that I couldn’t communicate with these people with words, I decided to let them show me things. Her parents were smiling, and didn’t try to stop her. I wonder now if that same personality belongs to the princess? You’ll have to tell me when you return (if you do end up returning).

  As she led me by the hand, I noticed the Leydian child’ eyes following, and they were still dark red, but filled with life and something no other Leydian possessed, hope. There is something to be said about a foreign leader that gains the immediate trust of children who have been through hardships. But I don’t have the words, other than I trust the child.

  So Serta led me to a library, which is much like our libraries, but filled with books instead of scrolls. She grabbed a blank book, and wrote her name, then pointed to herself, and said her name. “Serta.” I immediately understood.

  I grabbed the pen she outstretched, and wrote my name. “Shin” I said. She smiled and said something to her parents. They laughed, then grabbed the pen from me, and wrote their names. Aray, and Silia. Beautiful names, now that I think about it. In their language, the 2 names together mean true light. The 3 names together, true restful light. Serta means rest, Aray means light, and Silia means true.

  Over time, they’d use this method for helping me learn the names of things, and I eventually learned the language, but not before they gifted me with an image, a Lion and Dragon circling each other endlessly, as if to attack. It was put on a shirt, and I wore it often while I was there. Now, it sits at the top of my mantle.

  This symbol, I would come to learn, is the symbol of the foreigner. Not as a way to discriminate, but to distinguish who might know of their customs, and who doesn’t. It didn’t take me much longer, I had to leave to come back. It was a personal test, and I left with the blessing of Aray and Silia, and the princess Serta. So on the day after my arrival anniversary, I took a few things I was permitted to take.

  First was 2 empty books, that you carry with you. Next was a hunk of iron, which made the gun I gave you. I also was permitted to take a crossbow, which I have hidden from the council, and request it stays that way. I also took some plants with me, and if you look in your pack, there are seeds to give to Aray when you meet him. They are of rice and other plants we have, that they don’t.

  There are a few more things to say, one of those things is not to be surprised. Trust Aray and Silia. If you can, don’t harm or threaten them, or anyone. This will take a different method than you’re used to, and it’s at my request. The council wishes you to do as you always do, but I ask you to lie to them should you return. Tell them you couldn’t kill the king, or something of that sort. Murder of a ruler will kill the people needlessly.”

  Feng put down the book. It was shorter than she thought, but still longer than she was used to. She felt the forest grow restless, perhaps she’d stayed still too long. As she got up to move while there was still a cover of darkness, she found herself back at the camp-spot within a few hundred steps. The coals still smoldering from the fire she made.

  She walked again, and the same thing happened. She tried going back, and found that she couldn’t leave the forest either, it would just take her back to her smoldering fire. She sat, and thought, then decided to try and sleep. Handle the problem with the sun’s light. She did not sleep, bit the morning light came anyways, and she saw that… it was indeed not something natural. And the record of Shin mentioned a different trial for him.

  When the sun lit up the sky with an orange hue, she started walking again. And once again, found herself as if in a loop, despite walking straight. This time though, she couldn’t even take a step forward. Every time she did, her foot stepped right into the footprint she was just leaving. She sat down. This was going nowhere. She couldn’t move in the day, she couldn’t move in total darkness, something else was going on, she thought.

  She lay down and slept. When she awoke, she decided to just walk. So she did. Straight forward, as before. The moon illuminated the path in front of her, and it was full tonight. She got excited, then realized she was still stuck in a loop. She could take a few steps before stumbling back into the fire pit she had yesterday. This was getting infuriating.

  She wore a scowl on her face as her steps continued to walk, but not go any sort of meaningful distance. As she walked, over and over again, she noticed that there was another set of footprints. Each time it reset, it was only her own, so for another set to be there, fresh and just past where she went, was concerning.

  What was more concerning is when there was a person walking towards her from that direction, a woman. A very beautiful one, wearing a Bedlah, though Feng did not know what it was called. Red on the fabric and golden on the exterior and jewelry, to match the hair and eyes of the tall woman walking towards her. A rose in her hair, large and also red. This woman was beautiful in a foreign way, and Feng tried to retreat, her retreat quickened as she stepped to the side, which transported her back to her campsite.

  That gave her a few moments. Who is the woman? A foreigner. Judging by her clothes, she’s either royalty, or has slept with royalty, or just really likes fancy clothes. What’s concerning is that she was just walking, as if nothing affected her. As if the forest didn’t affect her at all.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Is she a threat? Maybe. While her clothing didn’t let her hide large weapons, her size alone was concerning and could easily be used to crush one smaller than her, or steal weapons should she find them. And with that height came reach, she could effectively attack without any sort expectancy of retaliation hitting her.

  The woman was approaching. Feng didn’t like doing this, but she reached in her bag for a weapon. Just a knife, the gun would be too loud, and it was modified so she wouldn’t know if it functions the same. She kept her arm in her bag, clutching the hilt, and as the woman drew near, she saw the woman was even taller than she thought. At least 6 feet tall, and with well toned muscles in every place they were showing, she couldn’t afford any mistakes. This wasn’t a woman from Renar.

  Feng expertly hid the knife from the view of the beautiful woman, and hid it in her sleeve, and stood up. The first strike is the most important, if it’s seen, the rest can fail. She walked close as she could without being in typical fist fighting range, and lunged towards the woman’s neck, her blade angled upwards aiming at the windpipe. The woman stepped to the side, the blade missing most of her neck, but still brushing against it and causing a small bruise.

  Feng tried a slice from here, in which the woman just stepped back and grabbed her wrist, prying the knife with strength that even men of the woman’s size shouldn’t have. She spoke, it was enticing almost, but riddled with restraint. “I’m not here to hurt you. Please stop this.” She requested, as if the attack was nothing more than inconvenience.

  Feng could see no way out but to comply. She nodded, and the woman let go. “I am Nebulae.” The woman stated. “Sit down. We have much to talk about. This forest isn’t going to let us rest forever.” She continued.

  Feng sat down, but didn’t say a word. Still filled with suspicion, she gripped a different weapon in her bag, the gun. The blade only left light bruising on the skin, the gun would pierce it if she can figure it out.

  “I understand your distrust, but nothing you can do will make you able to win the fight you want to start. And you never even had the element of surprise like your nation is used to. Judging by your youth, you must be Feng of Shoni?” the woman asked.

  Feng shook her head, then pulled out an empty scroll, and wrote on it in her native language “I am Ling Chao, of Shoni.” This usually worked well, the mute routine.

  But this didn’t work with Nebulae. “You can hear me speak in Renarian, the most common tongue, understand me, and yet you feign ignorance of the language as well as fake your identity and mute-ness? You’re very like me.” Nebulae said.

  Feng had no response. “Very well, I’ll just call you wanderer until you trust me enough. Now excuse me for intruding, but you’re trying to cross the forest of spirits?” She asked Feng. This time Feng nodded. “What have you noticed about it? I can help you cross it.” She stated.

  Feng decided to speak. Better to be trusted, makes it easier to kill should the need arise. “whenever I walk a certain distance, I’m immediately back to the campsite. During the day, on step is all it takes. During the night, I can’t walk past the circle.” She responded.

  “I’m glad you trust me enough with that information. Now, it seems like we’ll learn more by trying at night. Do you have enough food to last until then?” Nebulae asked. She pulled her pack off her back, and pulled out some nuts. “these don’t go bad, and I don’t exactly need to eat right now.” She continued. Feng just shook her head.

  “I have my own food. And my own specialized water.” She said. “Here, let me show you what happens.” Feng stood up and as she tried to walk past Nebulae, her foot stepped back into its original spot near the fire pit. “see? I can’t walk too far.” She stated.

  Nebulae turned her head to look back towards the campfire. “Yes, it would seem that way. I have a theory. But we must wait until night to test it out. If you are indeed Feng as I suspect, you’ll need your sleep. Something I don’t need myself.”

  Just who was this woman? She knew about Feng’s abnormal sleep pattern. Regardless she determined Nebulae would not kill her, because she could easily do that even if Feng was awake and in peak condition. One broken arm would make it as easy as one punch to the throat, even blocked. She curled up, and eventually fell asleep.

  Feng woke up while it was dark, but there was still an amount of light from the moon. Nebulae was sitting by a fire she made in the fire pit. Feng didn’t get up, she listened.

  “Tralen my dear, I hope you’re proud of me. I’ve found another traveler to help. You would’ve broken through her shell faster than I can. I don’t even know if you can hear me, but I want to talk to you again. I know you’re in a place I won’t be able to go to even if I die, but this hurts even more.” She said. She looked over at Feng, but Feng’s eyes remained closed.

  “She’s just a kid, and the Shoni government is having her do things so dangerous any grown adult would be scared to do. What am I supposed to do about that? Keletaliotionaga, I ask for your guidance for this, whatever level of flesh I have. Please just show me what to do to help her break out of her distrust of humans.”

  “And if it pleases you, let me find Jumei soon. I can’t take too much more of this wandering and waiting for my purpose. I can’t stand another day where Tralen’s face in hatred is the last thing I see of him in my mind.” Nebulae’s voice broke more. Her usual slow sultry voice nearly a wisp of a whisper, barely able to be heard even among the quiet of the night.

  Feng decided now was a good time to get up, and she acted as if she just woke. She looked up. “you started a fire? That could make the process slower!” Feng said. In truth it didn’t matter, she didn’t think.

  “My apologies, but this is part of it. I assure you.” Nebulae said. “Walk again, I want to see how far you go this time.” She said.

  Feng stood up, and walked the direction of Renar, only for her to be transported back to the fire and pit. “Just like the first night. It’s not helpful.” Feng said.

  “No, it is very helpful. I believe I know what’s happening.” Nebulae said. “The moment you step somewhere darker than previous, you’re transported back to the brightest place you’ve been to.” She stated.

  Feng’s eyes widened in surprise. “That’s possible?” She said.

  “This forest is rather strange, and likes to test humans, and only humans. It’s very possible.” Nebulae said. “That being said, the solution is very simple. Don’t step anywhere even one tiny shade darker.” She continued.

  “But how can that be done? It’s not simple at all.” Feng retorted.

  “Simple doesn’t mean easy. Now, we have a few ways to try and solve this. One is the natural way, one is taking control of the rules with what we have, one is making the rules obsolete with what we have.” Nebulae responded.

  “Before you say anything, I know the 3 ways to solve it. One is to wait until the entire path is illuminated the same. You’ll be waiting for years to come for that to happen, until the forest itself is gone. The second is to cover your entire body head to toe with the covering being clothing. Not an easy task.” Nebulae kept talking.

  “Now, the last one is the most doable, but it’ll require you to not trip at all. The third option is to carry the light with us, and to never hover it over ourselves or over an object. With the light at your back and front, we’ll be making our own path of refreshing light.” Nebulae finished.

  “The third option is the only doable one. Let’s go with that one. Make the torches double sided, to make it easier to walk.” Feng responded.

  Rather than fight Feng on it, Nebulae pulled out 2 torches already prepared like was asked. “I like to have things planned ahead of time. I take after my father in that way.” She said, then light both ends of both torches.

  The 2 walked carefully down the path, making sure to keep the torches at a steady level. It was difficult enough for Feng, highly trained, but Nebulae seemed to have no trouble. They even had a conversation. “I have dreams sometimes when I sleep. Do you have those?” Feng asked.

  “I don’t sleep often, so no I don’t dream either.” Nebulae answered.

  “So you don’t eat, sleep, or dream. You’re not human, are you?” Feng asked.

  “I don’t know what I am. Maybe someday I’ll know, but for now I’m just a traveler helping people.” Nebulae responded. “What about you? You seem more distrusting than most humans, and quicker to resort to violence.”

  “I’m not going to tell you my past. Not to some stranger. If you weren’t there for it, then you don’t need to know it.” Feng replied.

  “Fair enough. But one day that mistrust will come back and hurt you. It even hurt me, and you’ve seen what I can do.” Nebulae said.

  “If you don’t trust me, why are you helping me?” Feng asked.

  “Because I want to help people. My fiancé died in front of me, and he loved helping people when he could. I think you’d like him actually. He was simple, so simple there’d be nothing there to distrust, only things you could grow to love within a day.” Nebulae stated. She kept going.

  “I named him, proposed to him, and now I miss his dark brown skin and eyes, his black hair that was dirtier than most, and his smile.” Nebulae said. “Sorry, I’ll stop talking about that.” She said, her face lowering as they walked, careful to stay at the same level.

  “Tell me more about the traveler.” Feng said.

  “Alright, if you’re sure. It’s not a tale with a happy ending, nor will you believe it all.” Nebulae said.

  “I was split from the body of Destiny, the first child born, and stillborn. He’s like my dad, though I’ll never get to meet him. Fae, the god of Favors, took me from his torso, along with my sisters. I am the embodiment of Success, my sisters are the embodiments of Failure, Regret, and Depression. For years it was just us four, and I would entice people to their death by granting their dreams.”

  “Until one day, I met a Soochian without a name. He didn’t have any desires I could use, but I kept trying. I fell in love with him as I traveled with him. In his culture, family names their family after an accomplishment or personality trait, but sometimes people don’t get names if there’s no family to name them. The only way they can get a name is if someone who already has a name proposes to them. I proposed to him, calling him Tralen. He accepted after a lot of convincing, but my sisters tied him and I up. I escaped the ropes with the help of the god of Favors.”

  “I called on him, and he appeared and stopped time during our conversation. He used his many arms to breaks the ropes from the tree I was bound to, but I still couldn’t save my fiancé. And now I wander, looking for the man so I cab repay my favor to Fae.” Nebulae said, mournful.

  “What’s the favor?” Feng asked.

  “I must help a person named Jumei, who will have the same exact appearance as my fiancé. After that, I wish to die and take out my sisters, so my father can resurrect. His power is over everything, even in his current state. Fae is making sure of that.” Nebulae stated.

  “A being with many arms named Fae? I think I’ve seen him before.” Feng stated.

  “He doesn’t show himself to mortals usually. I doubt you’ve seen him. He even stopped time so a soon to be dead man wouldn’t see him.” Nebulae stated. “It wasn’t him.”

  “I saw a being with a lot of either arms or legs. I couldn’t tell.” Feng said.

  “How could you not tell the difference?” Nebulae asked.

  “It was in a dream, and there was a veil blurring my view of it and the other being with lots of colors.” Feng said.

  “What colors?” Nebulae asked.

  “Red and Blue, almost in an identical way to my hair and clothing.” Feng answered. “I was born with my hair these colors.”

  “Oh, well that’s weird. But then, the gods don’t exactly make sense. Nor seem to care much about mortals besides toying with them.”

  As they walked, Feng noticed a bird, what looked to be a Fenghuang, following them.

  “Hey Nebulae, there’s a bird following behind us. It’s a mystical one, so you may want to look before it flies away.” Feng notified her temporary companion.