Sekai Break

The sun shimmered over head the path. Shadows were short and like a blob at the feet of the passersby as they made their way through the dust filled path. The rattling of the carriages as they past left all but none growling and cursing the merchants over enthusiastic haste.

The path expanse was mainly a brown dusty path way piercing through the landscape. On it voyages of people walked as they approached the northern gates with sighs of relief from their journey and the scorching overhead sun.

Amongst them a curious boy strode along side his parents with a leaf propeller in hand swirling faster with each acceleration in pace. His eyes were wide open lit with wonder and amazement as the propeller whooshed in his hand. Behind him was his father, whose index finger glimmered with a gentle green hue its intensity increasing with every step the boy took farther from him.

Suddenly the boy's propeller handle snapped launching the leaf propeller of it's bound orbit. The boy tried to rush towards it trying to catch it as it floated away in the now dying breeze but was caught and pulled back. It was his father. His index finger had stopped glimmering and was now waving left right saying No.

The boy turned to his escaping propeller, a tear held back as he watched it sway in the breeze.

As his eyes followed the propeller leaf blade they caught something intriguing. Some distance away from the gates were two oddly dressed people and another one dressed casually. They seemed to be engaging in a brief discussion before the eldest one with spiky hair stepped aside as though he was showing them something . The other followed suite with one of them brandishing a wooden orbed staff.

Suddenly they disappeared. The boy rapidly blinked before turning to his father and pointing to where they were frantically and excited.

" Oh ! " his father said.

" Those were Guild Gentries. They are from the Octa guild here in Laptove . They must be going on a mission. " his father explain to him before scoping him onto his shoulders.

" Don't worry they are here to protect us . " he said as they walked towards the gates . On his father's shoulder, the boy turned to look back at the expanse, his eyes dazzling at the spectacle he just saw.

***

" You two better keep up, or you'll get lost. " Dim said as he dashed on forward.

Behind him Sen and Liora followed with a subtle glowing hue shrouded across their bodies. Liora still had the staff in her hand , it's orb still glowing.

" Ok listen up you two… " Dim called out.

" The land we are about to enter borders the new condensation point where the miasma event —"

Thud!!

" What's wrong Sen ? " Dym called out on seeing Sen fall suddenly to the ground. He stopped and moved closer as he checked the collapsed Sen.

His breath had hitched , taking short sharp breaths with every passing second. His arm clutched his chest as he trying to caught his breath. His eyes had widened with evident blood capillaries bulging out as red streams at the end of his eyes.

Dym placed his hand on Sen's back with a gentle glimmer pulsing from it.

" It's not his arcane pressure. " he said as he withdrew his hand.

" It's fine . " Sen said as he stood up from the ground.

" Are you sure ? " Dym asked his eyes scanning Sen for his own visual assurance.

" Yeah am fine , just tripped that's all. " said as he paced forward.

Liora stood frozen the entire time. She gazed on Sen as he got up from the ground his breath still not settled . She slowly loosened her grip on her staff, hesitation evident with every twitching finger, trying to extend her hand towards Sen but stopped mid way, retuning it quickly back.

" I'm fine let's continue with the mission. " Sen said hardly looking at Dym .

" Is this what you meant ? Trojn . " he thought as he walked forward towards a wooden sign along the path.

" As I was saying this land borders the condensation point managed by the Belhe house. So let's try not to trespass. "

" Now then follow me. " he said as he walked onwards towards the lush forest that lay ahead.

< Wisree forest >

The forest lay heavy with silence, a quiet too complete to be natural. Towering trees, their trunks gnarled and ancient, held court beneath a canopy so thick it stole the wind itself. No birds called. No leaves stirred. Only the faint scent of moss and damp bark lingered, and each footstep pressed into the soft earth as though the ground itself were swallowing sound. It wasn't peaceful. It was reverent—like entering a place not meant for voices.

The trio walked under the trees cautious of every step. Liora was far jumpier than the others as she writhed in disgust with every crawling bug she say.

" Welcome to Wisree forest. " Dym said as they stopped in a small forest clearing .

" You already know the mission. This forest is the natural habitat for the Shrieking weasel that attached the granddaughters of Lady Belhe. "

" Spread out and look for anything odd . " he said as he rested his back onto a tree bark.

" And what are you going to do ? " Liora asked with stern eyes pointing at Dym.

" I'll be supervising . Now go and look around. " he said firmly .

" Tsk ! " Liora said as she turned to the surrounding trees.

" Looks like it's just the two of us. " Sen said with a receding smile on his face.

Liora glared at him, her eyes screaming disapproval.

" I guess so . " she said.

" I'll search on the ground, you see if you can find anything at the tree tops. "

" Sure . " Sen said before jumping on to a branch making his way to the top.

Liora shook her head as she watched Sen disappear amongst the branches.

Sunlight filtered through the high leaves in shafts of gold, catching particles of dust that hovered like spirits with nowhere to go. The underbrush had long since surrendered to the weight of time, lying in flattened, colorless submission beneath the trees. The deeper they walked, the more Liora became aware of her own breathing—louder than it should be. Each breath rose and fell like a trespass. Around her, the forest didn't move. It watched.

Suddenly she heard a scream.

She glanced up as a figure came towering down colliding with every branch on its trajectory.

Puff.

They lied on the ground , face first , as the smell of the damp forest floor filled the air.

" That hurt . " the figure said as it rose.

" Oh it's only you. " Liora said releasing the grip on her two blades.

" Did you find anything ? " she asked.

Sen was still rubbing his nose and the leaves on his face.

" No not really , but there is a river north from here. " he said as he checked his shoes.

" What is that ? " Liora asked disgusted as she moved back.

" Slime ? … "

" No drool . " Sen answered as he gazed up at the tree he was on.

A low rustle snapped their attention sideways, but nothing moved. Then another—closer. The forest no longer felt silent. It felt aware.

Beneath the canopy, something skulked in the shadows between trunks. They couldn't see it, but they could feel it—like a breath at their backs, cold and steady. The underbrush twitched again, but this time it didn't stop.

Suddenly the tension broke. Something was coming. Dym rushed through the branches, eyes narrowed, voice sharp—.

" Take your stances , we've got company."