They traveled a good half mile slowly in the forest. None of them were great at navigating forests so it took them a while. "Skia, with your ability to search above the tree lines we at least have been going in the right direction."
Nyssa let out a yawn as she continued walking. "I wish we could just fly to the tree!"
"Wouldn't that be nice? I wonder how we would make a spell like that, Probably something to do with air I assume." He floated onward clicking his teeth as he pondered the creation of flying magic.
Skia stopped and shot up into the trees, checking for the giant tree once more. They were about halfway there. It was a massive tree, it seemed to have small glowing orbs all around it that danced as they got closer.
It excited Skia to no end. She wondered what could possibly be in that tree. Fire's that play in the tree without burning it. "It's so beautiful." She whispered as she came back down.
"So why are we going towards this tree, is there any significance to you?" Doric finally asked as he watched her happy hops.
She did a little spin and continued skipping. "Oh, I've never been there before, but I saw it every day from my home." She was cut for a second.
"You mean prison." Doric responded.
She continued while nodding. "It was something I dreamed of going to if I was ever allowed out. I dreamed about it every night. The lights in the distance brought about peace in my mind I wanted to be one of those carefree flames."
Doric wondered how she managed to live in such a state. Only having those lights to keep her company. The people who had done this too her were going to pay. Just because she was born different they decided to lock her up and throw the key away.
He ground his teeth in seething anger as they continued towards the tree. After a few hours they found that the tree was now visibly in sight for them it was still quite a ways away but it was clear as day where it was.
Skia continued almost running towards the tree with unimaginable excitement. Nyssa on the other hand was beginning to feel a bit sluggish. "We haven't eaten anything for an entire day. I'm running out of fumes guys."
Skia and Doric both stopped for a moment. "We're so close though!" Skia urged on Nyssa as she tugged on her shirt. Doric had noticed it had been over 24 hours since they last ate but he did not feel the pangs of hunger that Nyssa did. Perhaps it was his body he thought.
"I wonder if perhaps there are any fruit trees nearby. That could help with your hunger, Nyssa" Doric pondered aloud as he scanned the treelines. As if by chance there was a field of what looked like apple trees. Nyssa's once-tired expression quickly dove into voracious excitement as she bolted towards the trees.
"Wait up!" Doric looked a little concerned as he chased after her. Skia made her way to the fruit as well. "What are those? They look tasty!" they both began rushing towards the trees the moment they hit the first tree Doric saw it.
A movement that came from the trees themselves. Unnatural and almost alive in some way. "Watch out!" he screamed but he was too late. The trees had moved. Vines shot from the trunks and wraped themselves around the two girls. Dangling from the trees they were helpless.
Doric charged forward trying to think of some way to stop them from getting killed by the trees but he had no spells available to him. He grabbed the vines attached to Nyssa with his teeth and began trying to rip the off or shred them but he was not powerful enough to even make a scratch.
"Help, Doric!" Nyssa cried out as the vines tightened their grip. She was hungry and tired and she was now about to die. Wishing she had some kind of power to get out of this but she was just as helpless as ever. Her vision began to fade a bit as she felt her life force wane.
Skia was in the same boat. Trying to use her shadow abilities to escape it was confusing. All her power was being sapped by the vines she could not concentrate long enough to make the connection. She was scared, unlike the fear of death from old age, she feared death before ever accomplishing anything. She was given hope for a brief moment before being snuffed so soon.
Her vision began to fade as she looked at the giant tree, the glow from the lights floating around it comforted her as she let out one last smile before the world darkened and her mind faded.
Doric was screaming now, letting out the fear and frustration that he had felt before. The fire began to surge into his body. He could feel the symbol form in his mind. His blue flames continued to glow brighter than he had felt before.
"Big bro, not again, I can't bring you back this time!" Folia's voice cried out. But it was on deaf ears. Doric was on the verge of snapping once again. Tags began forming. Like last time a smile formed in the image of flames around the bony mouth of Doric. He was tired of dealing with these negative emotions. Stronger than he had ever felt.
Dealing with this world was too much for Doric. He was helpless but maybe at least he could save them one more time before it was too late. The spell began to take form in his mind, whips of lava that would remove all of the vines in his path. Burning and melting the monsters that got in the way of his happiness.
Before he could finalize the spell however he felt a soothing water wash over him. As if to douse the angry flames in his soul. As he calmed down he saw a faint glowing of multiple colors. In those colors, he saw forms. He fell into another deep slumber but this time he did not find Folia waiting for him.