[DRUIDS] Prompt 3

The three companions had been waiting a long time for the haedian to make his return, but he never came. This sparked worry in the empyrian of the group while the vayrons remained unmoved. The empyrian insisted they travel further into the Druids’ territory to find out what was keeping their guide. As they drew closer to the center of the territory, the atmosphere was eerie. It wasn’t glowing and lively like the outer parts of the territory and everywhere the group looked they saw plants infected with the black illness. 

“What are you doing here?” Their guide burst out of nowhere, shouting at them. 

“We came to look for you,” Alowyn answered. 

The guide anxiously looked around as if worried someone might see them together. 

“You need to leave,” The haedian urged, “The sickness has reached our sacred tree. It’s a bad omen.”

“What does that have to do with us?” Garmr growled. 

“You’re topsiders, this started with you.” The haedian returned to Garmr's hostile attitude. 

“Before you cast aside, can we see the tree?” Alowyn cut through the growling. 

“I suppose, it couldn’t get any worse,” The haedian hissed. 

The group followed the haedian deeper into the Druids’ domain until they reached the massive tree they had spotted when they first entered the territory. Up close, the three were struck by how majestic the tree must have been at one point, but now; now it looked like something out of a nightmare. The branches, though still thick, managed to look weak and brittle. Those same branches without any leaves looked like haunting hands reaching out to grab them, only adding to the growing fear. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Herja whispered. 

Alowyn swallowed and she wanted nothing more than to agree with her companion. However, at that moment she was struck with the eyes of the haedians surrounding the tree. They looked just as hollow as their tree, but when they noticed the topsiders, rage flickered through their eyes. 

“What are you doing here?” A haedian hissed. 

The group of haedians turning at once to look at the group seemed to add to the mood. Their movements only added to the weight of the atmosphere; the topsiders were not welcome. 

“Leaving,” Herja said, “We’re leaving.”

Garmr and Herja were battle vayrons, they liked to fight, but this felt off. With the sickness in the tree creating an uncomfortable atmosphere, all they wanted to do was flee. It must have been a once-in-a-lifetime feeling because the pair couldn’t think of a time when they chose to run. However, without another thought the pair turned and sprinted away. Alowyn watched her companions leave, but she hesitated, desperate to help and mend the bridge burned. She opened her mouth to say something to try to placate them, but one more look around and she could tell it was no use. Alowyn sighed sadly and followed her companions. 

Garmr and Herja ran like their life depended on it. The eerie feeling was something they weren’t used to so they could only try to run and escape it. Alowyn followed not far behind them, she kept her eyes on them while she twisted through the canopies. 

Trees and plants flew by as the trio raced through the Druids’ domain. The sickness was far-reaching, even as they passed an area they could have sworn was clear of it earlier was now covered in black veins. The once glowing areas seemed to dim like the grim feeling of the tree was following them, chasing them out. 

“Where was the exit?” Garmr hissed as they flew through the forest. 

“Ahead,” Alowyn said, “it can’t be much further.”

The group continued their run, never slowing their pace. It surprised them how far they had traveled because leaving suddenly felt like it was taking forever. Like a never-ending nightmare. 

“We could have helped them,” Alowyn whispered. 

“It’s no use now,” Herja grunted as she leaped over a dimmed crystal.

“Our solution only would have burnt the whole forest down,” Garmr added. 

“Should we go home?” Alowyn asked, doubting their adventure. 

“No,” Herja said, “It’s one clan, maybe we’ll discover a better solution later on.”

Alowyn wasn’t convinced. All she could think about was the infection spreading to other clans. In her mind’s eye, she was envisioning the lush Tranquil clan reduced to nothing more than the barren beginning they witnessed at the Forgotten clan. Herja and Garmr noticed her lagging behind as she fell deeper into her thoughts. They urged her to focus on leaving this clan; she would be no help to them if the illness somehow managed to infect her magic. 

The group of unlikely companions carried on running until they came to a darker part of the forest. This part of the forest wasn’t dark and eerie like it was infected. It was dark like it was keeping a secret. 

[815]