~ Keep in mind that these chapters are still being edited from time to time. It's a rough draft like I said from the start of the story. Nothing is ever definitive but I won't edit too much that it effects the overall story. I'm only editing continuity and spelling errors for the most part. If you find some please let me know. - nEoQuIcKsiLvEr ~

Chapter 6 - Sea of Trees

"Claw marks? A wolf? It's big, probably a King Wolf. I….I must have stumbled into its territory. " Nero whispered to himself as he tried to catch his breath.

Nero studied the claw mark and sniffed the air, then he looked around the area with worry. What terrible luck Nero thought to himself. He almost laughed aloud at his own misfortune. It was frustrating that fate would not let him rest for a single moment. I must be quick, he must not be that far off. I don't want to be caught between this monster and those other men.

Holding the book to prevent its light from shining anymore, Nero bounded the Book of Knowledge again and it's golden light disappeared. Instead of putting it away in his knapsack he tied it securely around his belt. He didn't know if he needed to use it to mark his way through the darkness. His breathing started turning erratic as he tried to calm himself down. Nero didn't want Gregor's death to be in vain. He wanted to leave the Sea of Trees not only for himself but his father.

There was still an incredible silence in the area. A rollercoaster of emotions affected Nero yet he still had great determination in his mind. Gregor had told him it might take days to traverse the Sea of Trees. Now that he's here he could tell that Gregor had been telling the truth. Nero secured his belongings and made sure they wouldn't fall when he ran. Everything he had was to help him in the upcoming journey.

Nero grabbed a potion from his pocket and drank it. Suddenly with one gulp and felt his body renew with vigor. It was a body enhancement potion that increased endurance. Gregor made it for Nero to help him move as quickly as possible through the Sea of Trees. He had a long ways about before leaving but he didn't think he would have to use it so soon. Wiping the liquid from his mouth he began to move through the forest on a hasten pace.

Stealthily Nero moved trying not to attract as much attention as before. His emotions had calmed down and he was thinking with a straight head. He knew he had to not be caught by something as terrifying as a King Wolf and in its territory. His clothes were covered in a mix of sweat and vegetation. He took out the compass Gregor had given him and made sure he was headed in the right direction. He did not want to be caught inside a monsters territory less he had to fight it. Unbeknownst to the young man was that something else was moving as quietly and quickly as he was. A giant pair of yellow eyes kept behind him, watching as he moved through the Sea of Trees. Those eyes were monstrous in size compared to a human being and it followed them dancing under the shroud of darkness.

A monstrous darkness moved through the Sea of Trees. Not a sound could be heard, for everything was dead silent. No animals if any dared to move, out of fear from the lurking darkness. The trees themselves stood still and wouldn't sway from the touch of the wind. Slowly the darkness crept through the forest, following closely to a young man in a red cloak. Two gigantic yellow eyes emerged from the body of darkness and it focused on the man's back. Where ever he went, the darkness followed like a hunter stalking prey.

Nero was almost out of energy, he was exhausted beyond belief. He didn't know how far he traveled through the forest, he didn't know how long he spent wandering in the night. Was it hours? Minutes? He couldn't tell time in the darkness surrounding him. Nero didn't stop, he knew he couldn't stop moving. His breath was haggard, his mind was racing. The emotions swirled within and he couldn't help but feel overwhelming despair.

A big black shadow followed Nero and it's eyes were sharp as yellow daggers. A tongue peered out and wavered through the air, it tasted something in the wind. Something that was a fine delicacy to it, despair. This shadow moved through the trees effortlessly. Its movements were like a predator stalking its prey. Moving never too far from Nero and yet not too close. It seemed willing to stalk its target and never chasing. It was waiting for its moment to strike like only the shadow knows.

Had Nero seen the dark shadow in the light he would know what kind of beast it was, it was a King Wolf. A mythical beast hidden in the sea of trees. Unlike other wolves that roamed in packs, this beast hunted and lived alone. This beast was too familiar being alone and all the more greedy in taking everything. It was more than enough to handle any type of prey that came upon its territory. Now the beast has claimed Nero as its target. It wasn't hungry as it had already dined much earlier. It just wanted a toy to play with and Nero had come into its territory unknowingly.

The King Wolf was nearly massive in size compared to a human. It stood over 6 feet tall on its front legs, and it was over 10 feet from snout to tail. A dark black fur surrounded the beast and made it almost invisible to the eye under the cover of darkness. Its claws and teeth were like swords forged in the deepest dwarven refineries. The beast was a natural weapon and a skilled hunter. Just as it was getting closer to its prey something caught the attention of the King Wolf, it was the black book that Nero possessed.

Something sparked at the King Wolf and it came to know that the book was something not to be trifled with. Its natural instinct screamed at it to kill the prey as soon as it could. The King wolf's eyes scanned the horizon and knew there would be dead paths full of vegetation. How could it not? Its territory in the sea of trees covered far and wide. It knew the exact moment to strike and galloped around the bushes to ambush Nero.

Suddenly the black book glowed a gold tinge at Nero's side. Nero saw the light and examined the book as he felt something strange. The book glowed golden again as he touched the book fastened to his belt.

"Run," Nero was startled when he heard a voice in his mind.

It repeated and it was telling him to "Run!"

Nero clearly heard the voice but his breath stopped as he was almost in a panic. He looked around his surroundings carefully as if a ghost was near him. Nero knew exactly who the voice belonged to, it was Gregor.

Nero looked around his surroundings and he couldn't hear anything. The sea of trees was dead silent. He knew something was wrong as he caught his breath. Then a bolt of energy filled him and he dashed away forward through the forest. He leapt over tree trunks and pushed around branches in his way.

The King Wolf noticed the sudden movement of Nero pacing through the forest . The King wolf let out a howl from its enormous body and it chased him. Nero looked back at the sound of the terrifying howl and confirmed with his own eyes, it was a King Wolf. One of the most dangerous beasts in the Western Continent and it was chasing him.

Dread came over Nero just like the sweat pouring from his forehead. He felt his body was still weary from his trek into the forest but he knew he couldn't stop here. His mind was telling his body that if he stopped, the beast would be upon him at any moment. He tried moving abruptly from side to side through the trees hoping the King Wolf would be thrown off. Though this King Wolf would not lose him as it had a keen sense of smell and had been tracking Nero ever since he came into its territory.

The trees looked like huge obstacles which were scattered about. Nero had no choice but to go around them. The bushes and vines showed indifference as Nero was caught running through them as well. Nero took out his short sword from his scabbard and began hacking away at the vegetation. The King Wolf quickly jumped into the trees above and trying to use the branches as stepping stones. When it caught up to Nero it would pounce upon him and end him at once.

Nero saw the King Wolf in the trees above and grabbed a fire stone from his pouch. This damned beast I have to slow him down! Nero thought as he clutched the fire stone. Quickly enchanting it. he threw it to a tree branch up above. The wood and leaves ignited on fire quickly and spread to the other tree skylines. The King Wolf leapt into the fiery skyline and fell down from a burnt branch. The King Wolf quickly regained its barring from the fall to resume the chase.

Though the fire had nearly surrounded the beast when it fell. It gave out another menacing howl that echoed through the forest. With its huge paw it smothered and snuffed out the fire in its way. The fire disappeared almost as quickly as it started. Then it leapt with its body and claws smashing onto a nearby tree chopping it down with its brute force. The crushed tree fell and was heading toward Nero's direction.

Nero flick his wrist as he held onto his short sword and yelled "Release!"

The sword extended out like a metal vine wrapping itself to a nearby tree branch ahead of him. With a jump, he swung around from the falling tree that would crush him. With another flick of his wrist the sword reverted back to normal. This was the power of the sword Nero had kept with him. With some magical energy the sword could extend out at the cost of its density and act like a metal whip. This type of sword had only been seen in the Eastern continent.

The King Wolf could only look and see that his plan didn't work as Nero began to further the distance between them. The King Wolf growled as it showed its teeth and gave chase. Using its muscles, it ran faster than any human could hope physically. In only a small amount of time it had caught up to Nero. This King Wolf would not let any prey leave alive from its territory. As it came closer to Nero it pounced just as Nero ducked underneath a fallen tree in time. Nero using his sword pulled down branches to leave behind him in order to slow down the beast chasing him.

As long as he went into the cluttered vegetation the beast wouldn't be able to snatch him. The King Wolf was fast and physically superior but with its enormous size, had a weakness in trying to catch the smaller Nero. The King Wolf came close multiple times in catching Nero in its jaws only to get tangled in the branches, vines and bushes belonging to the Sea of Trees. The beast was irritated and began clawing its way through the forest. Ripping apart the vegetation with its claws and teeth.

Nero's body was close to falling and with a last resort drank another vial from his pouch. It was an stamina elixir to help fatigue within a certain time limit although it had a dangerous side effect. Within the next day the body would be unable to move from the muscle aches and sores. Nero was already in a dangerous predicament, if he stopped here he would just die. It would be better to not being able to move the next day then not being alive tomorrow.

Holding his breath for a split second, Nero pulled out a smoke bomb from his knapsack. He smashed the bomb on the floor and a grey cloud of smoke burst open. The smoke filled the area surrounding him for hundreds of feet. It wasn't going to last very long but maybe he could lose the King Wolf in that time span. The beast was able to follow in the night but Nero wasn't going to let him see him anymore. Nero couldn’t see in front of himself ether but it was better to move and not be seen. Using his short sword as a guide for the terrain.

The King Wolf roared again having lost its senses in the smoke. It couldn't see Nero and the smoke gave out a heavy burnt odor. The beast tried to run through only to hit trees and other vegetation. It growled with frustration and clawed anything that was within its range. The King Wolf didn't want any prey to reach its territory and escape unabated. It had its pride as a monster of the Sea of Trees and its eyes glowed yellow.

This mythical monster of the Sea of Trees had a particular trait as other mythical monsters. It had the ability to use magic and its magical affinity was with the wind. Its yellow eyes gave off magical energy that surged around its body. A great wind was brought out from the magical energy around it. The Smoke that filled the area was blown away entirely. A yellow aura covered the beast and now it moved faster than ever before.

The magical energy enhanced its movement through the air. The King Wolf moved as fast as the wind. It wasn't going to let its prey get away. Ripping through the Sea of Trees like the very wind itself, it moved. The beast caught sight of the red cloak that Nero wore. It barred its fangs and grit them as its muscles tightened. Now it moved even faster to try and out flank its prey.

When the great wind blew out the smoke, Nero hurried and moved through the forest. He thought that the smoke would buy him some time but he heard the monster moving through the forest. Its steps echoed like the beating of a war drum. More sweat and despair filled Nero's face. Nero couldn't stop moving and he wouldn't let his body stop. He didn't know how long he had before his potion ran out of its effects.

Soon Nero came upon part of the forest that was glowing in a eerie bright green. A natural sort of light appeared in this part of the forest under the veil of the night. He didn't waste his time in thinking about his location as the matter of his life was still hanging in the balance. Though something odd happened and he couldn’t hear the beast nor the sound of trees being crushed anymore. The King Wolf looked ahead seeing Nero enter the green glowing sea of trees and a tint of something appeared in its eyes.

Just as the King Wolf was closing onto Nero, Nero looked over his should and the King Wolf had vanished. He stopped for a second to catch his breath and couldn't see the beast anywhere in his line of sight. He held his sword out and looked into every direction but could not see the beast at all. Slowly he sheathed his sword and retreated backwards.

Then a loud howl was heard in the distance and Nero turned around only to trip over a branch. What appeared before him was a dark chasm laid before him. Suddenly only darkness appeared before his eyes and he fell swallowed by the darkness below. He screamed for almost an eternity as it seemed to him.

Nero thought that his life would be forfeit as he saw the ground coming closer to him in the dark chasm. Only then did he realized he had plunged headfirst into water. He submerged down and quickly floated back up to give his lungs the gift of air. He had fell down a chasm with an underground ravine down below. His luck would turn as he was chased down by a mythical beast only to be saved unknowingly by the dark chasm.

"Now where am I?" Nero muttered trying to catch his breath.

He drifted around the water trying to catch any semblance of land in his vision. His eyes caught sight of some land marked by stone pillars. His clothes were damp and soggy and he begrudgingly took off his wet attire. He checked his pouch and gear to make sure it was still dry. He was in luck most of his gear only got a little moist besides his clothes. He pulled a fire rock out from his pouch and lit it aflame while placing it close by. The underground cavern was brighten and Nero could finally saw what was around him. He was in a underground cavern with a ruins of sort built here. It looked like an ancient elven temple to him. The same kind that he read through the books back at the Tower.

While his eyes were taking everything in his body was still shivering from the cold plunge he took. Nero motioned his hands and enchanted together a cobbled stone bench with a rack made from the rocks around him. The magic he used was a quick binding of materials, the dirt and rocks around him bounded together to form in a shape. He sat down on the bench close to the fire rock and threw another on top of it. The fire rocks combined into a bigger flame emitting more heat to the cold shivering Nero. He slowly draped his clothes over the rack and hoped the fire would dry them out faster. Taking off some of the leather straps to the Book of Knowledge he hung it around the rack as well.

"You've done well to make it this far, my boy," a voice spoke to him.

Nero leapt up from his seat and searched his eyes around the Cavern. He defensively put one hand up with the other on the sword at his side. He scanned around him and behind him but couldn’t see anything.

"Put me closer to the fire! I'm not meant to be submerged in water," A voice spoke.

Nero was puzzled at the voice inside his head.

"Gregor?" Nero whispered looking around for any glimpse of him.

"Wrong, but right!" The voice seemed to dart around him. "Well…You can say that I am."

"Maybe you should talk to him." The voice said again.

The book glowed another faint light and then another voice spoke.

"Nero?..."

Nero knew the familiar sound of this voice as he had heard it throughout his life.

Suddenly an image appeared before Nero in a ghastly illumination of light. It was the figure of his father one of the great heroes in the land, Gregor. Emotions came over Nero as he saw his father again. He stared and blinked his eyes to make sure his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Father! You're alive! How? I saw you die! How did you get here so quickly?" Nero rushed over to the figure of Gregor.

Nero tried touching the figure only to run his hands through the illumination of his father. Again and again he tried touching Gregor only to move particles of light.

"No, I'm not alive… or maybe? Am I Gregor? I wouldn't have a way of knowing," Gregor shrugged as he explained himself. "I wouldn't know how much time was passed since I last touched the book."

The illumination of Gregor was calmly stroking his beard as normal. Nero looked confused while still trying understand what Gregor meant.

"The book? You mean yesterday when you passed out?" Nero told Gregor as he was still puzzled. "Why can't I touch you. What's happening?"

"Oh? So it was only just yesterday? Well this keeps things in perspective." Gregor spoke with an enlightenment of sorts. "Well…Nero, my boy. I don't know if I'm the real, Gregor."

"I don't understand, what's going on?" Nero said as he tried to touch Gregor again.

Nero's hand began to spread apart the illumination that held Gregor together. The light disperse only to come back together to form the figure of Gregor.

"Well, I am Gregor as you know up to yesterday. I'm perhaps a conscious thought or an imitation of him?" Gregor spoke calmly even with Nero moving his hands through him.

"I could say that I am but you can say I am not at the same time I suppose," Gregor started to walk around as he told Nero.

Gregor noticed Nero's belongings near the fire and saw the black book.

"The book my boy, look at the book!" Gregor said as he pointed to it.

The book that was hung around the rack was shining a golden color and lit towards the illuminated Gregor. It was a vibrant light that projected Gregor's figure in the cavern. The Light was most certainly coming from the black book.

"You?...YOU'RE THE BOOK!? " Nero yelled as he looked back and forth between Gregor and the book.

" …Maybe I am my boy? Though I still have the thoughts of being me, I can't think or know what's in this book," Gregor said earnestly. "Perhaps I'm the way for the book to communicate with you?"

Nero realized he heard a voice talking to him before Gregor. He moved the book a little closer to dry at the fire. Gregor's figure was a projection of light coming from the book. The illuminated Gregor tried picking up the book and only seemed to scatter the light that made him.

"I wonder how I'm to communicating to you without a body? My memories are a fuzz and its completely jarring. Very fascinating isn't it my boy?" Gregor laughed haughtily.

Nero grabbed the book and waved his hands around the golden beam. As he did the body of the illuminated Gregor seemed to disappear and reappear at the wave of his hands. Nero then tried opening the book but it wouldn't open no matter how much strength he used. Is this why the Book of Knowledge was also called the Book of the Dead? Nero thought.

Nero heard a voice in his head and he looked towards Gregor.

"Did you say something?" Nero said aloud.

"No, I didn't my boy," the illuminated Gregor answered.

"You did! You just called me crazy but I didn't see your mouth move," Nero said as he held the book as he walked over to the illuminated Gregor and his hands just passed through him at the touch.

"Oh?...Perhaps my thoughts can be transmitted to you while you hold the book? Very interesting!" The illuminated Gregor spoke while rubbing his chin and gazing at the book.

"So you're the thoughts of Gregor? That this book held? This is the book of knowledge right?" Nero questioned the illuminated Gregor.

"An artifact of an ancient civilization that I searched all my life for, the book of knowledge. It's said to possess all the knowledge of an ancient society. I was wondering myself if it was really the book, I could never read it but it matched all the descriptions perfectly. Now I can see why some called it a cursed book… it takes the memories of others," the illuminated Gregor explained while stroking his beard.

"A cursed book?" Nero said. "So it steals the memories of others to gain its knowledge."

Nero ran his fingers through his wet hair and sat down by the bench near the fire. The book in his hands was still glowing a golden light and the light seemed to follow Gregor everywhere he went. The Illuminated Gregor seemed to notice this and looked at Nero to explain.

"Well as you can see from me standing before you. People have said ghastly apparitions have appeared around the book. I can see now that they were perhaps mental projections of things taken by the book," the illuminated Gregor answered while walking around the cavern.

"If it's not just you in this book would more people be coming out?" Nero asked as he tried to get his hands warm by the fire.

"I wouldn't know, like I said my boy I could never use the book. Every time I did I felt like I was losing my memories. I know now that it was draining me of my knowledge and transferring it to the book," The illuminated Gregor said with a cough as proceeded to look around their surroundings.

Nero kept quiet as he looked over the book and back to the illuminated Gregor. 'Is this book really worth all this trouble?' he thought to himself.

"Hooh…It seems I can hear your thoughts as well," Gregor said as he looked back to Nero. "Very interesting."

Nero placed the book down and held himself as he felt the warmth of the fire. Nero felt a sadness nearly take him as he stared over at the illuminated Gregor who was looking around the cavern. 'Can he hear my thoughts still?' Nero was thinking as he looked to the Gregor. 'It seems thoughts are only transmitted when holding the book' Nero understood that fact as he tried to mentally communicate with Gregor.

"Father.." Nero spoke clearly this time to the illuminated Gregor.

"Yes?..." The illuminated Gregor replied back as he was started to look at the ruins.

Is he really my father? Nero thought to himself but shook off those thoughts.

"Who were those men that attacked us today?" Nero stated with a stern look.

"What attack?" The illuminated Gregor was puzzled over the question. He stopped inspecting the ruins and walked back over to Nero.

"Today, men in armor came to lay siege at the Tower. Magicians and things I've only seen in the books. I barely got out of there with my life," Nero said. "It seemed one of them knew you."

"He called himself, Moore." Nero said. "I could only hear some things that were said but not all."

Nero heard shouts and ramblings from both men during their battle. Yet he couldn't hear everything that was said. All he knew was that Moore was very powerful and could very well be a Wise Man. Gregor ears perked up at the mentioned of Moore but then he quickly dismissed it on his face.

"Wasn't Moore one of the Four Wise Men? Why would he fight you?" Nero said.

"I wouldn't know my boy, Like I said I only know the events to before yesterday. I don't have any knowledge of that….I can only remember to the point when that King Wolf was chasing you." The illuminated Gregor tried to answer confidently.

Gregor studied Nero's expression and gave back a grim look.

"So you don't know? How did you just appear anyhow?" Nero positioned himself in drying other portions of his body.

"I wouldn't know that ether my boy. I just appeared and saw you in the forest of trees with that black monster almost upon you," Gregor answered back. A thought seem to strike at the illuminated Gregor and he went back to look at the ruins. His glow seem to light up the cavern as he moved about. Using his hands as a light, he examined the area.

"Tell me boy, what happened?" Gregor said aloud.

Nero took a breath of air then explained what had happened in the events to him getting here. The illuminated Gregor walked about the cavern while listening to his explanation and would only stroke his beard at points that interested him. After Nero had finished his explanation he looked over his clothes. He found some of it had already dried up but flipped them over just in case.

"So I understand some of what's happening, my boy. It looks like my troubles from the kingdom had followed me. First you should rest here, it seems safe for the most part and I don't think that King Wolf would follow you down here. Second we need to find a way out of here and I think it might be through that way." Gregor pointed towards the direction of the Elven Ruins.

Nero grabbed his lightly damp cloak and wrapped himself around it as he nestled close to the fire. He'll go to sleep for now and tomorrow he'll try and find a way out of this cavern. Gregor could only look at Nero and contemplated some thought into his head. His body was flickering about from the light of the book. Yet he stood still studying the ruins around him trying not to pay much attention to it.

Nero looked and hung his head down low. Not only was he running away from knights and monsters but he had to travel through some unknown ruins to leave an underground cavern. It seems only his trouble would increase. His eyes slowly gave way to the darkness surrounding him and fell to a deep slumber.

---###---

North of the Sea of Trees a certain Orc girl had entered the forest. This Orc girl was called "Maude Jeanne Strongsong." She was a girl which many would call beautiful yet believed herself to be ugly. She had sturdy leather armor made from furs of brown bears. Her red hair flowed behind her as she walked through the forest. She had a bag of supplies around her shoulder and a set of quivers around the other. In her hand she held a ebony bow made of metal and she gripped it closely.

Maude grasped her hands together and prayed while chanting. With her eyes closed she focused her energy into her hands and it glowed a yellow aura.

"I give some of my magical energy to you, please guide my way wind spirits."

The wind blew and surrounded her. Light manifested itself into her hands and a ball of energy appeared. Maude opened her hands and in them was a tiny ball of energy. The yellow ball of energy had tiny black eyes and an antenna that was stuck on its body. It was a wind spirit she had called forth to guide her way through the Sea of Trees. Maude smiled at the spirit through her veil and the spirit twisted around given life.

"Please little one, help lead me to what I desire." Maude said as she touched the wind spirit.

The wind spirit sparkled and flew around her body before guiding her way.

"I'll find the relic and prove my strength to my family!" Maude said to herself.