Beauty within the dread

Death. That was their first impression of the forest. Everything looked dead, from the trees to the earth itself, not a single thing looked alive; and that smell. . . Now they understood how this forest got its name. The forest of dead, as the name implied, was devoid of any life. Not a single thing lived in this dread, at least that's what the rumours said, but as they walked a little farther up, they noticed something. . .

"WHY IS THERE A RANDOM HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOREST!"

"And why are my eardrums subjected to your stupid voice. . ."

"Blondie! Don't you see this? Why is there a huge house here. . . Does anyone live in there. . . Why would anyone live here?"

"How should I know dumbass, we are about to find out."

"Woo! Troll never seen house big before," Martha said excitedly.

"Martha settle down! You're doing too much what if whatever lives inside hear you?"

"Too late for that, it probably already heard your dumbass voice screaming from the moment we entered the forest."

"Did I speak to you dumb blonde? I was speaking to my good friend Martha here."

"Good, don't call me your friend. And troll here needs a friend that does not want to kill him."

"Haha troll like cute human! Funny and no danger to Martha!"

"See, even your own supposed friend has no respect for you."

"Ha-ha very funny guys, so are you not gonna ask?"

"Ask about what." The magician asked uninterested.

"About Martha silly! Haven't you noticed?"

"Yes I have, but I don't care, haven't you noticed?"

"No seriously! You need to be more sensitive towards people's names! Can't believe I have to teach you some common sense."

"You open your mouth one more time and I will throw you out of the forest myself."

"Here let me show you how it's done, I'm Dennis! Future troll killer extraordinaire, who are you?"

"You are doing it wrong and also, none of your business, I am going inside."

The previously forgotten house in the middle of a forest now stood tall and proud. They finally see me for who I am! She thought, as the three adventurers made their way up the steps and starting to truly notice all of her splendor. The house looked majestic, she was pure white like it was straight out of a fairy tail. When the three of them made it up the steps, she saw the blonde one in the front touch her for the first time, gently knocking on the door. Such a gentleman! Yes, you can knock me out of my foundation! She laughed at her own joke and then. . . The door opened by itself.

"Wow! Look at this beauty!"

"So beautiful!"

The college student and the troll looked on in amazement as though it was two children entering a toy store for the very first time. The inside of the house was even more beautiful and majestic than the outside, with one large corridor in the middle leading to another room and in both sides of the corridor lay two huge staircases leading to the second floor, and if one were to look up towards the ceiling, they would see what looked like flying swords and books floating all around completing the fantasy setting.

"Am I dreaming?! Are those flying swords? How are they singing and dancing??" Dennis said while trying to catch one of them.

"Flying books also singing and dancing!" Martha said nervously after feeling the strong magical aura all around the house.

"Heh, I am not surprised you two idiots are easily impressed by everything you see just like little children."

But even the proud magician was secretly impressed by this place. He knew that only a high level magical being could create such a powerful magical world.

"I am sure you sensed it troll. You can stay outside, this is no place for you." The magician doubled down, wishing to get rid of any annoyance before meeting the owner of the house who would most likely be situated on the second floor.

"N-No, Martha not want to stay outside alone."

They kept slowly making their way towards the stairs on the left side, as Martha fully entered nervous mode. He was unconsciously clinging close behind the magician who had a calm and collected aura as per usual, magically forgetting he was supposed to be afraid of his magic prowess as well. Meanwhile, Dennis was still lagging behind the other two, as they finally took their first steps towards the second floor. He was still trying to catch the swords flying around, but after the second unsuccessful attempt, he decided to pick up the pace and join his companions on the stairs.

"Dammit, if only I could reach one of those magical swords and actually use one for myself. . . Maybe I could get stronger."

As Dennis thought this, his brain suddenly decided to work for once. At this point, he made them both look bad! This foolishness needs to stop, said the brain firmly intending to save his own face and separate himself from his host. After all, he had his own reputation to uphold! And so he took full control and used the steps with the higher foothold to push himself up in the air. . . But it still failed! His legs are too weak! Lamented the brain extremely ashamed of his host, just do some squats or something! What made you think you were ready for this adventure! Weakling! The brain continued his onslaught of insults ignoring the fact that he was in fact, "the brain of this operation".

"Hey weakling, stop goofing around. I have seen snakes jump higher than you!"

"But! They don't even have legs!"

"Exactly. . ."

"Hahaha, human weaker than snake!" Martha snickered, taking the magician's side for the first time ever.

"Now be quiet and please, do not embarrass me anymore than you already have. . ."

"Don't embarrass Martha no more," continued Martha pushing the knife even deeper into his "friend's" heart and taking the magician's side for the second time ever.

Dennis crossed his arms and pouted silently, as they made it a top the stairs, finally reaching the second floor. This floor, compared to the first one, was narrow and had little space between the ramps and the wall. Only one giant door situated in the middle was occupying this floor, and they quickly breached the threshold, stopping in front of their objective.

- Knock Knock.

"Who's there." A soft voice resounded behind the closed door.

". . ."

"Your mother!" Dennis suddenly said without any hesitation.

- Knock Knock.

The magician knocked for a second time while glaring at the idiotic brain behind him.

"Sorry, not sorry! It was too good an opportunity to pass up!" This proud idiotic brain said, returning to his usual self.

"Who's there" The voice said once again.

". . ."

"Your mother!"

"Hahaha!" Martha couldn't help bursting out in laughter, as he had never heard this kind of joke before.

The magician however, did not have the same reaction as the troll. In a rare loss of composure, he turned around and angrily picked up the trash human by the collar and pushed him hard against the wall.

"Listen here you little weak shit! I told you to not embarrass me, but apparently it's a concept that is too hard to understand for your idiotic non existent stupid brain to understand!"

"Idiotic and stupid means the same thing. . ."

"SHUT UP! I will say it again before I lose all my brain cells trying to babysit you, shut up for once in your life before you get killed, whatever stupid words or thoughts that your small brain comes up with, you will keep them to yourself. Do you understand?"

The mysterious voice behind the door could see and hear everything happening in its house, with its powerful magic it could create numerous hidden eyes and ears all over its enchanting abode and right now it was enjoying watching the show outside its room, finding it quite amusing. What a funny bunch, the mysterious voice thought.

After witnessing the sudden violent act of the blonde gentleman, the troll entered into a panic mode and started screaming and running around in circles for its life.

"M-Magic angry! Help. . . Me. Martha dead! Martha dead!" Finishing its plea by hanging on the ramps for dear life. What a wimpy monster it thought, judging the troll first.

And after making sure the weird looking human understood his angry rant, the magician put him down, dusting himself off and sighing as if he was disappointed for loosing his cool and for the shame of lowering himself to the level of those beneath him. He made his way to the door once more no doubt ready to knock on the door again; this time yours truly will greet him properly.

The weird looking human this time. . . What an interesting and weird guy, yours truly really thought so. I watch him in surprise as he still had a smile on his face and no injuries or bruises of sort anywhere. Did the magician go easy on him? I truly wondered but was too lazy to continue this thought.

"Pff you are no fun!" He mocked the very person who beat him up as if nothing happened at all. Will he ever learn? I wondered again, before I watched him go check on the troll who would eventually calm down after a while.

- Knock Knock

"Enter."