The knight cut through the dense forest like a scythe through wheat, his colossal figure parting the underbrush with an ease that suggested the plants might be too intimidated to resist. Crystal followed closely, clutching the baby like he was a fragile porcelain heirloom. Civilization seemed like a distant dream, but surely, with this walking suit of armor leading the way, she'd reach it soon enough—or at least somewhere less foresty and wolf-infested. A single day lost in this place had been more than enough for a lifetime, thank you very much.
The forest, of course, wasn't about to let them off so easily. Vegetation loomed around them, a mix of familiar greenery and alien flora that looked like it could either cure a fever or cause your ears to fall off. The paths twisted and turned like they were designed by a particularly vindictive labyrinth architect.
And then there was the air. It grew heavier with every step, as if the forest had decided it was time for an impromptu game of "how much pressure can you handle?" Breathing became an uphill battle, each inhale feeling like trying to suck pudding through a straw. Crystal cast a side-eye at the knight, her unease morphing into suspicion. Could it be possible he was just as lost as she was? Surely not. Right? …Right?
"Sir Knight," she ventured, her voice cracking like an old door hinge, "are you sure this is the way out?"
He stopped abruptly, the faint clink of his armor cutting through the thick silence. His presence alone radiated authority—or maybe just a lingering threat of "don't question me."
"Are you familiar with this forest?" he asked, his voice as deep as a canyon and twice as imposing.
"No," she admitted, her tone shrinking to the size of a mouse.
Without so much as a grunt of acknowledgment, he resumed walking. Crystal, slightly affronted but not about to argue with the man who singlehandedly turned wolves into mincemeat, followed. The oppressive air pressed harder against her, but she bit back her discomfort. She glanced down at the baby for reassurance—or maybe a convenient excuse to complain—but the child was, annoyingly enough, sleeping as if this hellscape were a luxury spa.
"Of course, he's fine," she muttered under her breath. She tightened her grip on the baby and decided that collapsing from asphyxiation would be embarrassing enough without whining about it first.
The air, however, was not content with merely being unpleasant. No, it escalated its assault until Crystal could barely move, let alone breathe. Her knees buckled, and she crumpled to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut, clutching her chest and gasping for air. The knight paused and turned, his silent stare managing to convey both mild concern and faint judgment, but before he could take a step toward her, the forest decided to throw its trump card.
A roar, loud enough to wake the dead and probably give them second thoughts, ripped through the air. The ground shook like it had been caught in a bass drop, and from the trees emerged a bear—a bear so massive it looked like it could file taxes, win a wrestling championship, and still have time to ruin your picnic. Its fiery eyes locked onto the knight, and Crystal, frozen in terror, couldn't help but think it was probably sizing him up for dinner.
The knight didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. Slowly, he raised his sword, the massive blade gleaming ominously in the dim light. His stance said, "Bring it," and the bear, apparently fluent in knight body language, obliged.
What followed was less of a fight and more of a mythological event. The bear charged, shaking the earth with every step, and the knight sidestepped with the grace of a dancer whose partner weighs two tons. The bear's claws tore through the ground like it owed them money, and the knight countered with a swing of his sword that sent sparks flying as it struck the beast's shoulder. The bear howled, the sound managing to be both angry and deeply offended.
Crystal clutched the baby tighter, her eyes wide as she watched the two titans clash. The knight's moves were calculated, each swing of his sword a masterclass in efficiency. The bear, on the other hand, fought with raw power and surprising cunning. At one point, it spun around, its tail—a tail!—slamming into the knight and sending him stumbling. Crystal would have been impressed if she weren't busy mentally drafting her will.
And then, mid-battle, the knight turned to Crystal, his helmet still firmly in place, and asked, "You're not a monster, are you?"
Crystal blinked, unsure if she was hallucinating. "What?" she managed, because apparently that was the only word her brain could produce.
He didn't elaborate, instead refocusing on the bear, as if she was the odd one in this situation. With a mighty shove, he broke the deadlock and went on the offensive. His sword began to glow, the light growing until it was blinding. Crystal shielded her eyes as the knight brought the blade down in a final, devastating strike. The resulting shockwave flattened the nearby vegetation and made Crystal seriously question whether she was about to become collateral damage.
When the dust settled, the bear lay still, its glowing aura flickering out like a dying candle. The oppressive air lifted, leaving the forest eerily quiet. The knight stood tall, his armor battered but his resolve intact. He turned to Crystal and, in a move that could only be described as theatrical, removed his helmet. Golden hair tumbled around his shoulders, and his piercing blue eyes met hers with a calm intensity.
"Can you walk?" he asked, his voice steady but tinged with just enough impatience to remind her that he had, in fact, just fought a giant bear.
Crystal, still clutching the baby and half-convinced she was dreaming, nodded. She rose shakily to her feet and followed as the knight led the way forward. Behind them, the bear's massive body lay as proof of the knight's unparalleled strength—and of Crystal's increasingly strange life choices.
As they walked, the knight added casually, "Don't worry. I know the way out. I just wanted to confirm you're no monsters."
Crystal, stunned into silence, could only blink at his back. Monsters? What was that supposed to mean? The knight seemed unbothered by her confusion, and as the forest gradually thinned, she decided not to ask. Some questions, she realized, were better left unanswered.