Probing Visions 2

Chapter 5 (Part 3)

     In the meantime, Jean strides forward, his breath loud and unsteady, as his eyes examine the intricate woods. Walking across an ocean of trees, Jean bites his lips and furrows his brows, glancing from left to right, ensuring he is alone in the forest. A thick layer of mud gradually paints on his once-polished shoes, and dirt clings onto his once-pristine shirt. Yet, the filth never bothers Jean as his determination fuels his confidence and urges him to move forward. However, a minuscule sense of impending doom fails to leave Jean's thoughts as he knows what he will encounter is out of his control.

     Marching forward with resolute paces, Jean pushes off a bush and walks past it. As his hands touch the shrub, its thorns scratch his skin, infusing him with a brief but stinging pain. He then walks around a tree and climbs over a fallen log, resuming his trek on the other side. Jean continues his journey, and as he accidentally steps into a puddle, mud splatters onto his trousers, leaving behind unsightly stains.

     Hanging vines block Jean's path, prompting him to shove them off his face before resuming his walk. Pausing momentarily beside a mossy boulder, Jean takes a deep breath and releases a heavy sigh. Wiping off the sweat on his forehead, Jean continues and passes through two trees—as if it were a doorway.

     As Jean moves forward, dust inadvertently enters his nose, causing him to cough. Clearing his throat, Jean summons his resolve and strides forward. Slowly, a thick veil of mist emerges and shrouds Jean, obscuring his view. Jean flaps his hand, desperately attempting to disperse the dense fog obstructing his path. His brows knit together, and his teeth clench behind his tightened lips.

     The cloak of darkness adds to the eerie ambience as the mist rolls in. As if the thick, white clouds have descended from the heavens, fog drifts in, enveloping the landscape like a blanket. The hoot of an owl resonates, melding with the loud chirping of crickets.

     While Jean proceeds further into his quest, the fallen leaves beneath his shoes crunch against his weight. The faint sound of grass rustling resounds as Jean's feet glide across the earthen ground. Like a beating drum during a festive celebration, his heart pounds, punching through his chest as anxiety begins to settle over his spine.

     Suddenly, a branch snaps behind Jean, its noise echoing across the darkness. Swiftly, Jean instinctively turns on his heels and investigates the origin of the sound. His eyes widen with surprise and apprehension, and his heartbeat rouses, pounding rapidly with anticipation. However, as he pivots, his eyes struggle to pierce the mist and darkness surrounding him; he can only see a black canvas smudged with white strokes.

     Raising a brow, Jean turns around and resumes his walk. However, in an unexpected event, birds take flight from the comfort of their warm nests with a cacophony of fluttering wings and panicked chirps. As Jean watches the flying birds flee, their dark silhouettes stand out prominently against the bright glow of the full moon.

     As the last bird disappears from Jean's view, the blaring noise of the singing crickets turns silent. Jean immediately notices the change of atmosphere, causing his breath to hitch and his body to lower. With his senses alarmed, he gazes from left to right and scans the area for potential threats. Yet, he sees himself alone, surrounded by towering trees that seem to reach for the heavens.

     As if trying to frighten him and drag his will to the ground, another stick snaps and echoes, the haunting sound reaching Jean's ears. Jean gasps faintly, his brows furrowing with apprehension. A profound fear floods his entire being, freezing him, his feet rooting themselves in the ground.

     Jean thrashes his head, trying to spot the source of the snapping branches. And there, hiding in the deep shadows, a creature lurks. Jean squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head, ensuring he is not hallucinating. When he opens his eyelids, the entity is still in his sight, just staring at him soullessly in the eyes. This time, the creature has gotten closer to him, standing only a few yards away, its head bobbing like a rooster.

     The creature's eyes glimmer with an otherworldly glow, reflecting the colour of the surrounding leaves. Its body melds seamlessly with the surrounding trees—as if it were trying to camouflage. Slowly and steadily, it marches towards Jean, and with a sudden move, it charges towards him.

     Jean's eyes widen as he yelps in surprise. Like a pebble, the creature shoves him, hurling him across the patch of trees. Jean tumbles to the ground, a sharp gasp escaping his lips. Quickly, he crawls away, but the entity swiftly grabs his leg and pulls him towards it. Tilting its head, the creature grasps Jean's form and flings him towards a tree.

     Releasing a shrill gasp, Jean strikes the tree and falls over. He groans as he attempts to stand up. However, his knees abandon their duties and refuse to let him rise. With fear shimmering in his eyes, Jean watches as the creature approaches him menacingly.

     Spotting a stick on the ground, Jean quickly grasps it and climbs up the tree. As he reaches the top, he observes the creature come closer with a rigid glare on its wooden face. Then, with a deep breath, it releases a blaring screech that threatens to hurl Jean off the tree.

Summoning his courage, Jean furrowed his brows and pointed the stick towards the creature. "Lutderum Vi Fodrum!" he chanted, casting a spell.

     On the rear of the stick, magic unfolds. Electric bolts summon and blast towards the creature's face. The entity recoils with a loud grunt, rubbing the element off its rough visage.

     Seizing the opportunity, Jean leaps from the tree and tumbles over the ground. Swiftly, he stands up and looks back at the wailing creature. With a sharp breath, Jean turns on his heels and hastens away, his figure blending with the thick mist.