Everybody Gangsta Until Science Meets Magic

7 - Forbidden Knowledge

The two had tried different ways of escaping the pink forest, but none of them worked. They always ended up watching the other walk back deeper into the forest in a daze every time they got past a certain point.

"I don't know anything that involves weird sh*t like mind control . . ." Aiden whined as he and Aleara made their way back to the house. "So I probs can't escape, and will run out of good food sooner or later. Nooo . . !"

Aleara just looked at him with a strange expression. While he had been acting like it was a big deal, she couldn't sense any worry and anxiety from him in the slightest.

'. . . That just goes to show how strong he is . . .  even his will.'

She was definitely overestimating Aiden. The truth was, Aiden didn't really care much about being trapped at the time. He had company after all. The one and only factor that was unpleasant to him was the problem concerning food. Apart from that, he was pretty cool with the things as it was.

When the two reached in front of Aiden's house, Aleara was about to say something about her plans for her shelter rebuilding, only for Aiden to speak up, "Now that I'm sure we won't be able to escape this place any time soon, then I guess I can help you."

"Help . . ?"

"Yeah," he nodded and made his way towards the stone platform and sat on one of the elevations there. "I heard you say earlier that you're weak."

Aleara's eyebrows furled when he said that. She didn't know where he was getting at. Still, she nodded in affirmation.

"You're not actually weak. In fact, you're pretty damn strong just from the fact that you'd survived all on your own here for years."

"Al . . .  right?" She wasn't sure how to react.

"And the point is-- ugh, you know what? Lemme try this whole thing again from the start." Aiden then cleared his throat and began again, "I'm only going to tell you this because I don't think we'll be able to leave this forest anytime soon."

Aleara rapidly blinked a few times and nodded.

"If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't ever tell anyone about this." He continued with a question, "First of all, do you want to get as strong as me?"

"I do."

"Good, but there's a catch. Anything you learn from me must be kept secret."

Aleara wasn't the talkative type, and she couldn't imagine herself just spilling beans all over the place, so she nodded firmly.

Aiden took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know what forbidden knowledge is?"

"No." She shook her head faintly.

"Basically, if any scrap of forbidden knowledge enters your head," Aiden explained lackadaisically as he pointed a finger to his temple, "And then royalty finds out, they'll hunt you down until you're dead.

"And me? My power stems from the tons of forbidden knowledge I have."

"So . . .  you're being hunted by royalty?"

"Kinda." He pursed his lips into a thin line, "They saw my face when I was, uh, five . . .  years old? So, I've been travelling in the wilderness until I'm confident they won't recognize me anymore-- and that explains why I stumbled into here."

Aleara bit her lip as she was reminded of the day she first met him. To think that she actually dared attack him? And, five years old? He had been travelling ever since then?

'When I was five, I was extremely proud of being able to hunt squareteeth . . .' Aleara thought, a strange feeling welling up inside her. Squareteeth were very much like Earth-standard bunnies, and were named according to the large front teeth they had.