Great Spirits

∆ Twenty ∆

As they ventured into the devouring forest, light was was barely visible. The towering trees stopped most light, masking day into night below the canopy. They were enormous, gargantuan—dark and haunting— like something from a picture book full of tales meant to scare children. 

Wren did not notice the slight mist from the early morning had turned into fog. A cold fog that crept into the bones and chilled him. He hugged himself tighter. There was no other option for him but to continue even when there were many, many signs telling him not to. Wren flicked his eyes to Walla who walked a few paces ahead, lumbering with his large sack draped across his back. It jangled whenever Walla took a large step. They were also hiking up an incline which was growing steeper and steeper the further they traveled. 

"Everything about this speaks of bad omens to come," Walla grumbled.  

"I warned you, but you are here and I thank you no matter your intentions." 

Wren kept his eyes transfixed on the brambles that littered their path. Already his arms have been cut by the prickly little monsters. He felt the stings each time wind brushed his skin. In the next moment, they were brown and then black fading into dust that scattered with the breeze. 

"Intentions? Boy, I am here for Silas. Situation has changed. No harm will come to him."

Wren stopped to catch his breath and gazed at Walla. "So you believe me?"

"Believe you?" Walla chuckled. "You can hardly make something up this elaborate. It is best to be on the winning side." 

"I do not believe Silas would be it." 

That caused another loud bout of laughter to boom from him. "I suppose you would know best. Ostracized, is it?"

Wren nodded, nearly tripping on a large root, leaking black sap. Walla was quick to catch him and bring him back to his feet. 

"Careful now. That stuff don't look no good. Best not to touch it." 

His head throbbed and his eyesight blurred. It was the forest doing this, poisoning the air. It would only grow worse and he was already exhausted. Even his lungs burned. It was strange that Walla was not showing any symptoms as he was. 

Wren heaved as he tried pushing onward. Speckles of black and whited coated his vision. His ears rang and before long the world disappeared before him, enveloping him in perpetual darkness. 

The smell of fire roused Wren from his sleep. The fire crackled and hissed as Walla threw more wood onto the fire, letting it grow big and hot.  Walla wore a dark pensive expression on his face before it disappeared under one of his lighthearted smiles the moment he realized Wren was awake, staring at him.

"I should've asked how you were feelin' before pushing ahead so far like that." 

"It is fine," Wren said while rubbing his eyes. "I probably would have lied to you, anyway." 

Walla snorted and sat down a bowl of food with a spoon inside it beside him.  "Figured. But tell me, Wren... Why was a benevolent god ostracized by the rest?"

Wren stopped reaching for the spoon and furrowed his brows. He could not fathom Silas doing anything terrible to anyone. Well, to anyone who did not deserve it. Wren reached for the spoon again and this time shoved a spoonful of rice and beans into his mouth. 

"I am not sure... but believe me when I say he would not do something terrible to anyone. Ever." A sick feeling nestled in the pits of his stomach then but he shrugged it aside, convincing himself that that was not the case. 

"So say we find 'em. Then what?"

"I do not know," Wren mumbled. 

The fire hissed at their silence.