Ashes and Kingdoms

Chapter Four

The deepening autumn forest is surprisingly busy. Red and golden leaves, squirrels running around trying to store nuts in their nest holes, bears obsessed with eating them off before they fall asleep. When the wind blows, dead leaves and dongles fall, making crisps, paraplegic, dry noises.

On the second day after entering the Great Forest from Orgenia, there is no longer a path for people. Even the Beast Path looks confused as to where it leads. Sestas relied solely on the position of the sun and his own exploration to keep walking in what seemed to be the 'back' of the woods.

Taz walking right behind him looked around and impressed when he made it.

"Much like the forest in the north, it doesn't feel the same. I don't know if it's because it's warm land or because it's magical."

"There's still no sign of magic around here. So it must be because of the climate difference."

"Heh. Mr. Nella, you know what that is? Magic or something."

"Yeah. Somehow, though."

There are signs of a smile in the serene Nera's voice. Sestas, who was listening to the two conversations on his back, was not amused at all and broke into a bluff.

"How are the northern woods different, Taz?"

"Right...... look, there are a lot of trees with leaves falling out in these woods, but about half of them stay green. Besides, it feels like it's stuffy. But if it's near Nanais or something, most trees get naked in the winter, and it's the cedar or pine that doesn't. Much neater than here."

"You're a sailor, did you grow up in the woods?

"You're not a fisherman's child. Nanais is by the sea, but there was also a small forest near the city. It's like a place where kids go to pick up fun like wild rice noodles, yamamomo and mulberry nuts. That's what you have."

It was a thrown word without any inclusions, but Cestas was slightly frightened. The memory of the old - 'Senato' - inadvertently spreads to the back of his brain. Near the hall, a forest for farmers to feed pigs dongles and collect firewood. My parents took me out for a walk right around that corner. Smells like peeling trees and moss, the sweet and sour taste of wild rice noodles picked while their hands were caught by thorns......

During the bundle, Taz spoke suspiciously to Cestas, caught in the past and silent.

"Hello, boy? Don't sleep with your eyes open, okay?

"I'm awake," Cestas shrugged, regaining consciousness to the present. "I've picked the pigeon before. But that's about it. Unlike Taz, I don't eat well."

"I told you, you little brat"

Taz shrugged Sestas' head from behind, looked forward and glanced at him.

"By the way, do you know where you're going?

Asking, he somehow puts his jaw on Cestas' head. Cestas looked annoyingly, but he couldn't escape because he was held down disappointingly with both hands of a successful sailor.

"I don't know. But if the legend is true, people looking for shelter should be accepted by the forest."

"Eh. Is that all right with you? I'm tense, so if I run out of food, I might scratch your hands and feet."

"That's why I told you not to come!

Sestas was outraged and forced to shake off Taz, moving on just a little further. Taz moves aside and shows a scared trick, followed by Nella laughing bitterly.

Sestas was alone and caustic, feeling laughed at by the two elders. If we don't find the Fidae, it's Taz's fault. Because of him, even serious things become like jokes.

(I'm seriously looking for a safe house over here...... I'm sure Taz only thinks so much so that his selfish kid is running away willingly)

Even though that's not the case.

In anticipation of wanting to cry, Cestas continued to move his legs against each other. It is not a selfish runaway, etc. There's a reason I can't even go home.

- But can't you really go home? Is there any other way?

An unplanned third party had jumped in, making Cestas unsure of his thoughts. If it was just Nera and me, we'd be able to keep running away forever and ever. But when I decided to leave Siros, did I run away 'cause it's the best way'? Didn't you make that choice just to get away?

(But I don't know what else to do)

Even if running away and hiding is not the right thing to do - is wrong if you look at it, even if it's a foolish behavior of a child - I didn't see another option in Cestas right now.

(regrets)

I regret being a child. I regret the helplessness that can't change things.

I bite my lips all the time and brutally pay off the branches of the shrub that block my way.

And that was then.

His sight shook unexpectedly, and Cestas glanced at him in a panic to see if he had cried. But the oddly distorted view is not undone.

"Is that it?"

When Cestas stopped and glanced at him, Taz flickered behind him as well.

"Mr. Nella, isn't that weird?"

"Apparently, you've entered Fidae territory. It was unexpectedly quick..."

Nella also answers with a slightly flattering face and looks around. And when I noticed Cestas looking back anxiously, I nodded as a dust.

"Keep moving, it's okay."

"Okay."

Don't let them understand you're scared, Cestas walks out short. Although I told Taz in the city that rumors of being killed were false, there is no chance that he could harm the Fidae as an unwelcome guest. Anyway, it's a mysterious tribe. Sestas stepped down, fearing it would fall into a trap, step by step.

After walking silently for a while, he asked thoughtfully.

"Somehow, I don't know if this one's walking or if the woods are moving. I wonder if this view will stay this way forever"

It's hard to walk, but I dress up in a protesting tone. I was getting sick, but I didn't want to sound weak.

"No."

The answered voice belonged to someone else who sounded from somewhere far away. Cestas got a little giddy, but quicker than anyone else to look for, Taz grabbed his arm and pulled it into his own shadow. He tried to protect a young man from an unfamiliar opponent even though he didn't have a weapon or anything.

Unexpectedly sheltered, Cestas was surprised, but then realized that his blood would rise cuckoo to remorse.

(I'm just being protected)

Whether you're fleeing the royal palace, hiding in the lower town, or traveling to Siros. And also here.

I know they are helping me in good faith. Being a helpless child.

(And I can't believe I might be the key to deciding if it's going to be a fight!

If you can't have the power to be worthy of your position, I wish everyone would just ignore it.

Hold your fist in anger. In the meantime, too, Taz, sheltering him, was calling to the void.

"Who!? Where are you!

"Come and you'll see."

The wind whispers. Looks like a woman, but it could be a man. It's a vague, elusive, emotionless voice.

"Let's go"

Nella urged, and Taz walked out on guard. Cestas forcefully overtakes it and stands forward. Hey, Taz blamed it, but Cestas shook his head.

"I'm the one who wants to see the Fidae tribe. I have to be in the lead."

"... I get it."

Taz unexpectedly gave way so much that he followed Sestas right behind him.

Walking silently for a while, the forest trees gradually stopped moving and settled into their respective places, and the air that was twisting the scenery came straight through.

Strange pressures, like passing through an invisible membrane, tighten your body and mind for a breath...

"- Ah."

Out, when I thought, a settlement was appearing in front of me.

Cestas and Taz opened their mouths all together and stood at ease.

Surrounded by age-old, depressed giant trees, incomparable with the forests we've been through, the place looks as if even the air is stained green.

I don't see any house-like buildings, and giant trees are replacing them. The thick branches divide the room intricately, and the small saving holes seem to serve as windows and smoke out, but none of them are very natural and do not look like they were made by shredding or carving.

A completely different world was there, unlike any land in Diatius.

The biggest giant tree could not even see the edge at a glance from the left and right edges, and even glancing up his neck, he could not see the periphery.

When Sestas and Taz were all aligned and overwhelmed by their beauty, and looked up defenselessly at their throats, there were at some point only ten people gathered around them.

Sestas, who returned to me, looks around at them in time. The similarly-faced people stared back from beneath their dark hair, with blue or blue eyes. The garment contains a mysterious and intricate weaving pattern that, reminiscent of antiquity, also creates an unknown atmosphere.

Something came up - I felt like it, and Cestas was surprised.

"Welcome, Rarely"

One smiled calmly.

"Give those who seek refuge a moment's rest"

"Stay until the wound heals, so that you can rest"

I didn't really know who I was talking to. Everyone's tone is very similar, gentle, but oddly heterogeneous and unsettling.

When Sestas was confused, a strange figure came from Giant Tree. Realizing that, Cestas didn't immediately understand what he was looking at.

A green light wraps around the person with long dark hair.

(Light...? No, that one)

His eyes narrowed and Cestas tried to figure out who it was.

It's not just light. An overwhelming, 'something' with a similar presence to this giant tree is certainly there.

"No way."

Unintentionally, blurred voice leaked. Taz breathes on the side too. Nella soared in front of the two stunned.

"Lord Utia the Dragon, king of the Fidae tribe, and the Dragon of Org, I thank you for inviting us in."

In front of Nera, who bowed her head deeply, Utier stopped her legs and nodded slowly. A serpent-like light tangled in its body brings a sickle neck and does a similar trick.

"Dragon... this is..."

Cestas was stunned, looking up at the legendary creature he saw for the first time.