Cleatus felt something tickling at his ear. He swatted at it. The forest night was full of noise with insects and animals. The party slept below as they camped for their first night in the forest. Another tickling feeling at his other ear. He scratched at it with a fowl curse under his breath about mosquitoes.

A child’s giggle reached his ear and made his head snap to the side. A strike of fear that his son could have followed them so far into the forest drove him out of his tree. He landed deftly on the grass. Looking over the faces of his party. Haagut slept by the fire, protectively holding onto the hat of disguise. Odelia was propped up in a corner with a snarl on her sleeping face. Shaynen’s usually still body was twitching violently.

Cleatus felt the tickle at his ear but this time it came with the child’s giggle. A little white orb hovered flew past his head and into the forest. Joining a little chorus of other little orbs that were dancing around the campsite. Each had their own disembodied voice that trailed along with it. Cleatus crouched down, the lights advanced and began dancing around him. They were being drawn to the crystal atop the staff. He took the staff off his back and held it out for the orbs. They danced around the crystal and disappeared into it. Each one that vanished would bring Cleatus a haunting vision of fire and chaos.

When the orbs were settled inside the orb Cleatus pried the gem off of the staff and set it onto his bow. The crystal settled in with a mind of its own. Creating a bed of vines that wound around his bow.

He returned to his place in the tree for the rest of his watch.

“Hey, it’s your watch.” Cleatus touched Shaynen’s shoulder gently. Shaynen jerked in shock. He rubbed his eyes and when he opened them again Cleatus was already gone. Shaynen sighed and stood up to stretch. The fire flickered and out of it came a porcupine silhouette. It waddled off toward the forest. Shaynen ran halfway across the camp after it. He paused and doubled back to shake Odelia awake. He rapidly told her he was going to investigate and ran off before her eyes were even fully opened.

Shaynen ran off into the forest to catch up with the porcupine. He found the glowing spirit waddling along the forest floor. Beside him another little spirit came into view, a small frog. More and more came through the bushes, all leading in the same direction. His little dreamcatcher lit up and pulled forward along with the spirits.

Excitement surged through Shaynen. He ran forward, passing other spirits that were crowding together. All heading to the same place. A tree of shimmering gold broke through the treeline, reaching up toward the sky. He ran toward the large opening in the tree at full speed. The tree’s glow brightened blindingly. As Shaynen ran into the threshold he was catapulted back by the tree’s golden light.

He landed hard on his behind a good distance away. He looked up at the golden tree, dazed. When he sat up, three figures had appeared in front of the tree. Shaynen got to his feet slowly, watching the spirits enter the opening in the tree.

“Excuse me?” He asked as he approached the three figures. They turned to him in perfect unison. None of them had faces or any real features of any kind. The one on the left was broad and muscled, the one on the right had perfect posture but a thin frame. In the middle was a rapidly changing figure that had no clear shape and was more of a suggestive mist. Shaynen stepped back as they looked at him expectantly.

“I-” The words caught in his throat. “What is this place?”

“It is a waypoint,” The mist in the middle said in a strangely distorted voice. “It connects the spirits with those who receive them. It is a place of question and reflection. It offers no answer for you.” Shaynen frowned.

“I have enough questions.” He said.

“And yet you’ve not asked them.”

“Okay… Where are all the spirits going?” Shaynen looked around at the glowing outlines still all moving toward the tree.

“The tree.”

“What’s in the tree?”

“Questions.”

Shaynen sighed and rubbed at his eyes.

“Let us ask the questions.” The mist said. “Where are you?”

“The High Forest.” Shaynen didn’t hesitate. “Where should I be?”

“Let’s try again; where are you? What are you doing right now?” The mist asked. Shaynen pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t understand the question.” He said slowly. “Why can’t I go in the tree?”

“Only the pure and not of this realm may enter.” The spirit said. Shaynen nodded. He walked to the nearest tree to put his back to it. He sat and drew in a deep breath. Those not of this realm. Where was he?

He closed his eyes and went to drift above the material world…

His eyes opened. He was back at the camp. Odelia and Haagut were fast asleep. Cleatus was moving through the camp quietly. Trying not to wake anyone.

Shaynen drifted back to the forest with the golden tree.

“I’m not in the material plane,” He answered. The mist nodded in an awkward way.

“What’s in the tree?” They asked. Shaynen got to his feet and brushed off the dirt that wasn’t there.

“I don’t know, I can’t. I need to go in the tree.” Shaynen said. “But only the not of this world can go in-”

“Those who are pure OR not of this world.” The misty figure corrected.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He snapped.

“You know what it means.”

Shaynen grit his teeth together, looking at his chest.

“Well. How do I get rid of it?” He asked. “I can’t just reach inside and pull it out.”

“Can’t you?”

Shaynen looked down intrigued. Maybe he could. He reached, shocked and horrified when his hands went right through his chest. He felt around carefully until he pulled out a glowing golden cage, with the demon laying dormant inside it.

Immediately his thoughts went to the party, of putting the demon right in the middle of them and forcing them to address it. Instead he put it down and walked away from it. Pausing only for a second to look back at it.

“It’s not actually out, is it?” He asked. The mist didn’t reply. Shaynen sighed but shook it off and turned back to the tree. He carefully walked through the threshold and into the glowing tree. As he walked he saw not only spirits walking the same direction as him, but also some going back. He walked through the hall and into a giant open cavern that was white with light. The ceiling was tangled with the dreamcatcher design. In the very center of the cavern was a large glowing pool where all the spirits were congregating; looking in and then turning away.

Shaynen felt apprehension in her chest, mixed with a real uncertainty he’d never felt before. He was able to move right through the glowing spirits, they didn’t seem to see him at all. In the glowing pool of light was reflected images. All of Shaynen.

Past, present and future were all being played rapidly with no seeming coherence of any kind. Shaynen sat heavily on the wooden floor.

“I don’t understand.” He said. The misty figure appeared beside him.

“Don’t you?” The mist asked him. Shaynen looked up at him and then at all the spirits coming and going.

“It’s me, I understand that.” Shaynen said. “What I don’t understand is why everyone is turning away. I’ve done everything right, haven’t I?”

“You have, but that is exactly the reason.” The misty figure said. Shaynen stared at it betrayed. “You’ve walked the line exactly with no detours. You’ve done nothing of any interest to anyone.” Shaynen looked over all the spirits miserably.

“There is one thing you’ve done that was of interest, and that has brought all these guides here today.”

Shaynen looked up in interest but then his face paled as he looked back toward the way out.

“But if that… then why?” He asked.

“It has its own issues. It makes those interested think twice as they would have to deal with it as well as your personal demons.” The mist said. Shaynen curled up and watched as the golden pool went blank. He sighed wordlessly.

“May I ask a very difficult question?”

Shaynen shrugged.

“What is it you want from your guide?” The misty figure asked. Shaynen looked up confused.

“What?” He asked.

“What is it you want? Do you want them to come in and battle your… very literal and metaphorical demons? Rid you of all your imperfections? What are you asking of these spirits?”

“I… I don’t know. I don’t want the demon, but without it… I’m just.” Shaynen sighed and covered his face. “I don’t know. I.” He sighed and balled up.

“Am I even going to find anything? Is there anything to find in this forest? Or is there nothing?” He asked finally.

“That is for you to discover.”