I nimbly escape some of the branches angling my way and sneak through what small openings I can find. At first, it seems my plan is working. But just as I devise a way to bypass these trees, so do they find a way to combatme.
The forest is sentient,I’m forced to conclude. And it’s reacting to every movement I make.
If I go fast, it matches my speed. If I slow down, it does so too, going as far as to lay low, showing me mirages of barren land and empty fields—almost as if to lull me into a sense of safety so I will advance carelessly.
Is there even a building at the end of the forest?
Despite the illusions appearing before me, I suspect thereissomething there. And that something is quite important for it to be protected in such a way.
According to the map, I should be around one thousand five hundred steps away from the building. That knowledge will be useful as I count my steps in the back of my mind while trying to avoid the incoming branches. Soon, even that is quite useless as my movements are an amalgamation of a few steps forward and even more backward.
I continue to dodge until I find myself back at the edge of the forest—right where I began my journey.
Whatever it might be, it’s clear the forest wants to keep me out. But it doesn’t want to harm me.
Interesting.
Perhaps it’s time to try these ice-based powers.
Right at the entrance of the forest, I drop to my knees and press my palm against the ground, focusing on the particles of energy flowing through me and calling them to the surface.
A surge of power travels through me. My palm serves as a fuse as the ice-energy funnels into the ground. Specks of ice appear on the ground, spreading quickly and enveloping the roots of the trees before engulfing them entirely into ice.
“Cool,” I mutter to myself. In a matter of seconds, the lush forest turns into a glacier landscape. And this isjustthe power of a level three. Unfortunately, exerting so much strength also comes with its costs. I’m not sure how this would affect a real-life level three, but for my zero-level, Zantrax-powered, borrowed strength, fatigue sets immediately.
I huff out and wipe sweat off my brow.
Now that the forest is immobile, all I have to do is cross it and reach the other side.
I move through the small openings left behind by the trees. Even frozen as they are, their positions are almost immaculate. It’s not easy to find open nooks to sneak through.
Unlike a true level three, however, I cannot replenish my strength, which means that with every passing moment, the toll of using so much power weighs heavily on me. My body becomes slower, and even as I force myself to use speed, the velocity is much decreased.
Damn it!
I can’t wait for the moment in which I will not have to use Zantrax anymore and I will have myownpower—depend only on myself.
My thoughts are interrupted by a cracking sound. I swivel and look around, frowning.
“What—”
Another sound, followed by a louder bam. Before I realize what’s happening, the ice encasing the forest shatters. Shards of ice fly everywhere in sight, with some of them going directly toward me.
My eyes widen. Only a few seconds separate life from death. I force whatever strength I have left to the surface as I start dodging. The larger ones are easier to evade. But the smaller ones… I can barely see them coming.
Fuck!
A small ice spear pierces my right shoulder, drawing blood. I keep moving, pirouette after pirouette to escape the incoming missiles, but more small shards hit my body. My legs and torso are now full of scratches and gashes, including a small one on my cheek right under my left eye and a larger one under my ribs. The latter is the most painful, and going by the growing wetness of my shirt, the bleeding is quire profuse.
And just like it started, it’s over. There’s no more ice, no more restraint for the sentient forest.
The trees now sway from left to right, slowly closing in on me. What little space I had before is now fast dwindling.
I breathe harshly. More blood pools by my feet. My healing is inhibited. I don’t have enough energy to sustain it, especially for the large gash.
Perhaps the forest will just eject me, like before…
But that thought quickly vanishes when I notice the branches morphing right under my gaze. What looked like healthy tree branches before, with lush colorful leaves now turned into sharpened spikes, ready to penetrate my body.
