I dashed into the woods behind my house, slipping out the side door the moment my parents were gone. They had left me with that piano teacher, who appeared far more captivated by my appearance than by imparting any musical knowledge. I had voiced my grievances about him before, but my parents dismissed them as mere excuses to dodge practice. Admittedly, I had skipped a few lessons, but who could blame me? I was eagerly anticipating my eighteenth birthday, yet with seventeen still fresh in my rearview, I had a whole year to endure.

Oblivious parents and that dubious teacher! I bolted through the brush, pushing through branches and ducking beneath the drooping limbs. That's when I discovered a gigantic hollow tree, its entrance obscured by a tangle of foliage.

"Oh, come now, Perla, don't be so dramatic. I was just offering you a luxurious massage to help those muscles of yours loosen up, so you can really shine while playing," said Coda.

I wriggled into the cozy hollow of the ancient tree, rolling my eyes as he sauntered by. His footsteps crunched like a bag of chips, a clear indication that he was no woodsman. With his fancy shoes, crisp white shirt, and tailored black slacks, he looked more suited for a boardroom than a forest. And that perfectly coiffed hair? Please. What a self-important twit.

"Honestly, do we really need to create such a scene? Can't we just act like the refined individuals we are?"

I dismissed it with a casual shrug. Honestly, with all the racket he was making, I could probably start yodeling, and he wouldn't even notice. I stifled a yawn, half-listening to his monotonous excuses as he strolled by my hiding spot yet again. Leaning back on my elbows, I stretched my legs and snacked on some jerky from my backpack. This could take a while; he seemed in no rush to stop his rambling. Thankfully, I was clad in my favorite boots and comfy pants, always ready for a little adventure in the woods, especially when I was uncertain about my companion.

These woods had never let me down. Just as he moved further away, I was considering making a break for it when a flash of light beneath me caught my attention. Looking down, I was surprised to see a swirling green light. I jumped up, ready to climb out from the tree in a hurry, but suddenly, I felt myself being pulled into the swirling vortex of light.

I gripped the edge of the swirling void, straining with every ounce of strength to hoist myself up, but that relentless vortex had other plans, pulling me deeper. "Help! Somebody help me!"

Suddenly, I was yanked into a blinding light with such intensity that my fingers slipped free, and just like that, I was engulfed. The opening grew further above me, shrinking until it disappeared entirely. With no escape in sight, I looked down and found myself back inside the tree. Rubbing my eyes in disbelief, I wondered if I had simply drifted off. I stood up, straining to catch a glimpse of Coda's voice beyond the tree.

After a brief pause, silence enveloped me, so I ventured into the woods, but this was no longer the enchanting forest of my childhood. Towering trees loomed overhead, their shadows devouring the sunlight. I retraced my steps to where my house should have stood, only to find a heap of crumbling bricks scattered about. In the distance, the sound of running water beckoned—where there's water, there's bound to be civilization, right? I returned to that ancient hollow tree, peered inside, and climbed back in, waiting for something to unfold. I resumed my previous pose, but nothing happened. With a resigned sigh, I crawled out and followed the sound of water.

 Trekking through these woods was a far cry from the leisurely stroll I envisioned, and I was immensely thankful for my hiking boots instead of that frilly getup my mom insisted I wear before her departure. I found myself weaving around brambles with thorns that could probably double as medieval weaponry! Just as I was starting to feel like a woodland pro, a horrifying clicking and skittering sound made my heart plummet. I halted, paralyzed by fear.

As I turned my head, a jolt of icy dread mixed with fiery panic coursed through me. There it was—a colossal black and purple striped spider, looming monstrously and descending a tree on its thick, glistening silk. "Click! Click! Click!" The sound echoed ominously, its mandibles and fangs as large as my arm, those obsidian eyes boring into my very soul.

I felt the air constricting in my lungs, a desperate struggle for breath as I locked onto its gaze. This was fear on a whole new level; waves of heat crashed over me, and the trees around me swayed as if caught in a tempest, a deafening whoosh filling my ears. My body teetered on the brink of collapse, but I knew that surrendering meant certain doom. I stumbled backward, a twig snapping beneath my foot, and the spider's head pivoted, gliding down the trunk with a sinister grace that sent chills racing down my spine. Goosebumps erupted across my skin as I whirled around, bolting toward the water. There had to be an escape from this nightmare, a sanctuary where I could find allies against such horrors.

 I dashed forward with every ounce of energy, stumbling over every obstacle in my way, my clothes and skin tearing against those merciless thorns. The eerie clicking echoed behind me, frenzied and unyielding, mingling with the snapping of branches as the spider closed the gap.

I was teetering on the edge of a scream, but my lungs were burning from the frantic sprint. The trees whirled around me, and then a jarring crunch shot through my ankle—likely shattered, but the adrenaline coursing through me dulled the agony. My body was in full flight mode, as if I were watching myself from a distance. I felt like I might hurl or faint, yet my legs refused to stop.

 As I pushed forward, a colossal river came into view, and right in the middle stood an imposing figure—the largest man I had ever seen, a true titan of muscle and power. He was clad in an outrageous cosplay, complete with white tiger ears, cascading white hair, a fluffy tail, and a short fur skirt, brandishing a spear like it was an extension of his very being. But honestly, if he was ready to lend a hand, he could be dressed as a fairy godmother for all I cared.

 He shot his gaze upward at the commotion, and those piercing blue eyes of his locked onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. They widened in shock, and he dropped his spear as if it had turned to molten lava.

"Hey! Don't just toss your weapon!" I gasped, racing toward him. I'm out of options here. Hope you can throw a punch, big guy!

Out of nowhere, I saw something that would be etched in my brain for eternity. The enormous guy sprang into the sky, reaching heights that defied logic, and in a breathtaking twist, transformed into a massive creature—a white tiger, twice the size of the spider that was hot on my heels. A colossal tiger was barreling toward me from the front, while a monstrous spider was creeping up from behind. I was zooming ahead with no chance to veer off course, so all I could do was hope that the tiger wasn't in the mood to turn me into a pancake as I barreled forward.

Coming Next Time: Battle and Beasts