"We should get going."
Coming from nowhere a flood of noise entered the forest. The moon had begun to set in the forest-covered horizon. Forcing the others out of their positions of rest, their movements were highlighted with brilliant blues, hazing reds, and shining gold hues as the elemental orbs began to sprout from both the ground and trees.
All Mike could do was stare at the colors through his tired eyes. Several tears escaped as he stifled out a long yawn that he had forced back. His ears and head ached from the constant pressure applied by his gear, yet he chose not to take them off, due to wanting to secure his own safety.
PFC Simon kicked dirt over the remaining embers of the fire that died out minutes earlier, and Green collected the trash that was left and stuffed into the bag he had for collecting the brass cartridges that were fired from his carbine.
"We still have another day to get out of this damn forest, so take your time Captain." Patterson said confidently as he stood up with the help of Malkovich's hand. "Let's not get killed before we find anything to shoot."
What was left of the moonlight shined gently down on the barren pathway the Ranger carved out in the now-alive forest. A gently rain, a gentle mist fell down from whatever heaven high above the trees. The sound of droplets pattered the forest in a soft white noise, and it wasn't long before a light fog descended. Whispers of the wind sang out in between the flora and was only momentarily interrupted by the footsteps against the moist ground.
Though life had returned to the forest, and eerie silence occasionally broke through the wind's song. Silence gave way to the men walking notable pathways that were carved by soldiers before their time, and under the cover of the trees' darkness, they traversed these paths shuffling together.
Beyond the sounds of the operators moving through the forest, the trees, bushes, grass, and leaves shuffled in the calm breeze, with several leaves coming loose and getting caught in the wind. Sergeant Randall led the group as he bushed several bush out of their current heading. He grew annoyed as several branches smacked his side when he let go, but he couldn't complain as it wasn't as intense as his time in Ranger School.
He took a deep breath as a small bead of sweat ran down the side of his head. The moist air had turned humid as the first rays of sunlight broke through the forest. Thankfully, Corporal Richard who was right behind him, called out a clearing in the trees no less than 300 meters from their current position.
Picking up the pace, a small smile overtook Mike's face. He was invertedly looking forward calling Captain Orwell's bluff and challenge, yet he and the others would have to exit alive to prove their points. Even the usually stoic and quiet Malkovich seemed to be excited to exit the forest which was a surprise to those not familiar with him.
Mike's heart pumped at a steady tempo as the sound of his and his brothers' boots slammed into the ground. The sun began to shimmer on a large body of water and the droplets that had been spread across the flora all over the forest. Fair winds provided a swift-soft breeze, and birds of unknown origin began sing like a choir as the men's sporadic movements awakened them.
Breaking through the last set of trees, the seven ran into the clear-cut fields. Before them was a small camp where a collection of knights and solders from the kingdom waited, and at the center of the main wooden gate, Princess Leccamaradel and Captain Orwell watched the Rangers move in a semi-professional line formation.
Gently opening her eyes, Lecca stood firm in the golden fields around her. She felt almost weightless as her silver hair fluttered in the wind and shimmered in the sun. Her loose brown skirt and white blouse also shifted under the wind.
She gave a soft smile to the men that had just emerged from the forest.
Publicly Available Information: Forest of Lost Spirits:
Used as a training location for the armed forces of the Kingdom of Yondel, the Forest of Lost Spirits is said to host the spirits of many lost loved ones, and ghosts of heroes' past.
Many believe the elemental orbs found within the forest to be the restless souls of the old ages.