The Inazuma Forest

A ray of sunlight made its way into the cave. The sandstorm had subsided, and a whole day had passed. Onaki and I woke up at the same time and stretched. I remembered the previous night when we both had a nightmare.

''Tell me, Onaki, you were talking in your sleep. Was it your family?" I asked her cautiously and curiously. She had to sigh in response and leaned up to sit. ''It was just a nightmare. I dream every night about how I let my family down, you know?" she said mournfully, crying. Reflexively, I hugged her sympathetically and understandingly since we shared a similar past.

I then stood up and gave her my hand to do the same. We left the cave we were in without further words and were shocked. A few dunes became the sandstorm brought dozens, so much sand. Probably from the Satsujin Desert, which I had to cross before to get to Altravessa.

Now the landscape is a wasteland, and the sun is at its peak, mercilessly slamming down on us. A feeling of unease came over me. I remembered the words of that being of the high council. The High Council executed a human while I was asleep. If only I had done something ... Many more would die too, I thought to myself, if I continue to waste so much time now.

''Onaki, we must go on. Use your compass. We mustn't lose our way,'' I told her with a severe look. She immediately understood that I was talking about the ten hostages and that one of them had lost his life. Without any further detours, we made our way in this terrible wasteland to Inazuma Forest, where the heavenly light shone, and an angelic being would be waiting for me.

Hours passed, and the surroundings decreased in dunes with time. Slowly the ground became greener and the air more humid. Our exertion was worth it. We arrived at the tropics. Not far from us on the horizon, we could see substantial rainforest trees. ''That must be the Inazuma forest. We are there. I'm not sure if this forest is completely safe, though, so keep your eyes open, Aramoto.'' she called out to me from behind as I hiked a little faster than she did.

She was right. We live in a world full of monsters and magic. It was not unlikely that something could come upon us with an intent to kill. After walking for a few minutes, we finally arrived at the so-called Inazuma Forest. This forest was bursting with magic and plants that moved and were alive. ''Somewhere here will be the Shrine of Heaven. We must find it and bring our Merthyl Crystals to it. According to legend, an angelic being will appear and test us. If we fail, it could mean death,'' Onaki told me anxiously, looking carefully at the plants around us that opened a path for us.

We should then probably follow this path, because the plants block another. As if one would already wait for us and want to receive us. Following the way, I noticed quite a few blood-red flowers that were either closed or open. They made strange noises that sounded like a desperate cry when they were open. ''You must have noticed these flowers, right? When they are open, the legend says that the human soul taken by the high council dwells in this flower.'' She told me with a severe and tremulous emphasis in her voice. So even the dead do not find rest?

I found this thought very sad and shocking. Around us were hundreds, no thousands of such opened flowers, and they were all already murdered by the high council in cold blood and cruelty. ''Aramoto... Aramoto,'' said two of the plants. I was 100 percent sure, it was the voice of my late wife and son.... I burst into tears like a broken dam, ran up to the two plants, and apologized again.

Onaki immediately understood who it must be and assisted me. I took the two plants and plucked them, only to destroy them shortly after. I did not want my poor family to remain trapped in this world, and I was convinced that it was the right thing to do and stood up determinedly. ''So you are finally here, how nice. Come here, my children,'' an angelic voice sounded, and along with the voice, a white light.