When Markus left the cave his flashlight immediately found a trail leading deeper into the forest. The path raised his hopes of reaching the town faster without navigating through the trees. Markus knew the trail would likely lead to civilization, or at least a road that can be followed. The path started as a steep descent downwards, but as he continued to walk, it eventually leveled off into a more gentle slope. It was a fairly easy trek so far, but Markus knew he had to stay alert.

Darkness covers the forest, only occasional sounds from birds and insects keep Markus company. As he walks, Markus notices the moonlight is bright and clear. It was a comforting glow illuminating the entire forest. The leaves and branches above keep the majority of the sky hidden, but there was enough evidence to suggest a full moon. It supplies just enough light to provide decent vision even without the flashlight.

Walking through the forest proves to be surprisingly uneventful. Only the rhythm of boots stepping into dirt provides a consistent noise. The long periods of silence give Markus plenty of thinking time to himself. As he walks, his eyes observe the new surroundings for clues to where the forest might be located.

Markus has spent plenty of time outdoors and over the years has learned basic knowledge on local wildlife. He notes several familiar trees that can be spotted within the forest. Mature aspen, spruce, and cottonwood species are scattered throughout the area. However, a certain large tree species was unfamiliar to him. It was by far the biggest type of tree, dwarfing the others with their large trunks and numerous branches spreading above.

The weather also feels familiar, a cold chill in the air around thirty or thirty-five degrees. The night temperature was correct for weather back home in March. Even patches of snow are reflecting off the flashlight as Markus walks. Luckily he brought the green jacket being worn, with its insulated interior perfect for this type of hike.

However, reviewing his mental notes doesn't bring Markus any closer to an answer of where he is. The weather is basically the same as home and the forest is similar to the one he left behind when he passed through the portal. All of Markus' information says he's already made it back to the western United States.

Markus then pauses during his walk and turns his body directly to the left. He sees the lighting of the town through branches and tree trunks, but notices their size hasn't increased much. Markus now begins to worry the trail he's been following doesn't actually lead to the town. His path only seems to be parallel to the destination he's aiming for. Markus kicks the dirt in frustration and mentally prepares himself to cut through the forest now. The town lights are directly ahead and all he needs to do is follow a straight line to them.

Before taking a step into the maze of trees before him, Markus searches for the smartphone tucked into his front pocket. He finds it and brings it to his face to check for a signal. When he presses a button the bright light of smartphone makes his eyes wince in pain. A low battery warning is present on the screen now and he notes the power bar at only five percent. The clock is still wrong and there is still no signal. Nothing has changed. Markus firmly presses the power button and shuts off the device for good.

After putting his smartphone away, Markus takes the first steps into the forest. The trees are spread in a wide berth allowing plenty of space to weave between each of them. The flashlight shows the terrain with a mix of rocks, boulders, grasses, and bushes everywhere like the mountains back home.

The lights of the town slowly begin to grow as he continues the hike. Curiously, Markus notices the lights seem to be above the horizon of his vision. He begins to think the town might be on an elevated location like a hill. Thankfully the land is cooperating with Markus as he's able to quickly walk the plotted course without issues.

Markus sees the lights fairly well now after walking for some time. The lights still seem quite high from where he stands. The town must be on a hill as previously guessed. There's a renewed energy in Markus as he feels the end of the trek nearing closer. However, this brief moment of respite vanishes as an extremely loud animal roar can he heard ahead.

“What the hell?” Markus says as he halts moving, raising his rifle upward. He can only point in the general direction of where he heard the sound, but nothing can be seen in the darkness. He stays silent to see if anything will reveal itself. No animal known to him can make a roar like it.

Nothing stirs for several minutes. Cautiously, Markus resumes walking through the forest. The rifle is gripped tightly now with a finger resting beside the trigger. A sense of nervousness creeps back into Markus as he continues toward the lights. He was always superstitious of the forests back home. Countless tales exist of dangers that can be found within the wilderness, both real and mysterious. He's personally seen unexplained sights and believes a fair share of old stories.

Markus very shortly sees something peculiar from the direction of the town. Several lights are moving in all manner of directions. Some are moving high above, a few are zigzagging, and others dance around at various speeds. Out of the corner of his right eye, Markus sees a single light away from the town.

The light looks much bigger than the others, as if it was quickly closing the distance to him. As soon as that thought finishes, an orb of light zips by a few feet above his head. The ball of light is quickly lost in the forest as Markus spins around trying to locate it. The flashlight sees nothing in the darkness and his head keeps moving around in an attempt to find it.

“Seriously? Whats going on now?” Markus asks himself, turning back to the town.

As he looks forward, a glow of light slowly appears from behind Markus' right shoulder. He notices the soft glow and just when he's about to turn around, the ball of light zooms in front of him. Markus' eyes open wide in surprise at what he sees.

Only a few feet away from his face, a tiny woman flutters in the cool breeze of the night. She has colorful wings keeping her aloft, similar to butterflies back home. Markus is frozen in surprise. 'Fairy' is the only word that jumps into his head to describe her.

He estimates her size to be only about eight inches tall. The size of a small doll or figurine. Growing up, Markus saw plenty of books, movies, and shows with various fairies. There's no doubt right now he's looking at a creature of myth.

Around her waist, a lantern dangles off to the side with an illuminating glow. She's wearing some sort of black bodysuit, with pieces of leather armor covering her breast, vitals, and extremities. Markus finally sees the glint of a metal spear in her hands. His eyes try determine her intent with the weapon, but she suddenly rushes closer to his face. This catches Markus off guard, forcing him to take a step backwards. He sees short, brown colored hair on the little woman, but her facial features are obscured by light from the lantern and flashlight on his vest.

The fairy starts rapidly speaking to him in another language, but words are difficult to pick out because of how quickly she talks. Her body is very animated, as she points to the town and the forest behind her. Her arms and fingers point in several directions as she talks, then starts pointing toward Markus. He doesn't know what to make of her actions, but she's becoming more frantic. Her voice seems to be pleading now. She's even waving a hand in a follow-me gesture.

She suddenly takes off in the direction where she originally came from. After a few yards, she sees that Markus didn't follow her. She immediately turns around and rams herself against his upper chest. Markus is pushed back in surprise, and now feels the little woman yanking on the collar of his jacket. Words start flying out of her mouth again in desperate and begging tones.

Markus can sense something is very wrong now. Her body language tells him she's in need of help. He begins to take steps in the direction she was heading toward moments ago. The fairy now realizes Markus is starting to walk. She releases his jacket and starts flying just a few feet in front of him.

After just a few more steps, another monstrous roar echoes through the forest. It's the same creature from before, but much closer now. The fairy becomes frantic again and starts pointing ahead. Markus turns his walk into a jog, unsure of what exactly he's facing. The fairy sees his increase in pace and starts to guide him between the trees. After several minutes, Markus and the fairy reach a small clearing in the forest.

As the pair momentarily stops, several more orbs of light zoom past them heading to the right. More fairies, and they all seem to be in a rush. Markus turns his head to see where they're going. His eyes now glimpse a creature unlike anything seen before in his life.