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Chapter 3 — Whispering Leaves and Hidden Stones
Zack wasn't sure how he ended up being dragged by the wrist through a living fairytale forest by someone who looked like a porcelain doll and smelled like a bakery, but here he was.
"Are you sure this is north?" he asked for the fifth time.
"Yes," Ari replied flatly, not looking back.
The hidden trail they followed barely qualified as a path—more like suggestions etched into the roots and moss. The trees here weren't ordinary. Their trunks shimmered faintly, and the canopy above glowed with veins of teal light, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.
Every few minutes, Zack could swear the forest breathed.
He stumbled over a root. "You know, for a mission called 'The Path to the Verdant Emerald', there's surprisingly little path."
Ari finally stopped, crimson eyes scanning a folded, translucent map made of thin living bark. Glowing glyphs shifted like ink on water across the surface.
"The Verdant Emerald isn't just a stone," Ari said. "It's a seed of ancient nature—a core of Vita. If we find it, the forest itself might shift."
Zack leaned over. "So like... a magic rock?"
Ari narrowed their eyes. "No. It is not a 'magic rock.' It's a condensed life entity formed from the harmony between natural elements over several thousand years. Do not simplify it."
"Right. Noted. Sacred magic nature seed rock."
Ari closed the map, ignoring him. "It's in the north section. The Whispergrove Basin. We're heading there. Stay close."
As they moved, the surroundings began to change.
The trees were taller. Thicker. The air hummed.
Occasionally, Zack saw creatures in the trees—half-plant, half-beast hybrids that watched with golden eyes but didn't move. A mossy toad blinked slowly as they passed. A deer made of bark and leaf vines trotted by, unfazed.
"This place is wild," Zack whispered.
"It's a sacred layer," Ari said. "The forest allows us to pass—for now."
"And if it doesn't?"
Ari glanced at him sideways. "Then you'll learn how fast you can run with two broken ankles."
Zack frowned. "That's oddly specific."
Ari smirked faintly.
They reached a clearing surrounded by hanging bioluminescent vines. In the center, a crumbled ruin peeked out from under centuries of moss and stone.
"We'll rest here," Ari said, sitting on a raised stone and pulling out a dried fruit bar from their pouch.
Zack slumped down beside a tree trunk, exhaling. "So this is normal for you? Strolling through a possibly sentient forest to grab mystical artifacts and threaten Earthlings?"
Ari bit into the fruit bar. "Yes."
Zack rolled his eyes, then looked up. The sky above was barely visible, but what he could see shimmered like a prism. "You ever seen the Verdant Stone before?"
"No. But I've read about it. They say it pulses like a heart when you get close. That it sings to those attuned to Vita."
Zack leaned back. "Cool. Do I get a weapon or anything?"
Ari looked at him. "No."
"What if something tries to eat me?"
"Then I'll let you scream first."
Zack blinked. "...You're joking."
Ari looked at him blankly.
Zack gulped.
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After a short rest, Ari stood and brushed moss off their boots. The air had shifted again—colder, heavier. Something was watching now.
"Get up. We're close," Ari said, suddenly tense. Their red eyes flicked toward the north path winding into denser trees.
Zack stood, brushing dirt from his jeans. "You think the stone is really up there?"
Ari didn't answer. Just started walking.
And in the distance, far beyond the trees, something pulsed once—faintly. As if a heartbeat echoed through the forest soil.
The Verdant Emerald was awake.
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Note: This takes place in a real life RPG forest