The forest was alive with quiet sounds.
Leaves whispered against each other as a cool breeze passed through the tall canopy above. Sunlight filtered down in thin golden beams, breaking against thick branches and painting the ground in shifting patterns of light and shadow.
A group of university students moved carefully along a narrow trail, notebooks in hand, their boots crunching over fallen twigs.
"Observe the bark texture," Professor Hale said, adjusting his glasses as he stopped beside a massive ancient tree. "This species has survived for centuries because of its resistance to fungal decay. If managed properly, forests like this can sustain entire industries for generations."
He placed his palm against the trunk with admiration.
"Forestry is not just about cutting trees. It is about understanding ecosystems. Sustainable resource management is the future of business."
Several students nodded and scribbled notes.
Nathan walked at the back of the group.
He kept his hands inside the pockets of his jacket, his expression distant. Unlike the others, he was not studying the trees. He was not listening to the lecture about sustainable timber markets or land management investments. His gaze drifted to the deeper parts of the forest where the sunlight barely touched.
Environmental Science with a specialization in Forestry and Ecological Management.
That was the course he had chosen.
Not because he loved nature or because he cared about conservation, but because his foster parents owned one of the largest timber distribution companies in the region. They wanted him to take over one day. They wanted him to understand supply chains, land acquisition, and environmental policies.
He had never been particularly passionate about anything.
Professor Hale continued explaining growth rings and long-term forest investment strategies, but Nathan felt detached from it all.
Professor Hale scanned the group and finally stopped at the back. "Nathan," he said, tapping his pen against his notebook, "why do you think certain trees develop thicker bark in colder climates?"
Nathan lifted his head slowly, his gaze drifting over the tree line for a moment before he answered. "Thicker bark reduces water loss and protects the tree from frost," he said evenly.
The professor let out a sharp exhale. "Yes, that's correct. But Nathan, answering correctly while clearly not paying attention isn't impressive. Focus on the lesson, not just on giving the right words."
Nathan tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk on his lips. "Understood, Professor."
They moved deeper into the forest, following the narrow dirt trail. Professor Hale occasionally stopped to point out features of the ecosystem.
"See how this undergrowth grows differently depending on the amount of sunlight it receives?" he said, gesturing to a patch of ferns. "In the field, observations like these are just as important as textbook knowledge. Understanding the interactions between species helps us manage forests sustainably."
Most of the students jotted notes diligently. Nathan, however, lingered at the back, strolling alongside a girl from his class who had become an unlikely friend. She had a flair for the unusual, always laughing at her own weird mishaps, and somehow Nathan had found her energy oddly entertaining.
"I swear I picked this course because I thought it would be interesting, but I'm starting to question my life decisions," the girl, named Casey, muttered absently.
She bent down without hesitation and plucked a bright red mushroom from the base of a tree, brushing a bit of soil off the stem.
"Are these ones edible?" she asked, lowering her voice as Professor Hale continued explaining the correlations between species interaction and soil fertility a few steps ahead.
Nathan glanced at the mushroom in her hand. "Unless you're trying to test your immune system, no."
"I should probably feed them to my parents," Casey muttered.
Casey had always spoken about how her parents fought all the time. Her upbringing had been toxic, full of constant arguments, yet despite it all, they never separated. That life had shaped her into someone defiant, independent, and unafraid of standing out. Her hair was trimmed into a pixel cut and dyed blue, and tattoos ran along her arms and neck. One could easily mistake her for a guy until she spoke.
Professor Hale's voice carried through the forest. "Alright, everyone, that's enough for now. Fifteen-minute break. Stretch your legs, get some water, and don't—"
The words cut off abruptly. A sharp ringing exploded in Nathan's ears. He winced, pressing his hands to his skull. The sound was high, piercing, and sudden. Seconds later, it vanished. Around him, the students continued as if nothing had happened.
He lowered his hands and looked at Casey. She had dropped the mushroom and covered her ears.
"You heard that too? Fuck… I thought I was going crazy." She bent to pick up the mushroom again, glancing at the students who were beginning to scatter into the bushes.
They continued walking quietly through the bushes for minutes, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Well… not really their own thoughts. Both had fallen under the gaze of a small, beautiful stag. Its dark, expressive eyes gleamed under the spring sunlight, and somehow, without knowing why, they were compelled to follow.
The forest grew denser. Branches scraped against their arms, and the ground became uneven, roots curling like old fingers underfoot. Shadows stretched between the trees, and the sunlight thinned until the path ahead was little more than a dark tunnel of green.
They kept moving forward, their eyes fixed on the stag. It trotted lightly, weaving through the thickening forest, always just far enough ahead to pull them along.
And then it was gone.
One second, the small animal had been there, shimmering faintly in the shadows; the next, it had vanished. The pull in their chests vanished too, leaving a hollow, dizzy quiet in its place.
Nathan blinked first. He shook his head, forcing himself back to the moment. His eyes fell on Casey, who was still frozen, staring blankly at the thick bushes around them.
"Cas… Casey!" he nudged her shoulder.
It took her a few seconds to respond. She rubbed her brown eyes, blinking rapidly as the haze of the pull faded. "What the hell just happened?" she whispered, her voice shaky.
" I have no idea." He mumured, then absently added, "We should get back to the others," He stood still for a moment, trying to focus on the distant sounds of movement from the rest of the group. But the forest around them was quiet, unnaturally so. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
"I think it's this way," Nathan finally said, and Casey fell in step behind him without a word.
They moved carefully through the dense forest, branches scratching at their arms and leaves crunching underfoot. Shadows stretched longer as the sunlight filtered in patches through the canopy above. For minutes they walked in silence, each step measured, their eyes scanning for anything unusual.
The quiet of the restricted area pressed in on them, making every small sound—the rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig—echo unnaturally loud.
Then something caught Nathan's eye.
Near the roots of a massive, gnarled tree, a shiny black object poked out from the soil. He stepped closer, brushing aside dirt and fallen leaves.
It was a key. Large, heavy, carved from smooth obsidian stone. Ancient-looking symbols ran along its length, curling in elegant patterns. Nathan bent and picked it up, feeling its cold weight settle in his hands.
Casey came up beside him, leaning slightly over his shoulder. "What does it say?" she asked.
Nathan turned the key slowly, studying the intricate carvings. Then, unsure, he read the symbols aloud:
"Eryndorath."
The moment the word left his lips, the air around them shivered. The ground beneath the tree trembled softly. Light pooled in a thin, circular shimmer between the roots, expanding slowly, glowing like liquid silver.
Before they could step back, the shimmer solidified into a swirling portal, twisting and spiraling like a storm of light and shadow. It reached out toward them with a force that felt both gentle and irresistible, pulling at the air around their bodies.
Nathan barely had time to grab Casey's arm before the portal swallowed them. The world spun, leaves and light stretching into streaks, sounds warping into a deep hum that rattled their bones. The forest disappeared around them.
Then, as suddenly as it began, everything went still.