The forest stand before you, the night doesn't change, the air is thick and its cold find ways inside your armor.

The trees standing as a natural barrier, guiding you to the route made by the step of those before you. Those who found themself in this forest, for personal reason or simple curioustiy.

You are here for none of those reason, and you know it. You know it just too much.

Riding beside you, soldier , a old friend of yours. You know him well, he knows you too. Behind you soldier 2 and 3. Sister and brother both were train under your suppervision.

When you first met soldier 2, you almost though she wasn't suppose to be here, she didn't look competent, she didn't look like she would answer order but do the exact opposit of it.

For Soldier 3, you thought yourself to be lucky, an experince warrior, with great combat skill and surely grand loyalty.

Somehow, you thought wrong for the both of them. Soldier 2 is the most loyal person you ever met and soldier 3 doesn't listen to any of your order until Soldier 2 tells him to do so.

Soldier 1 looks at you, he doesn't question you, doesn't doubt you and never will. But he doesn't like silent, never did never will.

And true to his character, he makes small talk. You gladly access those, makes you thinks less of the mission.

You don't mean it to be a horrible mission, you just don't want to do it, or you rather just don't have to think about. As your dear friend talk, you remember what the other leader squad said about the forest.

Some people never return from it, you didn't find it creepy before, since you thought the reason they never come back is because they found what they were looking for. But when you heard of rumor of soldier by lost in those wood.

Being here now makes you thinks that maybe, just maybe, no one would want to live here, no one would ever consider living even remotly close to those woods.

The trees watch you, the darkness leaves your path and let the pre existent one guide you. Although the forest lets you and your squad walk through itself, the trees don't let you watch the night sky. The moon barely stick out light but its just enough for you to see.

Soldier 1 call you out from your mind onto the dark world, making even more small talk that you are force too listen to and respond.

Not that you hate talking to your friend.

Soldier 1: So I was wondering something, the other sergent talked to you about this place. What else did they tell you about ?

You tell him nothing more here is to be learn. The mission is simple, and you have to do it, even with the small number of people you have with you.

Soldier 2: Don't worry sir ! This cult leader will be dealt with ! All for the Emperor will !

Soldier 3: Probably, although the villager might be of trouble too

You know that well, its not the first. Always the same, miserable people that follow the will of one person that manipulate them. All for there own selfish demand, or worse. But you didn't experience worst, or you hope what was already done was just for human desire.

You've been riding Your horse for about twenty minute without any stop. You wonder where the end is, when the village will appear. When any cultist will show its face.

The forest look more alive than before, the leaf dancing in the wind, they are welcoming you. To where ?

The air becomes thicker, less cold and more heat. The moon leaves you in tolta darkness, only to see light ahead. Torches, surprisingly not any bones. No they are just simple stick torches plant into the ground. 

Lantern hanging from the branch of the trees, wooden decoration too. But they seem pretty welcoming.

The path is now well illuminate and decorate.

You wonder who place those decoration, why they place it and if theres more.

Although the atmosphere has gone more calming, it didn't change what was in the middle of the forest.

Soldier 1: Maybe this place is not so bad after all. Maybe its just even more horrible than its seems and the more we advance, all of it will change to bones or the tree will become blood or something like that.

Soldier 3: And than its all just in the head and nothing realy happen

Soldier 2: but thats when you get fu-

She stop mid sentence, because you and everyone else stop.

In front of you, in from of them, in the middle of the path carve with those that lived before you. A single horse, standing, just standing. He fix your group but in particular, you.

You look at Soldier 1, he doesn't seem to no more than you.

You guide your horse further, he stop, not wanting to approach the other one. You force it to walk more but it doesn't move.

You jump down of your horse and march to the standing one.

You reconize a famous rober, tactic, a well ,know one. A popular but very efficient tactic. Embush.

A hand on your handle of your sword, ready to draw if anyone tries to attack.

As you approach the horse the wind stop, theres is no sound but your step and your breathing. You looks around you to make sure the horse is alone.

The four leg animal doesn't loo, haway from you, its waiting patiently.

The emptyness of its eye makes you feel light, makes you feel at the right place. You almost let go of your sword but the reminder of your mission get those feeling out of your body.

Your squad joins you but just likes yours, they're horse don't seem to want to further. Or more, they stand, not moving. Like there a invisible barrier stoping them from going further.

You look back at the horse who for a second you see wasn't looking at you but at the other horse.

Soldier 2: Lets go now ! Horse I command you to continue ! 

Soldier 1: Let her here, we'll just walk, we're wasting time her

Soldier 3: No chance ! I'm not letting my Becky stay here ! Theres probably things here that could do harm to her !

Soldier 2: Follow the order and leave her

Soldier 3: I'm not going to !

You turn back to the squad calling each one of them join you on this side but Soldier 3 still doesn't move. He defise you, you tell him one last time to follow the order.

Soldier 3: Let me with her ! She needs me.

You had enough, for too long has he been disobey all of your order. The mission has to be done if he can't accomplice task for the Empire, than he doesn't deserve the title of soldier and his horse will be taken from him.

He stop, looks at you with anger and let go of his horse. He look walks up to the group without looking away from the ground.

You turn back to the horse, it stil doesn't move but then as Soldier 3 join you the horse turn around, walking not lookings behind.

You follow it closely, follow by the rest of your squad.

The path, or rather the multiple one, the trees get more seperate and from groups. Place on random part of the road. Some tree are even taller than other while some are smaller. The more you walk along side the horse the more strange the environment gets weirder.

But the horse seem to guide you, to lead you somewhere but where ? You wonder.

The more you walk the more the worry of an attack leaves you but a amount stil stay. Your squad seem also ready for any kind of attack but Soldier 3 hasn't say a word. 

You wonder why, so you turn around only to not see what should be there, Soldier 3. But you see another horse, and another one in the tree. Another in the tree, more between and more in the leafs. 

They're all approach, not looking away, fixing you.

You call out the rest fo the squad who rush to join you but the horse stops them from reaching you.

Alone, fixing horse coming your way. You take out your sword and get ready for battle.