We finally arrived at the bonfire and, after a brief rest, teleported to the Sacred Forest. The moment my boots touched the leaf-covered ground, I felt my remaining wounds closing, and my armor—once dented and scarred—restored itself to its original, gleaming state. The sacred fire's light wrapped around us for a brief moment before fading away, leaving behind only the whisper of the wind and the crackle of branches underfoot.
Leaf glanced at me from the corner of her eye, saying nothing. We both knew there was no time to waste. Dorothy had entrusted us with a mission: eliminate the three individuals marked by her will. So, without hesitation or delay, we set off toward the Forest of the Abandoned.
As we ventured deeper, the fog thickened and the air grew heavy, filled with the stench of damp earth and decay. After only a few minutes of walking, we began to see them—dozens of scarecrows impaled into the ground, some broken apart, others eerily intact, staring at us with their button-black eyes.
We advanced cautiously. It didn't take long to notice something strange—one of the scarecrows stood out from the rest. It was larger, far taller, and though it hung from a wooden cross, its presence radiated a grim sense of awareness. It looked almost… alive.
I didn't want to take any chances. I unsheathed my sword and struck without hesitation. The whistle of the blade slicing through the air shattered the forest's silence. My blow landed true, but the scarecrow didn't fall. Its straw arms moved with unnatural strength, and its hollow eyes flared with a dim yellow light.
"Leaf!" I shouted, dodging its counterattack.
The scarecrow swung wildly, its movements stiff yet powerful, like something dark was pulling its strings from within. Each strike landed with brutal weight.
Leaf reacted instantly. Raising her hands, her voice rang out with authority as she chanted a spell.
"Spiritual Discharge!"
A bolt of bluish energy burst from her palms, hitting the creature square in the chest. It staggered backward, and part of its body began to burn. The crackle of the igniting straw filled the air with a haunting sound—but still, it refused to fall.
"It's not going down!" I yelled, frustrated.
Fueled by adrenaline, I rushed forward and drove my sword into its neck. With a sharp twist, I severed its head. It rolled across the ground and came to rest among the dead leaves. The body crumbled, turning to a cloud of ash and dark dust.
When the fog cleared a little, I noticed—as usual—a book lying where the monster had fallen. I picked it up carefully and slipped it into my bag without opening it. Dorothy would know what to do.
"One down," I said, wiping my sword clean.
"Two left," Leaf replied with a faint smile.
We headed toward the door we'd once seen behind Dorothy's house but had never entered. It was old—worm-eaten wood with a rusty lock that looked as ancient as the forest itself.
"Leaf, you got a master key?" I asked, patting my pockets. "I think I… forgot mine."
She chuckled mischievously.
"Hehehe, what would you do without me? I bought some from the rabbit. Here."
She handed me six shining, newly forged master keys. I kept five for later and used one to unlock the door. The click of the lock echoed like thunder.
Inside, an unexpected sight awaited us. In the corner, trembling with fear, was the lion. His fur was filthy, matted with mud and leaves, and his eyes held a desperation that pierced straight through me. He paced in circles, panting like a trapped beast.
When he saw us enter, he leapt back, trying to escape, but the space was too small. He ended up crouched against the wall, shaking.
"Hey, Leaf… I feel bad killing him," I said quietly. "He doesn't look like an enemy."
"Don't worry," she replied flatly. "This will be quick. Just watch."
She raised her hands again. The air trembled around her, and I saw her cast a spell I'd never witnessed before.
"Soul Discharge," she whispered.
Four arrows of pure energy shot from her palms, piercing the lion's chest one after another. His roar shook the walls.
"Hmm… I don't think he's dead," Leaf said uncertainly.
The lion, bleeding and gasping, lifted his head. His voice trembled.
"Please… someone… anyone… I don't want to die."
His words hit me like a blade. I hesitated. My hands shook around the sword's hilt. But his body kept moving, still resisting, and I understood—we couldn't stop now.
Leaf clenched her teeth.
"This time, it's your end… Soul Radiance!"
The sky opened. Hundreds of glowing arrows rained down like divine punishment, striking the lion's body over and over. His roar faded into a sigh, and then—silence. His body fell to the ground, lifeless.
For a moment, there was only stillness. The sound of dripping water echoed from the ceiling. Leaf lowered her hands, and another book appeared beside the lion's corpse.
"Well… looks like we've got the second one," I said, trying to sound composed.
"Only the Tin Man left," Leaf replied in her usual tone, as if nothing had happened.
"This is going a bit too smoothly, don't you think?"
"Hehehe… don't jinx it."
We searched the place but found nothing except a set of old stairs descending into darkness. A nauseating smell rose from below—a mix of rust, mold, and rotting flesh. It had to be the entrance to the sewers.
We peeked down. The walls were covered in moss, and a greenish liquid trickled through the channels.
Leaf wrinkled her nose. "Not even for all the gold in the world am I going down there."
"Couldn't agree more," I said, laughing.
So we turned back and took the path toward Behemoth Ranch. The journey was quiet, broken only by the sound of our boots squelching in the mud. The fog began to return, thick as a veil.
When we reached the ranch, we saw him—standing still inside one of the pens: the Tin Man. But he wasn't a man anymore. Not even tin. He was a towering iron giant.
"What the hell…?" I muttered.
"Must be the fog. It's changed him," Leaf said, frowning.
There was no time for more. The colossus moved with terrifying speed, raising its massive arm and slamming the ground with such force that the earth shook. The shockwave threw me several meters back.
"Leaf, watch out!" I yelled, getting to my feet.
She sprinted around the beast, casting spell after spell. Blasts of energy struck its metal body, leaving glowing marks, but couldn't pierce through. I attacked from the front, looking for weak points, but every strike against its armor rang like steel against a mountain.
The monster roared and swung a massive punch at me. I dodged just in time; the impact shattered the ground, sending rocks and dust flying.
"Leaf!" I shouted. "Its weak point's inside!"
While she prepared another spell, I noticed a narrow slit glowing blue at the center of its chest—its power core.
"There! Shoot there!" I pointed with my sword.
Leaf understood immediately. Her body flared with light.
"Soul Discharge!"
A single arrow of pure energy shot forward, piercing straight into the Tin Man's core. The explosion was deafening. A metallic roar filled the air as the giant staggered. Its parts began falling apart one by one until, at last, it collapsed with a crash that shook the entire ranch.
Silence followed. The air was thick with golden dust. Among the smoking remains lay the third book, covered in ash and oil. I picked it up.
"All three books…" I said with relief.
Leaf smiled, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"Mission accomplished."
We stood there for a few moments, staring at the gray horizon. The fog was moving again, as if the land itself was breathing. Each step we took back toward Dorothy's house felt heavier, as though unseen eyes were watching us from the forest's shadows.
But we said nothing. We just walked in silence, the three books safely in our possession, knowing our task was finally complete.