Chapter 5

The paper was infuriating. Despite being “real”, I couldn’t seem to touch it at all. I attempted to grab it with my [feeler], but it held a consistency of water. My [feeler] passed through, the paper seemingly fluttered by wind and settled again.

I even bit it to no avail.

It seemed that no matter what I do, such as letting my [Spears] rest in the paper directly, I simply couldn’t interact with this… thing at all.

I hung back a bit, disgruntled. This was the closest sign of civilization I’ve come across — ever! It was tantalizing, this strange sense of hope.

Why now? Why was there suddenly writing, when the forest was empty before? How were they suddenly here, just when I was about to leave?

I looked up from the paper, casting my gaze about.

There! On another tree, some distance away was another piece of paper.

And another one behind it.

And another one…

…

It’s a bread-crumb trail of magical papers.

How did I know its magical? It’s “here” in the [Beyond]. There were no stones, the trees were immortal and there were no animals aside from the [Greens] and [Reds]. In that case, how would there be papers of all things?

Something produced them. Something not in the [Beyond], something that was outside of it.

And this trail of… papers were definitely suspicious. However, it was my only closest indication of life. I couldn’t just let it lie. It could lead me to those that pinned it to the trees, for better or worse.

…

That being, however, doesn’t mean that I have to behave like an idiot, following the trail at ground level. I scaled the tree until I was almost half-way to the top. As I had absolutely no idea how tall the sentient being would be, and these freaky [Ash Trees] were a terrible indication for size, the height of the paper might show how tall they would be if it was nailed at the eye level.

Slowly, I flitted from tree to tree, my four eyes gazing vigilantly as I followed the papers. Why papers? Why would it glow? What was the point?

The paper trail led all they into the centre of the forest, away from the edge where I was heading originally. Along the way, I couldn’t find a single [Deer] or [Monkey] but that was expected. I did over hunt quite a few.

Rustle.

Leafs shook. Memories stirred — excitement, apprehension?

No. Focus, Elisa. There’s only one way forward.

The forest was quiet, frozen. Tension built silently, electric somehow. What should I do if I did meet an intelligent being? What if we couldn’t communicate? What if I couldn’t even see them? What if —

There’s too much unknown. I… Only one way to find out.

Only one way.

Suddenly, so unexpectedly I paused in my flight — I heard sounds. Sounds that weren’t the leaves blowing, [Green Worms] chittering or the ever-encompassing sound of the trees.

It was a voice — of words that I couldn’t recognize but understood anyway. Then another joined in, shushing it — “-quiet!”

It was a voice

A VOICE!

I sped up eagerly, yes yes yes — people!

Those were not words in English but it hardly mattered. I didn’t pause to think about how I understood it. I didn’t pause to think about why —

It’s people. Someone said something!

People!

VoICe —

Stop- Stop! How am I even hyperventilating without a functioning breathing system? And humans, yes humans.

They didn’t speak again but that was fine. I could see them now, the strange glow of their bodies shining through the gaps in the trees, leaving behind the trail of papers.

Its…

Suddenly, I found myself frozen, unmoving.

I’m not a person. I’m a giant ghosty-snake-thing that would definitely be called a [Monster]. If they did see me, I wouldn’t be a person to them, I would be seen as [Monster].

But (Who gives a crap? You?) I was afraid to lose them again. I couldn’t bear to lose my only ticket to somewhere else — Slowly, slowly, I forced myself to slow down and approached from above, drawing closer and closer.

Down on the forest floor were three ghostly images, glowing faintly as they walked through the undergrowth. They stepped straight through the slate-coloured grass and leaves, the [Green Worms] scurrying out of their way. Despite being bleached almost entirely in white, it was clear that one of them was older, being both taller and wearing much more… regal clothing.

People…

No… humans.

They were undoubtedly humans. A familiar statue, four limbs, nose, eyes, hair —

Humans.

Huh.

After so long on my own, floating through the [Beyond] I had almost forgotten what a human looked like. Somehow, the way they walk, arms swinging, the rhythmic swing of the bodies as they breathed — it suddenly felt so alien, as if they were the ones that came from the afterlife instead of me.

I found myself staring at them with a fascination I’ve never given anything before in my life, seeing how everything that they are screamed human! at me. Of all the sentient things that I could meet after death, the first thing was a human that was decidedly alive. What were the odds?

Humans, I repeated to myself again as if I was checking if I was dreaming or not.

Unbelievable.

....

What did I look like?

Blond. Short. Pale... Maybe.

I was...

But that was all I could recall — no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember more than the general shape of myself, of what I was before I became bedridden. When's the last time I gazed in a mirror?

I couldn't remember.

I...

Focus Elisa! Now-now-now —

But...

This is important. Move on. Move on...

Twisting my mind from intrusive thoughts, I forced my attention upon the three figures again.

The one in the lead, glowing brighter than the other two was dressed in something almost like a priest’s garb. I remembered that every Sunday in my past life, the orphans would be taken to the nearby church for the Sunday mass. We would sing hymns and songs, the head priest leading the children. I remembered him clearly — the dark robe, white sleeves and familiar cross symbol upon his chest. Here, now, a different yet similar figure wore the same clothes, denoting his position. The man had long hair and a beard, a stern look on his face wrinkly face as he resolutely glared at every direction but above.

A priest, and those behind him…?

They were…

Teens, teens of all things, one male, one female. Older than I was before my death. Fifteen, sixteen? I don’t know. Unlike the priest, they wore simpler garbs, strange-looking clothing that was more like clothe armour than anything else. On their back was some kind of strange leathery duffle bag, strapped on by their left shoulder with a belt where pouches upon pouches hung.

However, what drew my attention wasn’t their odd closet decisions, but the fucking sword that hung by their sides.

Swords! Honest to God swords, of all things. Where exactly am I? Why would there be people using swords?

Suddenly, I realized that this bunch of history enthusiasts were definitely not tourists. They came here with a purpose.

The two teens followed closely behind, throwing glances about.

They were definitely on edge.

The [Priest] stalked forward resolutely, eyes scanning the forest ground. It was evident that he was interacting with things that I couldn’t see — branches of trees that weren’t there, stepping over non-existent logs. Behind him, the followers nervously withdrew copies [Papers] from their pouches and a nail from another, plunging them into the [Ash Trees] that they passed by.

Curiously, I noted that they had only nailed the [Papers] to the trees that I could see, not the strange invisible trees that they were dodging the entire time. Maybe the [Ash Trees] were magical? Spiritual?

…

Wait, so those were actual, living trees somewhere out there?

Despite me hovering over the three, none of them seemed to be able to see me. I moved in closer, and closer, and closer —

But still, my presence went unnoticed, unnoticed! I was close enough that if I so desire, I could touch their hair with my [Spear], that I could —

…

Bad idea, Elisa.

…

Don’t do it.

…

Tentatively, I raised one of my [feelers] to the [Girl]’s hair as she intricately fixed a piece of [Paper] to the wall. Carefully, I ran my [Feeler] through the glowing, ethereal strands that hung in a simple braid around her ears. I could feel them — just barely before they phased through too. It was like touching wind, brief and insubstantial but there was definitely there.

She didn’t notice.

Ohhh boy.

What should I do?

Feeling strangely braver, I dangled one of my [Spears] right in front of her nose for a moment before withdrawing it quickly. This time, I got a reaction.

She frowned, squinting and rubbed her eyes. She paused for a moment from what she was doing and looked around her. Her sight passed directly over me but seemed to not be able to see me, at all.

She turned to the [Priest] in the front, pressing her lips together as though she was considering about speaking up but was abruptly cut short by a heavy rustle of leaves. With her attention broken, I immediately escaped upward, my non-existent heart beating faux-loudly.

Bad idea, Elisa! BAD!

She felt something. They were definitely here, not a mere projection of the past or future, but here. Not in the [Beyond], but in a plane of existence that seemed to be overlaid above mine.

Wherever these three came from, they definitely weren’t in the [Beyond] — no, they were probably in the real world, the [Material World] that actually consists of atoms and shite.

And somehow, just somehow it's reflected into the [Beyond] as well.

They weren’t mirages. They exist!

I stared down from the safety of the branches once more as the three tensed, staring at the sound of the rustling. The rustling of leaves that I could hear too — something that was decidedly in the [Beyond].

I watched as the [Priest] slowly withdraw a stick — no, a freaking ax that was shaped like a cross from the folds of his robes, covered in complex-looking carvings and depictions. Behind him, the two acolytes placed their hands upon the grip of their blades, ready to withdraw it at a moment’s notice.

Whoever these people were, they were ready to fight.

Tension built and built as the rustle got louder. I could see the two in the back shivering, their teeth biting down, eyes wide.

…

Then, out of the bush, a familiar green coloured head poked out, staring at the trio in surprise.

Oh.

…

It was a [Deer].

Haven’t seen one in a while.

The [Priest] instantly relaxed, but still kept the weapon at ready. The two teens behind him took an obvious breath of relief, their tensed muscles loosening as they let go of their blade.

The [Deer] trotted over to the [Priest], who decided to hold his empty left hand out as if he was about to grab something, his eyes closed.

To my surprise, the [Deer] boldly went over to the [Priest]’s outstretched hand, regarding it for a split second before nudging it with its head urgently.

The [Priest] spoke — no, chanted, to my further surprise, “Oh ancestors, grant us an audience to those that dwell, {Spirit Speech}!”

Along with that not-English that I could somehow understand, I could see a bit of the [Priest]’s glow travelling over, trailing from his arms and onto the [Deer]’s head, streaming down its body like a tiny firework or raindrops that slid down a windscreen.

I stared, transfixed as the [Deer] too took on the quality of being ethereal, glowing and being strangely more real and less… [Beyond]-dy.

…

The fuck was that? Magic? Chants and all?

The [Priest] looked back, his eyes opening. Somehow I knew that they could now see the [Deer] — in a way that I couldn’t. In the glow, it almost didn’t seem skeletal, that it was somehow alive once more. In fact, it seemed… holy, under the effect of whatever hocus-pocus the [Priest] casted, it had gained a halo of all things.

The two teens in the back stayed silent, their eyes wide, mouth agape.

The [Priest] spoke clearly as he sheathed his blade, “We come in peace, oh Spirit of the Forest. We’ve come to complete the Rites of Comprehension for the year’s Acolytes —”

Excuse me? Spirit of the Forest? Rites of Comprehension? Those were some heavy words there, sir [Priest].

Shouldn’t you be more concerned about having killed and eaten the fucking magical Bambi and Co?

They are dead! Were! Still dead!

The [Deer] neighed quickly, cutting the man’s sentence off, its limbs shaking, eyes casting around the area. The [Priest] frowned, seemingly having understood whatever the creature was saying. He took a deep breath, his chest inflating and deflating. He spoke again, firmer this time, “How long had this been going on? Why weren’t there any notifications?”

The [Deer] fidgeted on its spot, neighing something again as it hoofed the ground.

[Deers] can understand speech? What?

…

Too late to worry about the implications of that, wasn’t it?

The [Priest] asked again, his hands out in a placating gesture, “Please, calm down. We can help. But to do that, we need more information —“

The [Deer] ignored him, suddenly running away at full speed back into the forest, its trail of white glow dissipating as it went further and further away before it reverted back to its usual green, disappearing into the underbrush.

As if it never came, the forest went back into absolute silence again. The [Priest] didn’t move for a while. I could see his hands clenched and unclenched, and despite not being able to see its colour I knew that his face was pale.

The two teens in the back exchanged concerned glances, giving each other the evil eye as if to force the other one to speak up. Eventually, the male lost the competition and asked shakily, “Father Bennet?”

A name, huh.

‘Father Bennet’ did not reply, still staring at the spot where the [Deer] was.

The male cleared his throat and spoke again, louder this time, “Father Bennet? —“

Bennet turned around abruptly, a wild look in its eyes. He hissed aggressively, “Be quiet, Acolyte! The situation was much worse than we originally foresaw. We have no time to waste — we must leave this forest, now!”

Taken back, the male sputtered, “But Father — what about the Rite? —“

“Sods on the Rite, young man! Were you listening? We —“

At this point, the girl spoke up too, “Father, if the situation was serious, then we couldn’t just leave!”

“Not you too, Agnes! This is not a situation that any of you could handle, believe me! Or even me! It’s a god-forsaken [Incursion]! Did you not see the Spirit flee? That’s why the Spirits were silent throughout the month!”

Whatever this [Incursion] was, it seemed… bad.

“An [Incursion]?” The girl squeaked, her voice higher than before, “Then —“

“Yes, it is exactly what you learned in the texts. The forest had gone silent, the Spirits afraid and in hiding. It seemed that something, a demon or foreign spirit had found its way into the forest and had been preying on the local [Spirits]! So I say, sod the Rite!”

…

Oh.

Umm… apologies?

The male spoke, his voice quivering, “T-t-then w-we need to go—“

“Genius, yes!” Bennet yelled quietly, casting his eyes about as if it would help him, “Now please tell me that you had been laying down the [Way Finders] on the Elder Trees along the way.”

“Y-yes, we did, Father Bennet,” Agnes said, pointing at the [papers] — [Way Finders] that she had last struck to the tree.

“Good, good! We must not tarry. We must leave before the demon finds us. In such a forest, we would be like beacons to them!” The [Priest] exclaimed, shoving Agnes out of the way. Roughly, he held his palm against the piece of paper and chanted, “Oh ancestors, may your light guide our path to home — {Path}!”

If I wasn’t a floating death-eel, I would be laughing at how serious he was as he delivered the lines and how lame it was. Or the way the [Way Finders] suddenly and unexpectedly lit up, lines of queer white light forming in between them like a rope, linking one to another like Christmas lights.

Whoa, more sparks!

Without hesitating, Bennet began to follow the lines back, running ahead without giving a single damn if the two acolytes were following him.

…

It was then I realized they were actually leaving. Hold on a moment, don’t run away yet! I got questions to ask!

I zoomed after the three, which frankly wasn’t difficult at all as they had to push the invisible bushes out of their way again. However, that didn’t stop them from sprinting away.

Stop running!

They kept running.

Stop —

Frustrated, I zoomed into the one in the lead, Bennet, and tried to hug him within my [Feelers]. As expected, my body phased right through him, leaving me with a [Feelers] of nothing. If anything, he seemed to have felt my touch somehow, made an ungainly yelp and ran even faster.

“By Althesus’ balls it found us!” the man yelled, his eyes wide. He chanted, “Oh ancestors, grant us haste upon your wings — {Sacred Wings}!”

Suddenly, out of his shoulders burster a pair of shiny, wispy flaps. It took me a moment to recognize that those chicken wings were in fact, wings. They flapped frantically behind him, propelling him fast than before.

Oi. It’s rude to leave your students behind. They don’t have your freaky magic chicken wings!

While the boost provided by the [Sacred Wings] was nowhere fast enough to outrun me, it was enough to speed up his progress by a large margin. That meant in a few more minutes, he would probably be out of the forest.

Unfortunately for him, I couldn’t let it happen.

…

And unfortunately for me, I had absolutely no way to interact with him — Fuck! Stop running!

I tried to stop right in front of him, hoping that my body would faze him somehow — news flash, it didn’t. He ran right through the entire length of my body like I wasn’t even there, carrying on. In the far far back, the two Acolytes ran raggedly, dragged down by the weight of their equipment. The male had somehow turned himself into a crutch, hoisting an out-of-breath Agnes on her way.

In an absurd burst of inspiration, I suddenly came across the thought of doing some magic-stuff myself. I need a wall — something to prevent the three from moving away.

Whoa there. No magic!

Why not? We can’t just lose them like that!

I recalled frantically at the way I used [Essence] as a catalyst before. The way my breath of force and fire came out.

To use magic, I must know what I am after and to give it an image.

Fire! Danger! Last time we did any magical shenanigans we burned down hundreds of [Green Worms] —

That was then!

But I promised —

I knew what I promised! I’m not going to harm them!

But still…

… I’m not going to hurt them.

…

Stop thinking if you can’t decide. There is no point dallying.

I didn’t stop to think about what I was doing. In my mind, I only thought about not losing the three, about keeping them in with me. In front of me, I could only see the old man's quickly disappearing back, the way he ran with abandon.

Unconsciously, or perhaps I knew exactly what I was doing but did not bother to think of the consequences, I tapped into my [Breath Gland], [Essence] boiling within with the desire to burst free. There was only one route, no matter what it was, I must take it.

There was a rumble within me, my [Essence] shaking and quaking in anticipation. I must stop them. They must not leave the forest — a wall. A great barrier to keep them with me.

The image rapidly solidified within my mind and perhaps in real life too. At that point, I couldn’t recognize the difference anymore. A staff, a bridge and the firm purpose of halting the path of his foes —

And so, I uttered with purpose, “You shall not pass — {Barrier}!”