Taking advantage of their brief moment of rest, Finn used the time to observe the forest more carefully. After the ship's departure, seeking shelter under the trees had felt almost obvious. After all, there hadn't been thousands of Fallen gathered when the Dome was first formed.
But all his knowledge remained theoretical. Details he had learned from his sister. It wasn't impossible that some creatures, animals, or even the vegetation itself had been corrupted by the Dome. In that case, they would, without doubt, be standing in the worst possible place.
"You're spacing out again."
Rose stepped closer, waving her hands near his eyes.
"Sorry. I was thinking that this forest doesn't inspire much confidence," Finn replied, trying to steady himself.
"Didn't you just say we were in hell? It'd be surprising to feel confident in hell, don't you think, little genius?" Ulrich said, appearing from behind one of the trees with a curious tone.
'Why is he talking about my height?'
Finn's eyes narrowed with barely concealed hostility.
"I felt the same thing, but I can't put my finger on it," Rose said, crossing her arms thoughtfully.
Finn held eye contact with Ulrich a bit longer before answering.
"Look closely. For one, Renosa is one of the most polluted islands in the world. Hundreds of houses are built every day, not to mention all the oil and Armistine exploitation. And for that, they need wood. Normally, this forest should be devastated, but there isn't a single sign of deforestation."
"I see what you mean now," Rose said with a sigh. "But for now, I wanted us to share our fields and capabilities."
"I don't know if it wasn't obvious during the fight earlier, but that guy hasn't had his transfusion yet," Finn said, giving Ulrich a quick glance. "As for me, I'm pretty limited. It's better to consider me mundane most of the time."
"I see… I'm an illusionist," Rose replied.
Finn's eyes widened at her answer. Without a doubt, she was one of the best possible specialists for their current situation. Offensive abilities would be practically useless against Fallen of this level. They would only allow them to struggle a bit longer.
"And what range do you have?"
Rose hesitated before answering. Even if the situation made it necessary to reveal her abilities, she had always been taught to hide them like a second heart. For an illusionist, this was even more true. No performance exists without the element of surprise.
"Ten meters for absolute control, and up to two kilometers for a few seconds."
"Wow… that's already brilliant," Finn said, looking almost relieved. "We might be able to escape that thi "
Finn was abruptly cut off as Rose pressed a finger to her lips, her eyes frozen with fear.
Finn and Ulrich immediately tensed, preparing for the worst.
Then they heard it.
Footsteps, accompanied by the sound of trees being shredded apart.
"Follow me," Rose warned, moving toward the source of the noise.
"Are you sure that's the right direction?!" Finn shouted, voice hoarse.
"Just follow me! We can't stay still he'll flatten the entire forest and find us anyway!" she said, eyes pleading. "I have a feeling we need to go this way."
Intuition, the other signature of illusionists, allowing them to slip away even when their performance failed.
"Not much of a choice, I suppose," Finn finally answered after a brief internal struggle.
If someone had told him he would entrust his life to a stranger, he would've called it nonsense. But if there was one thing he'd learned in his short life, it was that choice was a luxury reserved for those in control.
And right now, his survival was the thing he controlled the least.
Watching their exchange with faint exasperation, Ulrich clicked his tongue softly before following them.
I really picked the right day to come here…
They bolted through the forest, Rose leading them toward a place even she didn't fully understand.
Even though they weren't heading straight toward the Fallen, they were still taking a similar direction, increasing their chances of crossing paths with it.
As the creature drew closer, the sound of rushing water reached them, accompanied by a faint smell and strange chanting.
In her haste, Rose stepped on her dress, which she had been lifting to run. She stumbled and lost her balance, falling forward.
Finn crouched, grabbed her hand, and pulled her back to her feet without slowing.
"Stay focused," he said.
Rose nodded and retook the lead.
A few seconds later, they finally reached the end of her intuition.
They saw a reddish river that seemed to encircle the forest, preventing them from getting close.
"We're supposed to cross that?"
Maybe they were to reach the other side, and hope the creature couldn't swim.
It was the only explanation Finn could come up with… but he quickly erased the thought.
In fact, he couldn't think straight at all anymore. Even the monster chasing them felt insignificant.
He glanced at the others and saw the same reaction.
It was as if something far beyond them was present here. Something that made even their instinct to survive feel meaningless.
A small portion of the Crimson River rose into the air, floating and pulsing endlessly as the sharp chants grew louder.
Their voices were enchanting like sirens, yet grim enough to terrify.
Finn slowly lifted his head but saw nothing. The source of the chanting remained hidden.
Then, as the floating mass descended back toward the ground, the Fallen finally burst through the trees.
But it too slowed, then stopped completely, staring in the same direction.
The liquid parted, revealing a feminine silhouette.
Her entire body was composed of the river's crimson water, her form wrapped in a faint armor, an aura both sinister and breathtaking swirling around her.
She slowly lifted her hand and snapped her fingers.
The chanting stopped instantly, along with the fog clouding their minds.
"A Mythic…" Rose whispered, releasing the hem of her dress, accepting her fate almost peacefully.
If fighting the previous creature had been impossible, this one was closer to a delusion.
Like carrying the entire island on their backs.
Finn's mind raced desperately for a miracle.
How long would it take to reach her level?
Six months? A thousand years?
Even assuming he had more than ten years left, which he didn't, this creature was practically invincible inside the Dome.
"Don't even think about drawing that sword," Finn warned as Ulrich prepared for a suicidal fight.
The Fallen snarled, trying to break free from the Mermaid's mental grip.
It charged at her with all its strength, jaws wide open.
Before it reached her, a crimson spear erupted from the ground, impaling it and holding it in place.
It glared at her, eyes filled with hatred and reverence, as she approached.
She placed a delicate hand on its skull.
Instantly, liquid spread over its entire body, melting everything.
Amid its screams, its fur dissolved, then its bones, until nothing was left but dust.
She then approached Finn slowly.
He stared back, defiant, with the insolence of someone who had nothing left to lose.
She tilted her head, their eyes meeting for a brief moment, then lost interest and headed toward the greenery.
Her silhouette drifted away until it vanished without a trace.
Finn stood there, breath ragged, wondering how he was still alive.
His suspicions had been right.
Out of the entire island, this forest might very well be the worst possible place to set foot.