The horrifying tree

"I'm exhausted," Miko said, casting a weary gaze at Rune. "Can we please stop now?"

Rune replied, "Just a little further. Let's keep walking."

"But you've been saying that for hours!" Miko protested. "It's almost nighttime."

"I know, I know," Rune said, his voice trailing off. Slowly, he continued to walk through the forest, Miko by his side. He looked up at the sky and realized that the sun was setting.

After half an hour had passed, they found themselves deeper into the forest, heading towards the exit. In the distance, they spotted a majestic tree, larger than any other in the forest. Its leaves were a vibrant red, and its roots stretched throughout the woods.

Rune approached one of the roots and studied it intently. Miko asked, "What's wrong? It's just a tree, isn't it?"

As Rune gazed at the root, he noticed a slight movement that would easily go unnoticed unless one was focused on it. "No," he said firmly. "Let's keep walking and avoid stepping on the roots of that tree."

Rune knew that while there was a chance the tree was harmless and the branch merely moved due to some unknown reason, he didn't want to take any chances. There was the possibility that it could be a monstrous creature, and he wanted to stay as far away from it as possible.

Rune, even though he wasn't alive when monsters didn't exist, had learned from the tales passed down by his parents about what the world outside was supposed to be like. He was also familiar with stories of people who had braved the forest and encountered unimaginable creatures. One such individual was Renko William, who had not only journeyed beyond the wall but had actually returned to the city alive. Renko's advice for surviving in this perilous world was to maintain extreme caution and rely on one's instincts. In this crucial moment, Rune decided to put his trust in his instincts, which were warning him that something was wrong with the colossal tree.

Miko and Rune cautiously strolled around the massive tree, their bags brimming with survival supplies. They skillfully sidestepped the roots and traversed their way through the smaller trees. Rune's attention was captured by the sight of a bird perched upon one of the large tree's branches. "Hold on, don't move," Rune whispered, prompting Miko to freeze in place. The duo halted behind a small tree, immersing themselves in silence. Slowly, Rune peered out to observe the bird that had landed on the colossal tree's branch. After careful observation, Rune began to think that perhaps it was just an ordinary tree. This realization sparked an idea in Rune's mind - he could seek shelter near the colossal tree and use it as a protective shield against monsters. However, in the midst of his thoughts, the tree suddenly trembled, causing the bird to hastily take flight. Astonished, Rune gazed at the colossal tree and noticed that its center was shifting, opening up to reveal an empty hole. Within the darkness of the hole, a sense of emptiness prevailed. But soon, the tree closed up again, and to Rune's astonishment, it revealed a single, large eye. The eye possessed a mesmerizing yellow hue, with a deep brown pupil at its center.

As Rune stared at the towering tree using its eyes to survey the surroundings, he couldn't help but think of it as a monstrous creature. Realizing that his instincts had saved him from a potentially fatal mistake of sleeping near the tree, Rune exclaimed quietly, "Oh my goodness!" The immense tree, with its large yellow eyes, continued to scan the area while Rune sought shelter behind it. Observing Miko, who appeared tired, Rune wondered how she could be exhausted at such a critical moment. Slowly rising up, he cautiously peered out from behind the tree, only to see the colossal tree still scanning with its piercing yellow eyes. Shifting his gaze to Miko, Rune whispered, "Miko, we need to move." "Okay," replied Miko as she rose from the ground behind the trees. Recognizing the danger of stepping on the tree's roots, Rune implored Miko to be as careful and quiet as possible, knowing that the consequences could be fatal. Carefully, they began to walk behind the trees, skillfully avoiding the sight of the monstrous tree, stepping over its roots, and being cautious not to disturb any small branches that could give away their presence.

As Rune cautiously circled the enormous tree, he couldn't help but notice the eerie movement of the large eyes that scanned the surroundings. The tree's eye seemed capable of shifting, as if the entire tree itself was slowly rotating. Remaining hidden behind neighboring trees, Rune took care to avoid catching the monster's attention. However, his sense of safety was shattered by the sudden sound of footsteps coming from the opposite side of the forest. Instantly, the great eyes of the monstrous tree turned towards the source of the noise, and its massive roots began to creep in that direction.

"Ahhhh!!!" Rune heard a man cry out as the tree's roots snatched him forcefully. Helplessly, Rune witnessed the look of terror on the man's face as he became fixated on the tree's behemoth eye. Acting quickly, Rune shielded Miko from the distressing sight by positioning her behind him. In utter disbelief, Rune watched as the front of the colossal tree lifted from the ground, revealing a terrifying abyss.

"No, please!" the man pleaded, tears streaming down his face, desperately attempting to run. However, the tree's roots ensnared his leg, pulling him down onto his stomach and inching him closer towards the gaping hole. Despite his frantic efforts to grasp onto anything within reach, the man found himself helplessly succumbing to the tree's ruthless grip. His screams pierced the air until finally, he was devoured by the abyss beneath the monstrous tree.

With the hole sealed shut and the man gone, an expression of sheer terror plastered across Rune's face. Without hesitation, he turned to Miko and said, "Okay, let's go."