Sylvaris, Lumithar 23, 528 EK

  Journey to Kaelithar — Aurelion Forest

  A morning in the Aurelion Forest always began with a sharp, bone-deep cold — the kind that crawled slowly into your bones before you were fully awake. A thin mist hovered low, hanging among the great roots like a tangled white curtain. Pine trees rose like colossal pillars, their trunks dark with moss, their canopies nearly blotting out the sky.

  Sunlight seeped through gaps in the leaves, catching on dew still clinging to blades of grass. Every small movement of a horse sent beads of dew falling like shards of glass.

  Kaelus stood checking the reins on Thalion’s horse, making sure everything was sturdy enough for the terrain they would cross today — steeper, slipperier, and narrower than the day before.

  “Don’t hold the reins too tight,” Kaelus said without turning. “Let your horse move when the path climbs.”

  Thalion nodded, unsure if Kaelus had seen him. “Yes, Sir.”

  One of the soldiers retying their supplies snorted. “A boy your age usually cries at the sight of a path like this.”

  Thalion looked up. “If I cry, will we arrive any faster?”

  The soldier fell silent, then laughed and shook his head. “Sharp tongue you’ve got.”

  Kaelus glanced at Thalion. “Don’t get used to speaking like that,” he said briefly. “Use your head, not your mouth.”

  Thalion bowed his head. “Sorry, Sir.”

  “But he’s not wrong,” the soldier muttered to himself.

  After a quick breakfast — hard black bread, strips of dried meat, and warm water — the party set off along a trail narrowing between trees.

  The path climbed slowly, rising to higher ground. The higher they climbed the more the air changed; colder, quieter.

  To the right a small ravine fell away into darkness beneath the mist. To the left great roots jutted from the earth like the bones of ancient beasts. A black bird flew low, its wings cutting the air with a heavy sound.

  “This forest always makes my neck hair stand on end,” one soldier muttered.

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  “If your hair stands up, you’re still alive,” another shot back. “Worse if you don’t feel anything at all.”

  “Quiet, both of you,” Kaelus admonished without turning. “The Aurelion Forest listens for unnecessary sounds.”

  Silence fell at once.

  Thalion swallowed. “Sir… is it always like this here?”

  Kaelus exhaled lightly, as if weighing what he should say. “No. Sometimes worse.”

  “How worse?”

  “When the forest is silent for reasons you don’t want to know.”

  Thalion gripped his reins tighter.

  A few hours later, when the sun had risen higher, the company had to pause. The trail ahead narrowed to a single-file track. At that point Thalion rode very close to Kaelus.

  “Sir,” a soldier stepped forward. “If we keep this pace… we won’t make it before nightfall.”

  Kaelus checked the horses behind him — several looked tired, especially the ordinary riders.

  “We won’t force the pace on a trail like this,” Kaelus replied calmly. “One slipped horse, and the journey doubles.”

  “But—”

  “Watch the path,” Kaelus cut in. “And watch your men. They’re already weary.”

  The soldier nodded, this time without argument. Though Aurelion’s elite were known for strictness, they also knew Kaelus never gave orders without reason.

  When they stopped to water the horses, Thalion asked quietly, “Sir… how high is Kaelithar?”

  “High enough to leave you breathless if you climbed it without a horse,” Kaelus answered without looking up. “And high enough to be a natural fortress.”

  Another soldier chimed in, “The best fortress the kingdom ever made isn’t stone… it’s the land it chose.”

  “Aurelion was built to endure,” another added. “And Kaelithar is the best proof.”

  Thalion tried to imagine the city — high, guarded by nature, with towering walls and banners snapping atop them.

  “Is it as beautiful as people say?” he asked.

  A soldier chuckled. “Beautiful? No. Kaelithar is harsh. Solid. Rigid. Everyone inside it is like its walls.”

  “Like Kaelus?” Thalion blurted unintentionally.

  All the soldiers ducked their heads to hide smiles. Kaelus looked over for a fraction of a second.

  “Don’t follow his lead,” he snapped.

  Thalion shut his mouth quickly. “Sorry, Sir.”

  Kaelus finally answered flatly, “Kaelithar isn’t a place to seek beauty. But if you want a place to hold out — it’s the best home you’ll find.”

  Towards Dusk

  As afternoon approached, the Aurelion Forest began to shift. The wind stopped. The birds vanished. Leaves no longer stirred though there was no warmth.

  Thalion felt something odd — as if the forest were holding its breath.

  “Sir?” he whispered. “Why… so quiet?”

  Kaelus stared at the tall trees ahead. His gaze sharpened. “Because the forest wants us to know we are being watched.”

  A soldier behind swallowed. “That doesn’t make me calmer, Sir.”

  “That isn’t the forest’s job,” Kaelus replied shortly.

  The sky darkened, casting long shadows between the giant roots. The air grew damp, as if something moved slowly beneath the earth.

  Kaelus raised a hand, signaling everyone to halt.

  “We’ll camp here,” he said.

  “Here?” a soldier looked around dubiously. “Sir… this is a bad place.”

  “Worse places exist,” Kaelus answered.

  They unpacked. A small fire was lit. Everyone ate, though none felt truly hungry.

  The Aurelion Forest remained silent.

  Too silent.

  Kaelus narrowed his eyes at the ground.

  And from that moment…

  his instinct began to work.

  An instinct that would save them only minutes later.

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  But simply reading and enjoying this tale is more than enough—I am already deeply grateful.