The Soul of Scarlet's Lost Tears

Oh, how I wished to myself that I was back home on the untamed sea, plotting an unknown course to an unknown destination. Then being cooped up in this cramped wooden carriage. When suddenly, the carriage went over what seemed to be a huge rock lying in the middle of the path, as it came down hard, so hard in fact that the right wheel broke off.

Followed by me watch the wheel roll right pass us as it took the horses some time to stop, which the carriage later rather than sooner grinded to a halt. “Ok” the driver of the carriage said as he leaped dismounted off the now tilted carriage.

“Ok then everybody out, and grab something to carry we are walking from here”.

The sound of groans coming from those who didn’t like the idea of walking, where one of them grabbed onto my right arm and started to force me out of the carriage, even when both of us were standing on the ground he still had a hold on me then he asked bluntly “what do we do with her”, “well first of all” then one who was in charge of the small group started to say, “first of all you can remove your hand from her arm, she is not a prisoner, she’s an invited guest, besides it’s not that far, just through a small stone’s throw of a path leading through a forest”.

Although the forest he was talking about was a deep and treacherous, which most of the forest around there was almost the same but this one was different do to the fact that this forest had more to be feared.

Since it was ever so being watched very diligently by mystical creatures. Who they protect not only the forest but the one whom protects them, who is a sorcerous that don’t like un-invited guests.

Though who wouldn’t, on the other hand as I stand here and think about it at that time to me that’s what they were stories that I’ve heard coming from those who heard it from others which in turn could be stretched on the fiction than fact. Without another minuet to waste we were slowly making our way toward the forest that was quite some ways ahead of us, since we also had to carry a bunch of stuff that they didn’t want to leave behind with the carriage. When I said, ‘we’ I meant I had to carry most too all the previsions, as they were trying to hold back their laughter, which they weren’t good at. It came to where the leader who goes by the name Gideon Marcus Atilio’s who was from a small island far in the east as he preferred to be called Gideon for short, saw what they were doing and put a stop to it.

He then divided the load that everyone and somewhat had an equal share of the load.

Where myself had a lighter load than before, from the sound of mottled laughter to grunts and groans. That was like music to our ears.

Gideon and I looked at each other and gave a little smile, when at that time with his right hand waved toward me to walk alongside him. I had no problem with that, as for the rest of the hike we traded conversations back and forth but I had a small inkling that he was either holding back on the real reason why I was invited in such a way that the one who gave out the invite didn’t come himself.

That was truly getting annoying, but for long as we kept on walking, we both had some interesting. Shadows of birds soaring overhead, high above us where you could barely make out what kind they were.

All in all, it was a decent day with a few clouds in the sky, as a gentle breeze brushed by every so often. Now half way there, I can see the trees of the forest that we were heading toward get taller and taller, the closer we got.

As the birds in the sky were gradually condensing in numbers from one or two to there was swarm of them circling above us which we were being followed by the birds, when were just a few feet from the entrance of the forest we took a rest, and grouped up.

Noticing when we did that the flock of birds started to fly pass us cawing as they went over head. Couldn’t help but have a small feeling that someone or something was wanting us to keep going.

Fifteen minutes’ pass as we then proceeded on. That’s where everything began to change a nice bright spring day to a grim and cold fall evening getting darker than it should be getting once we slowly entered the forest. Putting my right hand on the first tree I walked by. I suddenly felt that this is not where we want to go as if the forest took a deep breath, then it let out this cold exhale while the trees creaked and groaned.

To where the path was not a straight clear path, but a trail of twists and turns through the densely forest of low branches and uprooted roots and fallen trees. Such ginormous trees consumed whatever light was left, with thick bunches of leaves.

The temperature started to become colder and colder the further we got. The more closed in and congested it became to even breathe a simple breath. By this time, it was even hard to tell what time it was due to how dense it was, with not a whisper or a sound of any critter big or small made a sound, only the trees creaked and moaned as there was a cold breeze blowing through the forest, bending the tall old trees making them rub against one an another.

Where for the men of the group soon start to get a little more scared at the suspicion that there might be something or someone watching us.

Forgoing on his men’s questionable growing fear’s, by saying “there is nothing to fear, you guys it’s just your imagination”, then suddenly off in the far but near distance we all heard a chilling lone howl start to echo then as soon as one howl faded another soon started, followed by another, then another until it was like we were surrounded,

“I take a vote on moving at little faster out of here, who seconds that” one of the men said, with nervousness becoming more and more of a fright to run a head for the hills.

Where things looked at their most dire as we would never see light, the last bit of sun light hit our faces as it pierced through what little opening there was. Feeling the slight warmth, we were soon eager to press onward, walking, and stumbling over uprooted roots, ducking beneath low branches.

Which a few of them we had to push out of the way. Moving the last of the low branches out of the way, one by one soon stopped at what was the edge of an opening as it was the eye, or center of the dense forest.

Thinking now we are in the clear, the howls from the unknown creatures start back up. This time it was much different as they sounded closer than the last time. Then without a moment gone, the howling stopped as it turned into growls. I looked back and saw two gleaming yellow eyes, glaring right back at us.

Watching what appeared to be a lone black wolf then suddenly he was not alone for long, then watching him slowly lick his lips from one side to the next. With another second lost I soon see him start to shake as if he got a chill of upcoming excitement.

Excitement boy was I so right as one of them started to bark, they all barked then amp themselves up for an upcoming chase, and we were the prize. And just so, if there was a silent shot in the air they started their descent quickly toward us.

We all jumped like field mice into the wide opening, as the wolves continued to give chase, even once we made it out to the opening, we weren’t in the clear as much as we thought.

Where we soon found ourselves not only surrounded by an endless forest but, even heading in different directions we see either a wolf baring his teeth or something pointing a weapon at us.

Making sudden stops and turns, like a spinning needle on a campus spinning wildly, we all found ourselves huddled together, in the center soon surrounded. We each had our backs up against one and another, as we turned in a circle a few times like a merry-go-round.

Once we had a turn seeing who and what surrounded us. Noticing that the wolves soon stopped giving chase as if their masters were behind them pointing their weapons at us.

Men and women, with swords and arrows at the ready, aiming right at us, seeing a trickle of sweat roll down the side of

Gideon’s face as if it was a humid day, but it wasn’t. One of them spoke “Your company, makes such a racket we wouldn’t have needed our wolves”, “what may I ask are you doing here” he asked, followed by, “well, Sara”.

I was, as you say astonished, where I was taken back at how he would know my name, and wouldn’t have the slightest inkling of who he was. To which puzzled I asked him “how do you know my name” where he answered, “it is not so hard, to not know who you are my dear, as you are well known from your travels, as well as who you keep company”.

“Well then kind sir if you don’t mind, could you let us go so that I can be on our merely way my men would like to get to the” Gideon asked of him as he took just a few steps forward which he was met with two swords crossing each other, where it didn’t take long to get a response of

“that I can’t let you do, we have no parchment that would allow you to walk through this part of the forest”, “well the reason was that we are bringing her to see upon request by the master of the forest, so if you please let us be on our way to the small town that lays on the other side of your forest”, “but you could have chosen to go around the forest”, “let me guess, you forgot about the stop and read the sign again Gideon huh”.

Taking a moment, one by one we began to rewind our memories back to that spot. Foggy at first, until it was as clear as day we each remember seeing a sign at the entrance of the forest but time seem to have taken its toll and faded the writings engraved where it once said.

“All who dare enter here, will be judged”.