He understood why he was also known as the Forest of Ancient Trees. Wherever he looked, even with the lack of clarity at those hours of the night, he could appreciate how big they were. Finnian was unsure if there would be such trees in his world and that if he felt tiny after one day in Elthea, now that feeling had been increased.

Keeping quiet was not complicated, although neither Aer nor he had known how chatty Rune was for a considerable time until she could calm herself. He didn’t know if it was the effect of the potion, the nerves or a combination of both, but if they were not careful, they would end up meeting some elthean sooner or later.

The terrain was erratic, despite following what seemed to be a path. After all, getting into the trees wasn’t the best idea, but they didn’t have a map of where to guide themselves. However, everything was too quiet. Why had the forest trapped them if nothing had happened?

“I think I know why, although I would rather not say it aloud,” Aer admitted, trying not to look at him.

“There’s always a first time for you not to be a big mouth, Aer,” Rune said.

“You know why the forest has done this?” Finnian said, frowning his eyebrows.

He didn’t expect everyone should be an open book, but they were trapped there. Why keep from themselves information that might be vital to their survival, right?

“It would be great if you shared it with me. You know, Signer and all that stuff….” Finnian commented, alternating the look between the two elthean.

“The priority is to get out of here,” Rune said firmly.

“No, the important thing is that you talk to me,” Finnian said, stopping walking. “We are on this together. I will not vanish; neither will you two, but it will not work if everything goes like this. So... Why don’t we start at once, we’re all friendlier”—Finnian pointed his finger at Rune this time—and we tried to find a way out?”

They had hardly rest, and if that was added to the landing and carrying Rune, that day seemed to have no end, especially in that damned forest. Perhaps some brightness would fall between its leafy branches after dawn, but his instinct told him that it was not a place with lots of light.

After a few minutes of walking, Rune got off a jump to fly over them and check whether they were going in the right direction or not. It was then when Aer climbed on his back with ease and whispered to his ear:

“We are not alone, but don’t panic.”

“Do you expect me not to do it even if you have warned me?” Finnian replied in the same tone.

“Nor that we were going abandon you, relax.”

And he wouldn’t question it, although what he saw next wasn’t expected. Above them, connecting between trees and even on the same floor, an elaborate whitish web covered what they were able to see. That forest seemed the perfect place for such creatures. Instead of seeing them running over, they heard a tiny voice that distinguished himself too well in silence.

“I’m going to get you out of here, you hear me, Leith? No, I’m not going to leave you behind.”

Anyone who mistakenly entered the lair of the bad and did not fall into their trap had two options: To turn around, follow their path and pretend that nothing had happened or to run away arraying such a scandal that would awaken everybody.

The second one seemed too good, especially since he put his feet in Elthea, but his instinct warned him that it was not the solution. After all, someone was trapped between too many branches and cobwebs to free up near the ground.

“We must help them,” Finnian said.

“No, we have to leave,” Rune said. “We do not know if they are good or bad, and what sleeps in this forest will soon appear.”

“Do you tell the minutes we’re trapped here?” Finnian said, getting Aer to drop a giggle. “You told me that Elthea is becoming more dangerous than ever. We cannot leave them to their fate.

“It’s our law. The stronger survive, the weaker fall,” Rune said, grabbing his arm.

“If we’re wrong...,” Aer began to say.

“I have trusted you, do it in me now. We will regret it if we abandon them to their fate,” Finnian asked, looking at them all.

He knew he was asking a lot, that they would be the ones who would fight if something went wrong. But he wasn’t there to be told what he had to do, wasn’t he? Walking fast and quiet, they soon saw that it was not a trap but the landing place of two elthean. The first was the smallest he had ever seen. It was hummingbird-shaped and emitted a weak silver aura as it flew around the one that was trapped. As for the second, How had a dragon finished in such a trap? Wasn’t he supposed to spit fire to free himself?

“Oh? Oh! A Signer!” the hummingbird exclaimed, moving at such a speed that it would pass through a blurp. “You’re real!”

“Of course I am. What did you think it would be, an illusion?” Finnian murmured, rolling his eyes.

The tiny wings of the mythical creature were entirely covered in that sticky thread, just like most of her body. She couldn’t even move her head well or legs. Next to him, Aer raised one of his arms, creating a small blade air, while Rune had a couple of feathers held between her hands, as sharp as daggers.

Both cuts were clean and fast, although they could not release the elthean at first. It was not until the two combined their efforts that the purple scale dragon began to move. She observed them without saying anything with green, expressive eyes, conscious of what they were doing.

“Do you see how something good would happen, Leith?” the hummingbird said.

“That remains to be seen, Eadward,” Leith said, clearing his throat and looking up.

Multiples spiders swung slowly over their webs while watching them, almost as if they were their swingers. None said anything, perhaps waiting for them to go unnoticed in such a compromised situation. Why did they not react to seeing that they had released their prey?

Helping the dragon get out, they soon saw that one of its wings did not unfold, probably because of a bad fall.

“We have to lose them”, Eadward said.

“I have an idea. Can you follow us?” Aer said, at which point Finnian nodded, understanding what he had planned.

Being watched by the multiple eyes of the spiders, Finnian threw a couple of smoke bombs, courtesy of Fee and Kay. Then, Aer used his magic to expand the curtain, hiding them from their sight. In the end, after making sure they did not follow them, they ended up in a clearing where there were no signs that other creatures in the forest were very close, although Finnian could not get rid of a sense of anguish beyond his body. A force pushed him forward. There was something in that place that called him and, at the same time, had the feeling that they were constantly being observed.

The Forest of Ellery was more dangerous than he initially thought. Luckily, they escaped from High Sword, but he doubted that now it was a factor that would help them again.

They needed a plan.