Ice & Shadows

-|MEMORIES|-

"Finn are you sure about-"

"AHHHH!" Simon screamed as he dangled in a seat attached by a string to Finn, who was climbing. Lucy was also in a similar seat, but her panic was more internal. They were surrounded by flying bird monsters, causing both Lucy and Simon to feel a sense of fear and uncertainty. Finn looked down at his friends and noticed their distress.

Realizing the intensity of the situation, Finn quietly whispered to himself, "Hmm. Maybe we can take it down a notch."

In an attempt to ease their anxiety, Finn blindfolded Lucy and Simon and guided them to a simpler location for their quest. As Lucy and Simon stumbled around, trying to navigate in their blindness, Lucy felt something snag on her hood, pulling it off completely. She struggled against it, but eventually freed herself from the entanglement. Without her hood, Lucy realized that she no longer had the security it provided.

Questioning the necessity of the blindfold, Simon asked, his voice sounding distant as he seemed to be further ahead, "Finn, is this blindfold really necessary?"

Finn responded confidently, "Totally necessary, man! Onward!"

Feeling a bit apprehensive, Lucy decided to remove her blindfold and took in the breathtaking sight of the forest. The surroundings were beautiful, with a gentle blue glow enveloping everything. However, as she remembered her broken hood, Lucy couldn't help but release a deep sigh. Trying to make the best of the situation, she scanned her surroundings and noticed a couple of leaves that she could craft into a makeshift hat, providing some concealment from the awful reminder.

She noticed Simon and Finn up ahead and rushed to catch up. Once she was behind Finn, she pulled out a sketchbook and started to sketch the beautiful forest around her.

"Oh!" Simon exclaimed as he accidentally bumped into something hard. He winced in pain for a moment before reaching out to touch whatever it was. His hand felt the rough, barky surface of a tree. Confused, he turned to Finn and asked, "What the... Why didn't you tell me about the tree?"

"What tree?" Finn questioned, seemingly unaware of the obstacle.

Simon, now realizing that Finn also had a blindfold on, took off his blindfold in surprise.

Lucy, witnessing this, gave an annoyed look at the situation.

"You're wearing a blindfold too?!" Simon exclaimed, slightly irritated. "Finn! I thought you were leading."

Finn chuckled in response.

"Come on, you guys! Trust in fate. The invisible forces of the universe will guide us right where we need to be." Finn removed his blindfold and surveyed their surroundings. "Huh? You know where we are?" he asked Lucy and Simon.

As Finn spoke, Lucy and Simon looked around the forest, taking in their surroundings.

"We're in the most ancient part of Ooo. Huntress Wizard calls it the heart of the forest," Lucy explained.

Simon noticed the numerous creatures lurking in the forest and felt a sense of unease.

"The heart, huh?" Simon remarked.

"Yeah," Finn confirmed. "She said no one should ever, ever, ever come here."

There was a long pause as Simon and Lucy absorbed Finn's last statement.

"Well, let's set up camp," Finn suggested, putting his arms around Simon and Lucy with a smile before walking off. This left Simon and Lucy feeling both nervous and scared, exchanging a worried gulp between them.