Eclipse’s body nudges her hip as he passes, skirting the edge of the staff’s light to reclaim his spot a meter ahead. His eyes, groomed from birth, thrives in the darkness. Considering Lunar Forest blends the line between predator and prey; his eyesight is a blessing.

Each winding path branches into a deadly maze; regardless of direction, it never ends. They’ll die a slow death before the forest allows them their freedom. During their last rest stop, he claimed to catch a whiff of the ocean. If his theory is right, following the stream will lead them out. But the forest of eternal darkness looms ahead; holding its breath as it waits for the next meal.

“My feet hurt.” Sara flops on the mossy bank, crossing her legs at the edge of the stream.

“Wait, now? This isn’t a good place.” She offers the child her hand but she refuses, shifting her attention to the water’s glowing surface. One mystery of the forest is why the water reacts to Moira’s magic. Wherever the light shines, the water’s surface illuminates with an azure glow. The shadows drift across Sara’s chubby face, as her finger taunt the skittish fish.

“This is ridiculous,” Eclipse huffs, “stand up and keep moving.”

“You said if we follow the stream, it will lead us out. But we’ve been walking forever and we’re still in this stupid forest.”

“It has not been ‘forever.’ If you followed my directions you will realise—”

“I’m not listening to you anymore!”

As they bicker, the spongy moss under her foot shifts. It’s subtle, but enough for her to focus on the silence hanging over the forest. The flies which zoom past her ears vanish leaving a sinking sensation in her stomach. The stillness makes her heart race; squeezing the wooden handle, she steels herself as the forest holds its breath.

The forest groans, a low creaky growl, as it stretches through the darkness. Twisting tree limbs surrounds them; they soar through humid air. Her heart slams in her throat as flashes of leafy branches skim across her eyeline. The magic keeps them at bay, but Eclipse directs her attention to the water.

Ahead the branches meet; crisscrossing over the bubbling stream. The raspy groan resounds as each branch interlocks with its partner. The layers pile high until the wall reaches the trees’ canopy. The forest deals them a death sentence, an eternity within the wooden prison. Taking the first tentative step, she shines the light over the obstruction stretching for miles in both directions.

“Remarkable,” Eclipse mutters approaching the wall. His glistening claws scrape the bark revealing the fresh green underneath. “Moira, attempt a fire spell.”

Beside her the bushes quiver. The face of the dead soldier still lingers in the back of her mind. His wide bloodshot eyes, pale sweaty skin, and his trembling hand all foretells the agony he suffered. Even the cry before the plant unhinges its jaw and swallows him bite by bite lives forever in her memories.

She cups the Opal, blowing hot breath over its shimmering surface. A spark flickers between her fingers, swirling in the empty space until the magic prickles across her skin. Taking aim, she fire’s small bursts against the branches at point blank range.

The flames slip from the bark. She aims again, increasing its density but the blasts smack the surface and ripple away. A rumbling thunder crumbles through the dirt, it knocks her to her knees and sends roots swimming through the air. She ducks, dodges, and rolls, anything to avoid their reach. But they’re faster; slicing thin cuts across her forearms.

“Charcoal come here boy!” Sara shouts over the chaos.

A flash illuminates the area before swirling into a racing fireball. Please no, she shudders. But the dragon's adolescent roar is barely audible over the shifting trees. He unleashes a sequence of fire bursts which splash over the impenetrable wall. Eclipse reaches her side; pouncing as the trees go in for the kill. The cacophony of splintering wood fills her ears and crumbling debris rains over them.

“The only way over is up!”

“Maybe for you!” For her it’s too high, there’s no way to get Sara over, let alone herself. A branch flings to her left, she dodges as the thorny bark grazes her pants. Her balance wobbles, and her foot slips into something cold. The glowing babbling stream licks her ankles. Lifting the staff, she notices a gap between the branches and the water's surface. “Not up, under! Sara, tell Charcoal to fly over and follow the water.”

Pushing against the current, she wades into the stream, reaching the deepest section. The fish bounce against her legs; smacking against the staff’s base. Sara splashes along, but fumbles over the rocky bottom, almost falling in twice before she reaches Moira’s side.

“Can the Twerp even swim?”

One way to find out...

She smiles, her heart flickers at the magic running through her veins. The azure glow reflects over the Opal churning the surface; reminding her of playful days at a far away beach. A summer sun kisses her cold skin and the distant laughter echoes in her ears. A time before worry; before danger clasped her heart. Sara squirms in her arms but she pulls the staff higher, tugging the surging water upward. Her breath is steady, her heart calm.

“When I say when, take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can.” Warm liquid crawls through her veins, contrasting from the icy cold engulfing them. Sara whimpers as the water rises past her knees. But the branches continue their onslaught. This is their last chance. Timing is crucial, and when the waterline reaches Sara’s neck, she makes her move. “When!”

She inhales for the last time, filling her lungs to the brim and yanks Sara under. Her muscles recoil from the icy chill, sending tremors coursing through her limbs. She fights to steady her heart rate; calmness is key to a stable manipulation. But her grip on the flailing child falters and she slips from her grasp. Kicking off from the rocky bottom she swims through the murky water; reaching her backpack.

Eclipse’s streamline form swims with ease through the racing debris. His wide paws act as paddles allowing him to navigate the current. Sara bobs along the surface, screaming out in the darkness, as the tree wall looms ahead. Urging her tired legs to kick harder she yanks her downward and pushes her under the gap. Sara shoots forward, propelled by the current beyond the edge of her light.

A force jerks her backwards, whipping her from side to side as her cloak snags on a submerged branch. Her lungs burn as the fastener around her neck tightens. Bracing her legs against the obstruction she wrenches the cloak free; tearing a hole in it. She kicks with everything she has, fighting against the current, as she forces herself upwards.

Breaking against the waves, she greedily gulps the air until her chest aches. Her limps protest her attempts to swim, instead, she allows the current to propel her through the winding river. Panning the light ahead of her, she spies Eclipse approaching a jagged boulder. His jaw clamps the back of Sara’s collar; keeping her head above water. She follows them, sometimes swimming other times trusting the magic to guide her. But the darkness swallows them and all she hears is Sara’s hoarse screams.

The stream curves around a narrow bend, revealing a splotch of sunshine between the trees. She wants to shout and cry all at the same time; it’s over. But the forest isn’t done, the current yanks her and pulls her faster than before. Daylight breaks through the mossy trunks, revealing clear skies instead of the oppressive leafy canopy. Eclipse shouts; ordering her to reduce the current’s speed. But it’s not her. The distant roar of thundering water drifts to her ears. He bobs through the waves; popping up a few meters ahead before falling off the face of Umara.

Shit...

She manages a couple of swallows of air before she’s tossed over the waterfall. The wind whips around her as the thunder of the rapids vibrate against her body. Weightless. Careening through the bedlam of noise, time stretches until it’s a thin wisp. Until she smashes into the churning below. The force punches against her chest and drags her body over the river rocks. Her senses a blur she crawls over their smooth shapes to what she hopes is the shore.

Throwing herself onto dry land, she lays helpless as the adrenaline and magic coursing through her veins fade. Her chest heaves as she watches Eclipse, dripping wet and exhausted, drag Sara to safety. The gushing waterfall thunders behind them, drowning out the chittering birds. The water meanders past, cutting into the rocks, before leading to the ocean. She inhales the fresh salt air, allowing her body to rest. But the sea always summons a memory, usually one with her mother, when they spent summers at the beach.

She wishes she can remember the happier times without remembering the bitter hateful ones. But each memory of her is tainted by her father. When they buried his wife, he buried every part of her. She didn’t want to forget, but she did become silent. It wasn’t worth arguing. Be the good daughter, do as I say; he chides. Father knows best, it’s for your own good. His words sting, like a burning venom weaving through her veins.

A gentle slapping draws her attention to Charcoal. His descent from the sky isn't graceful, but he manages to land, and with a victorious roar he bounds towards his master. She climbs to her knees, greeting him with a pat on his black scaly snout. At least he found his way out, she smirks beside herself. Perhaps he isn’t useless after all. She groans, feeling the ache of her muscles, and hoists herself upright with the aid of her staff.

From the base, she eyes the sheer rocky cliffs planking them. In contrast to the overgrown forest, brick a bract bush grow along the narrow ledges. Sparse twisting trees shoot from sharp angles, their wire roots clutching the rocky soil. For the first time in days the warm sun washes over her skin. The trees aren’t hunting her, the sky is blue and Lunar Forest feels like a nightmare banished by the new dawn.

“Are you deliberately trying to kill us?” Eclipse growls. “Of all the reckless, pig headed—”

“Oh, like climbing a goddam tree wall is the best choice of action. Last time I checked I don’t have claws.”

“Moira, let’s do that again!” Sara bounces towards her, unfazed by the whole affair.

“Are you hurt?” She reaches out but Charcoal growls, baring his white needle teeth.

“Naughty dragon,” Sara chides, “I’m fine though.”

“I do not wish to brag, but once again, we escaped certain danger because of one of my crafted plans.”

“It was my magic that got us out of there.”

“Your magic could have drowned both of us. Either way, we need to reach higher ground.” He motions to the dragon who prances to his side. They converse together, growls and chirps mix as they formulate a plan. “Report what you see,” he adds before Charcoal once again takes flight. Climbing above them, past the boulders, cliffs, and waterfall; he vanishes in the ocean of sky.

“What did you tell him?” But before Eclipse answers the flying beast returns. Zooming in a zig zag maneuver before landing beside Sara. He reports to Eclipse, roaring and swinging his spiky tail.

“The mouth of the ocean is to the left.” He translates. “He says he smells poison northwest from here.”

“Poison?”

“Smog, the pollution from Lollardum’s factories. We will carry on along the riverbank until we find a path to higher ground.”

Poison, she muses as she wrings out her cloak. That’s one way to describe it.