Hours pass as the sun begins to fade over The Forest of Ghan.
"How long do you think it'll take us to get out of the woods, Goma?" Valun asks as he makes one final pass over the clearing he has called home for so many years.
"Valun, you need to focus on learning to speak within your mind as much as you can. It allows us to move more quietly without having to worry about someone overhearing our conversations or alerting any creatures surrounding us." Goma's warning bounces around softly within Valun's mind.
"You're right. I can't be careless going forward. It's just a little weird not having to talk." He thinks quietly.
"It's okay. I'm surprised at how quickly you're picking it up. Honestly, at this rate, it will be second nature before too long." Goma assures him. "Though, it is starting to get late. We should probably start thinking about setting up camp." Goma states as he appears on Valun's shoulder.
"Yeah, you're probably right. We don't want to get lost in the dark." As Valun replies, his vision becomes hazy as if looking through a smokescreen, causing him to freeze in his tracks.
"Valun, what's wrong? I can sense something is making you uneasy. What is it?" Goma asks from within Valun's head, having disappeared from Valun's shoulder where he sat only moments ago.
Valun quickly shifts his weight to his left side and leans slightly in that direction, and at that exact moment, an arrow comes whizzing by from up ahead.
"An arrow?!" Goma and Valun both think simultaneously as it grazes Valun's cheek, causing a small line of blood to trickle down his face.
"There isn't a creature I'm aware of in these woods that would know how to use a bow. What could it…"
"Now isn't the time, Goma!" Valun interrupts within his head as his vision returns to normal, finding cover behind a nearby tree.
"They're about three to four trees ahead of us, probably up on a branch for higher ground." Valun thinks to himself while examining the situation. The hidden archer lets another arrow fly, landing near the foot of the tree where Valun is hiding.
"Dammit, I need to move!" Valun thinks to himself.
"They have us pinned down, and we don't know…" All of a sudden, Valun hears footsteps approaching him from both sides, interrupting Goma's voice.
"Here we go!" Valun draws his bow and rolls to his right from behind the tree, spotting one of the attackers.
"They're using strategy and know how to handle weapons. They're intelligent, be careful." Goma warns Valun.
Coming up to one knee, Valun draws back an arrow as his vision becomes hazy once again.
"Valun, I'm getting the feeling you're uncomfortable again. What is it!?" Goma's voice is booming within Valun's mind.
Valun takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and releases his arrow, striking the first target dropping them to their back. Eyes still closed, Valun dives forward, avoiding another arrow from the hidden archer. Quickly opening his eyes, he pulls one of the daggers from his side and, with incredible precision, throws it off to his left side, making contact with the second attacker on the ground.
As his vision adjusts, he pulls another arrow out and crouches behind a tree. "I don't know, but I don't have time to explain either!" Valun yells aloud before sliding out from behind the tree and releasing another arrow.
The hidden archer is hit in the leg and falls from the tree to the ground below. Before he can get to his feet, Valun is already headed towards him rapidly. He tries frantically to pull a blade from its sheath but finds Valun's dagger at his throat before he can draw his weapon. The archer removes his hand from his weapon, and Valun hits him with the hilt of his dagger, knocking him unconscious.
"Valun…are you alright?" Goma asks with a worried tone as he appears hovering before him.
"I'm pretty sure the other two are dead, but let me make sure before we start checking injuries and celebrating." Valun states sounding like a seasoned warrior on a battlefield.
Valun spends the next several minutes tying the unconscious archer to the base of a tree, dragging the limp bodies of his former companions by his side. All three assailants were men, all dressed in blackened leather armor with scarves covering their faces. The only visible thing in common aside from their apparel is a green symbol on top of each mans' left hand.
"A sword pointed downward with two snake heads curling up the blade. I wonder who they are?" Valun ponders aloud as he looks over the fallen men.
"I'm not sure, but we can ask him once he wakes up," Goma explains as he points over at the tied-up archer. "Now, seriously, what happened to you back there?" Goma asks, sounding concerned.
"I can't explain it… My vision got blurry, and it was like I could feel the arrow flying through the air. The second arrow, my eyes were still closed, and I could hear it flying towards me. Everything else was silent. My body just reacted, diving out of the way. I know it sounds crazy, but…"
"It's the power from the well, Valun." Goma quickly interrupts. "Your senses were greatly heightened, but the question is why? What caused them to react so suddenly? He continues mumbling.
"Goma!" Valun shouts, startling the Jix out of his rant. "What's going on?" He asks, confused.
"The Well of Ghanroh can heighten one's senses to uncanny levels. Usually, it's something you would be able to control. What else do you remember?" Goma replies.
"I guess it was like my body knew what I needed to do before I was able to think it." Valun tries to explain.
*Cough cough ugh cough cough*
"Guess our friend woke up, huh?" Goma states as he returns to Valun's mind.
The archer raises his head, and his eyes meet Valun's, who is seated about three paces in front of him, looking straight at him. "So, who are you?" Valun asks the archer.
"Do you really think it's going to be that easy?" Goma jokes from inside Valun's head.
The archer doesn't reply but squirms in pain from the wound on his leg.
"Well, if you aren't going to tell me anything, I guess I can just leave you here. The bodies of your comrades should attract at least one Vygar pretty soon, and good luck dealing with that while tied to a tree." Valun laughs as he stands.
"Or, you could tell me who you are, and I can let you go?" Valun asks, locking his eyes back onto the archer.
"Are you serious, Valun!? This man just tried to kill you!" Goma roars inside Valun's thoughts.
"Yeah, but this man seems like he's from outside these woods, and we need information." Valun thinks calmly. Goma, surprised by how aware and ready Valun seems to be, decides to let him take the lead.
"Camig." The archer mumbles.
"What!? Speak up!" Valun shouts.
"You shot me in the leg. I can't run, so how about untying me?" The archer replies.
"Be careful, Valun." Goma thinks quietly.
"Fine," says Valun as he unties the archer. "Now start talking before I change my mind." Valun tosses the archer a few herbs from his pouch and points at his leg. He begins applying them while explaining.
"We've been instructed to kill anything that leaves these woods." The archer says.
"Instructed? By who?" Valun replies.
"That much I don't know we were just mercenaries that took a job."
"That job was just to kill anything leaving the woods?" Valun interrupts.
"Yes, and they change the mercenaries on the job every few weeks, so no one is ever here for extended periods of time. Groups used to wait outside the woods and make camp for months at a time but they started disappearing." The archer explains as he rises to his feet and states, in amazement, "Man, those herbs work pretty good."
"Wait, how long has there been a kill order on these woods?" Valun interrupts, puzzled.
"For the last ten years ever since the massacre at Camig. They say a little girl with red eyes went crazy with some kind of power and killed everyone there. People have been looking for her ever since, and many assume she made her way into these woods. Mercenaries are always watching them for the day she wanders out. We never thought there would be other people living here because most of the men that have been sent in never came back out." The archer finishes with a hint of fear in his voice.
"That girl is important Goma, I'll explain later but we need to find her." Valun thinks to himself as he remembers the words from the gatekeeper.
"I see…" Goma says as he appears in front of Valun. "I can sense your emotions and thoughts. The gatekeeper mentioned the girl didn't she?"
"What is that?!" The archer shouts, surprised to see Goma.
"I'm Goma. Please don't…" Just as Goma begins his warning, a loud thrashing starts heading right at them. Valun looks at the archer and mutters one word before taking off. "...Run"
Valun knew all too well the strength of an adult Vygar. Over twice the size but somehow faster, the Vygar was quickly upon the group. Valun and the archer scale the trees and leap branch to branch as the Vygar slashes down entire trees one after another.
"We can make it." Valun shouts.
"Are you sure?" The archer shouts back.
"Yeah, just keep…" As Valun is shouting to the archer, the tree he is on is cut from beneath him. He comes plummeting to the ground, collecting himself just in time to avoid the Vygar's vicious slash coming down. As he's rolling out of the way, Valun quickly pulls a vial from the pouch on his belt, removes the stopper, and throws its contents in the face of the Vygar. Momentarily blinded, the Vygar begins screaming in a rage of pain and fury. Swinging its arms violently and aimlessly, cutting down anything in its path. "The force behind every swing is tremendously terrifying." Valun thinks to himself as he climbs up a tree near the archer, who is preparing his bow for an attack.
"What is that...that...thing!?" The archer yells, horrified at the beast before them.
"Don't bother. Regular arrows won't work. That is what's called a Vygar." Valun states as he pulls out five arrows and hands them to the archer.
"Arent these regular arrows, they look the same?" The archer asks, confused.
"Just trust me." Valun shouts as he pulls another vial from his pouch. He puts a few drops on both daggers before returning the half-full vial to his pouch and descending from the tree. "Shoot them when you have a clear shot." Valun yells up the tree.
"Be careful, Valun" Goma's voice echoes within Valun's mind. With a smirk, Valun charges the Vygar, who has begun to regain its sight. Using the trunk from one of the recently downed trees, Valun propels himself over the head of the Vygar. While spinning through the air, he plants his daggers in its back, slashing his entire way to the ground. The Vygar shrieks in pain, the sound is deafening, and the beast lunges toward Valun. Another ear-piercing scream comes from the beast as the archer had struck it with an arrow in its shoulder, causing it to pull back from Valun. "Gotcha!" Valun takes this moment of advantage to slide forward, slashing the front legs of the Vygar before diving to his left.
"VALUN!!!" Goma booms within Valun's mind.
For the first time in his life, Valun wasn't fast enough. As he dove to his left, the Vygar managed to slash his left shoulder, causing him to fall to the ground, unable to move but able to feel every bit of the pain.
As the Vygar attempts to approach Valun, two more arrows strike true into the beast's chest, this time causing it to reel backward. The archer follows up with the final two arrows Valun had given him, bringing the Vygar to the ground screaming in pain before coming to a silence. Quickly the archer advances to Valun, who is quickly losing consciousness. He then recalls Valun putting something on his blades. He grabs both daggers from the ground nearby and rushes over to the fallen beast, planting both daggers in its chest for insurance. After pulling the blades from the Vygar, he returns to Valun's side to see Goma hovering over his chest.
"You have to help him!" Goma pleads with the archer. "Please, he let you go, and he will die if you don't help him!"
"Alright, alright, calm down. You're right. If it weren't for whatever he did to those arrows and his blades, we would have been dead. I have a cart not far from the edge. I'll carry him there and we can bring him to a nearby town, there's one a few days ride from here. The rest is up to the kid if he really wants to live or not." The archer replies.
"Thank you!" Goma squeaks, relieved through teary eyes. "Please don't die, Valun," is all Goma could think to himself as he went with the archer towards the edge of The Forest of Ghan.