
Lila waited. And then waited a bit more. And then she left Aira for her meditation and moved on to do some chores. She cleaned the dishes and started gathering their stuff to prepare for a new day of trekking through the mysterious city.
Over the past months, Lila has gotten used to Aira's strange mental absence during these mediation sessions. It seemed like Aira was out of this world, somewhere far away, for at least some time she spent connecting with her magic. Or, at least, that was what Aira told Lila what she was doing.
One thing Lila easily understood was how not to break someone's concentration when they were focused on something. Everything else? Even after seeing Aira's powers in action, it was still hard to wrap her head around the reality of magic.
But now, it was apparent that both of them needed time to recover. It was just that the process was a bit different. For Lila, it was sleep, food, and contemplation. Beautiful and mind-bending views like what she experienced right now, looking out of the broken window frames, also fit her process perfectly. Even while they were at least a little bit disturbing. Bringing forward too many questions.
For Aira... Well, yes, it was meditation and… more meditation? The undead woman was definitely focused on her goal. But at the same time, it felt like she was lost. Struggling to make her next step and bring herself out of the comfort zone they had created for themselves at the ancient facility.
At least that was decided for them. Now, they didn't have any other choice but to move forward. Into the unknown. Into the frightening embrace of the other undead.
With all of these complications: magic, 'the System,' transformation into an undead, and probably many other things, Lila had yet to fully grasp what was happening to the person who became the most unlikely friend she ever had.
So, was Aira right that the undead had a civilization? And that they were able to perform magic?
The first went against all the indoctrination humans had in the last few centuries. They've based their safety on the premise that the undead were mindless beasts that must be dealt with. And even with the changes promoted by Elder Jorin, the old ways didn't die easy.
As all of the Elders had an unpleasant opportunity to learn.
What also rubbed Lila the wrong way was that a civilized community had to care about their safety. According to Aira's comments, they'd reached well into the territory controlled by this mass of people she sensed somewhere ahead. But they had yet to meet any kind of patrol or any defensive structures.
That went against everything Lila knew as a ranger. As a person charged with protecting a human settlement.
But the second Aira's theory was even more outlandish. Magic existed in this world. Even while Lila still struggled to internalize that, she wouldn't deny it. It was impossible to pretend it wasn't real, being so close to Aira. But magic and the undead?
If that was true, and if their powers were comparable to Aira's, why didn't they wipe out all the humans? Humanity hated them so much. The most human way was always to destroy what you don't understand and hate. Supposedly, the undead should hate them at least as much. Maybe even more if the human legends had at least some truth in them.
Or was it possible that the undead moved forward that much from the old preconceptions of their ancestors?
Lila's train of thought was interrupted when Aira shifted. The undead woman opened her strange eyes, filled with the glow of green and blue energy, and looked around. It took a few seconds for her to focus on their surroundings as if she was returning to her body from a faraway land.
"Good morning!" Lila said with a warm smile. "Catching a leaf yet? Got things feeling clearer now?"
"Yes. It's getting stronger," Aira replied. "We were moving in the right direction, that was obvious even before. But I think I can pinpoint the exact location now."
***
Aira woke up from her meditation feeling stronger. She replenished her energy reserves that were used up by the exploration and ascend of the previous day. Too many times, she had to protect Lila and prevent the fragile structure from hurting her green-haired human companion. But now, she couldn't think of doing that any other way.
She checked Lila's energy signature and, with a smile, recognized that the human had also rested well this night despite her being tucked into a precarious position in one of the inner corners of a half-ruined floor.
Aira walked to the edge of the floor and peered out through the empty window frame, just where Lila stood moments before. The vastness under her was nerve-wracking, but she strengthened herself and continued to focus on her magic senses.
"There," she said, pointing towards a large green rectangle in the middle of the ancient city. "Do you see that forest?"
Lila squinted, her eyes tracing the line of Aira's finger.
"A forest?!? Yes, I see it!" Lila said. "By the bark, that's massive! It's wild seeing all that green smack in the middle of all this stone. How in the roots did we miss it before?"
"It's impossible to see it from the ground level," Aira said. "These anacient building surround it and hide it from the outside view. And even when we went higher yesterday, it wasn't high enough."
"Looks like these old buildings were built to cradle this patch of green. What a view!" exclaimed Lila. "And those closer to the forest? Solid as oak compared to the rest. What's your call—was this forest part of the city back then, or is it something the undead cooked up?"
Aira glanced in the distance once again, contemplating the question and the view.
"I don't even know how to make an educated guess," she said. "I mean, there are large parks in the cities of my world. But nothing as grand as this. The city itself is quite impossible in its size and scope, my head starts spinning when I try to create its plan in my mind. As for the forest, we can probably see only a small fraction from here. Just something that peeks out between the buildings."
"Right as rain, you've got a point," Lila said and shrugged. "If the buildings get better closer to the center, maybe we'll have an easier time cutting through the city today"
"Who knows," said Aira. "Still, we need to get closer first. There's plenty of rubble on our way before that. Let's not waste any more time. And thanks for breaking the camp. I didn't even have a chance to help you."
"Ah, don't even flick the light on that!" said Lila. "But while we're at it, why do you think we've seen no patrols? No defenses? We're shadowfooting right by their nest; there ought to be something out here!"
"We discussed this person who lead us here," said Aira. "Now I'm even more sure that they did it on purpose. They want us to come. And they wait for us. I'm not sure about any defenses, but patrols? There are patrols, for sure. I can sense them. They just make a point of not crossing their paths with us."
"Huh?" said Lila. "Got your roots showing there, Aira. You sure pressing forward's the sharpest move?"
"Even if it wasn't," answered Aira. "It may be a bit too late to be afraid of that."
Aira smiled and gave Lila a pat on her back.
"Hey, don't worry!" she said. "I'm with you. Everything will be fine!"
After that, Aira nodded as if reassuring herself as well. Her heart pounded with anticipation.
The forest was an anomaly amid the urban ruins, occupying at least several blocks. It was a mystery whether the buildings were destroyed there to clear the space for growth or never existed in the first place. The trees were far away, and it was still hard to see, but the amount of greenery hinted it was an area with dense foliage. A green sea in the heart of the desolate city.
When they were ready to start their descent, Lila glanced at Aira, her eyes filled with a mix of excitement and concern.
"I just have to ask it one more time," she said. "Are we barking up the wrong root heading in there, or is this as safe as we're gonna get?"
"I'd like to reassure you," said Aira and ruffled Lila's green hair, which got a bit longer since their first meeting. "But I just don't know. And I don't want to lie to you. We have to go there and find that out."
"Clear as a mountain stream, I get it," said Lila.
"There should be answers there. Something to explain the connection I'm feeling," Aira said. "And I think I'll be able to protect you from most of the things we meet anywhere in your world. At least, I'll probably feel if we are in danger and we can turn back. Also, and I'm not saying that to scare you, I think they know we are here."
"My world," said Lila. "By the roots, we've been chasing this idea for weeks, and it still feels like trying to catch a leaf in the wind…"
***
Their path down was uneventful and relatively fast. The remaining distance to the central forest was similar to what they had already walked from the city's outskirts. So, they hoped to get there in half a day or so. And as they moved further, Lila's hopes came true. The path was becoming clearer and easier to traverse with each kilometer.
As they approached the forest, the air grew cooler, with a faint scent of damp earth and foliage. Even with all the foliage that covered the ruined streets of the ancient city, they walked through during the past two days, the difference was astonishing.
When they finally stepped in, the dense canopy above blocked out much of the sunlight immediately, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The ancient trees stood like silent sentinels, their thick trunks wrapped in vines and their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. The contrast between the vibrant life of the forest and the decaying, skeletal remains of the city around it was stark and almost surreal, a testament to the passage of time and nature's attempts at reclamation of the old human territory.
For Aira, the difference was even more pronounced than for Lila. If the human felt like she was being immersed in a humid jungle after spending a day in a desert, Aira was blasted away by the energy hidden within the greenery.
During their hike, Aira used the power of the city's foliage to boost her energy reserves at any opportunity because there just wasn't enough of it. But now, she was momentarily overwhelmed by the power of the ancient trees. It was like feeling the full strength of a powerful waterfall after drinking from a small brook. The vital energies of the local plants were like nothing Aira had ever felt in this world. Nothing like she had ever felt in any world.
She paused, not yet ready to walk too far away from the edge of the forest, still under the fresh impression. She took Lila's hand to ground herself. And then she took a deep breath.
"Feels like ghosts in the treeline—what’s got you so still, Aira?" Lila asked, worry in her voice. "Everything solid as oak?"
"This is it," Aira said, her voice steady. "Now I know why I couldn't distinguish and separate any distinct energy signatures before. This forest just overwhelms your senses."
Aira paused, surveying the area. And then she nodded, having made a decision. "Let's find out what's inside."
"Not sure if you've caught this," said Lila. "But by the twisted branches, it's insane! It's still spring, right? Back by the facility, trees were just waking up, snow was everywhere, ice on the river... But here? Feels like winter forgot to stop by! Is that magic or what?"
"I guess so," said Aira. "The energy of these trees is much stronger than anything I felt in the mundane forests of your world. I can only compare it to what I felt within humans. That endless source of energy. And it may be even more powerful than that."
She took a few steps and touched the nearest tree.
"It's a special forest," Aira whispered. "No doubt about that."
They continued their walk under the green canopy, guessing when would they see any sentient beings. The world around them shifted as they moved from the urban ruins into this natural sanctuary. The sounds of the dead city faded, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds. The path before them was overgrown but discernible, leading deeper into the heart of the green expanse.
Aira felt the connection growing stronger with each step, guiding them forward. She reached out with her Necrocommunion skill, trying to better understand what awaited them.
The presence she had sensed earlier was closer now, more defined. Surprisingly, the forest wasn't obscuring her senses that much anymore. If anything, it amplified them. And as they moved deeper into the forest, Aira felt other presences as well—tens, or even hundreds of souls lingering just beyond her reach.
All her concerns about dealing with necrotic magic prevented Aira from experimenting with her Necrocommunion skill earlier. And that was crippling her now. Her mastery of the skill wasn't advanced enough to make the picture clear, even if she sensed it better now.
But then, she had few opportunities to test it on anyone besides that elusive spy and the gnarling. Unless she went on a rampage of reanimating animals in the forest.
And now, that presence was overwhelming. It was as if the forest was alive with the echoes of the past, a silent chorus of beings amplified by the ambient magic.
"They're everywhere," Aira murmured, Lila's radio transferring the awe and unease of Aira's voice. "So many souls, so much energy."
There was no denying that they were allowed to witness what was happening in this forest and that they could venture deeper into it only because their hosts wanted them there.
Lila shivered, glancing around warily. "Feels like shadows creeping all around, even if I can't sense what you do," she said. "You're sharp as frost, right? Extra alert for us both?"
Finally, after walking for an hour, they emerged into a large clearing. It was late afternoon already, and the evening was getting closer. The spring was only beginning, and the days weren't long. But then, they saw it. Bright, almost surreal light was cast over the scene before them. In the center of the glade, a huge commotion was taking place—a ritual involving scores of figures.
Aira and Lila paused at the edge of the clearing, taking in the sight. The participants were arranged in a rough circle, their movements synchronized and purposeful. But unlike any human happenings, this scene was completely silent. Making it uncomfortable and even menacing.
In the center of the circle stood a tall, imposing figure with an aura of authority and power that set it apart. As all the others, this person had their eyes shut.
Aira's heart pounded as she watched the ritual unfold. The leader raised their arms, and the movements became faster and more intense. Suddenly, it gave Aira flashbacks of that fateful scene in the dungeon. And unconsciously, she made a few steps back, only to be stopped by Lila's strong hand.
Energy crackled in the air, a tangible force that made the hairs on the back of Aira's neck stand on end.
"What in the thorny thicket are they up to?" Lila whispered, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fascination.
"I don't know," Aira replied, her voice barely coming through Lila's portable radio. "But it's something serious. Something significant. Powerful magic is involved here. I can't understand it yet; I need to focus more on it."
As they watched, Aira tried to scan the central figure with her Necrocommunion skill, focusing all her energy on establishing contact. The connection wavered, then solidified, and Aira felt a surge of awareness.
--- Character Status and Skill Overview —
Name: Ainorrh
Race: Enlightened
Class: Enlightened Shaman
Level: 43
The leader of the… Enlightened snapped out of their trance, opening their eyes and locking their gaze on Aira. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Aira felt a flood of emotions—curiosity, recognition, and a hint of something darker. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come.
"We have to approach... the shaman," she said to Lila, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "It's too late to pretend they don't know we're here."
Lila nodded, balling her hands. "Bite the bramble if we must, but watch the shadows every step of the way."
"Don't worry," said Aira. "There are many of them here, but I think I am stronger."
They stepped out from the woods, entering the clearing, and moved slowly and deliberately.
Now, all the movement faltered as everyone noticed the newcomers, their eyes turning towards Aira and Lila. The eyes were full of energy, the same way Aira's eyes were. Only in a multitude of different colors and shades.
The leader lowered their arms, and the energy in the air dissipated as the person took a step toward the newcomers.