COF 2: The Soul Spells

1 | Forest (I)

2412, Strilaxis 09, Reshpe

Xanthy clenched her fists, gritting her teeth in annoyance. Should she have just gone alone?

Days after they left Cardina, Nyxis and June were already making her regret asking them to go with her. Like how one could not have butterbread without butter, it seemed like the world was doing its best to make sure Xanthy had no choice but to ask the boys to come with her. If she could knock some sense into herself from four days ago, she probably would have.

However, Xanthy wasn't kidding anyone. She couldn't reach Alkara without them, not when she hardly knew her way out of the Disfavoreds region.

So, she had no choice but to stick it out until the end. Over the course of four days, she had endured monologues from the boys, telling her everything from plants to how a rodent called whatraut could trim its claws with its teeth. Could she keep her sanity until they reach Flaron?

She hoped so.

The forest now yawned in the early morning light as Xanthy, Nyxis, and June reached the fifth day of travelling together. They were currently in the Shadow Road which was a major trade route that connected from Cardina's Magic Road from the Royalty region.

From what she could glean from Nyxis and June, the Shadow Road was situated in the forests of Rabante but was still considered part of Carleon. Xanthy wrinkled her nose as she inclined her head to the sky where thousands of leaves made up the canopies shielding her view of the endless blue above.

Part of Carleon, it was, indeed. Fog surrounded them like a hazy blanket, turning the sky into a color that looked like it was going to rain. Sunlight barely passed through the trees' crowns, which seemed to make the entire forest darker than it should have been.

Xanthy, back when she was with the Disfavoreds, dreamed about when she would get to travel and see many wonders—from Carleon to Helinfirth to Lanteglos to anywhere she liked. When she first heard from June and Nyxis that they were traversing the Shadow Road, she imagined it to be fully smoothed, cobbled, and full of people from different sub-races.

It would be a venue of cultural exchange, with travelers telling tales of their adventures at night and exciting things happening by day. She expected it to be colorful, lively and engaging. For someone who spent all their life being fed lies about the fairies, Xanthy figured it was time to learn about them through her own eyes.

Hence, her enthusiasm about travelling and the potential cultural exchange the trade routes presented.

Instead, she got dull, boring and unappealing. The Shadow Road was just a path cut through the forest that was wide enough for two merchant caravans to pass through at the same pace. It has a clear trail flanking it which was enough for two people to walk side-by-side.

Everywhere Xanthy looked, the forest remained largely untouched. Only the path they travelled on was free of trees. The single indication where the path was supposed to go was the soil distinct from its neighbors by having trampled grass and upturned dirt.