The ghoul wrenched his leg away from a root, paying close attention to Alison who walked ahead of him. The sun was in the pinnacle of its life but even it had trouble illuminating Alison who disappeared into every shadow she ambled in. The forest was vibrant with life, foliage providing a green sea for the eye. Animals would appear in the distance, a sudden rustle in the closest bush, chirping in the trees, and the sudden tremor as a giant shadow walked in the deepest and darkest of trees. Alison paid no mind to any of this, a sense of safety surrounded her which he made sure to stay in. He hurried, her figure disappearing and appearing amidst the clump of vibrant trees and heavy brush they passed.

"Where are we going and why is there no clear path to it?" asked the ghoul as he pulled his leg away from another entanglement.

Alison stopped walking and turned toward him. Hit by a beam of light, her faint presence is finally illuminated since they entered the woods. She gave him a beaming smile and giggled.

"I told you, I will answer all your questions when we reach a safe location. And the safest locations are not easy to get to."

"How can I trust you?" the ghoul asked, tension crossing his face.

Alison gave him a mischievous smile and continued her distorted trek through the woods. A sigh quietly followed as the ghoul made his way forward.

Alison was not the only thing that would appear and disappear. The ghoul and Alison were followed by Arcadius, a youth who seemed only a few years short of adulthood. He wore a red tunic, a color that would be easily noticeable if he stayed in anyone’s line of sight. He walked more than a few steps behind the ghoul, averting his eyes whenever he was looked at: his jittery hand caressed the pommel of a dagger sheathed at his waist.

The ghoul would look back from time to time, eyes sharp to any sudden movements. The first time Arcadius disappeared, his blood pumped wildly as he crouched and swung his head around, trying to see where the boy had run off to, eyes searching for a sudden fire. But soon Arcadius would come back, a look of reluctance and dismay plastered on his face.

This continued. The ghoul would look for Arcadius, a wall of trees and foliage filling his view with no red tunic in sight. A sudden rustling behind him would reveal a red color in the corner of his eyes which he accustomed to ignore. The three continued this way: Alison flickering through shadows, a calm and gentle pace; the ghoul followed the nonexistent path, stumbling and falling; Arcadius went and came, never sure if he could escape. And then it was evening.

"We've arrived," Alison exclaimed as she hopped into the clearing. The ghoul stumbled out and slammed into the ground while Arcadius deftly pulled himself away from a bramble’s grasp; sweat drenched his face and his tunic shone a deep dark red.

A grand open space surrounded by trees tipped in orange, the setting sun providing a soft glow to the structure that lay in the middle. Sorry white pillars ringed the simple two-story brick building, one rising half its intended height to the sky while the rest lay as broken ruins. One wall fell a long time ago, blocks of decay covered in moss. Other walls were charred black and many windows were smashed. The remnants of a fire could be seen on what remained of the pointy roof, but, other than that, it stood well. What was eerie were the multiple swords left embedded in the ground between the pillars and the building.

Alison turned and sprang towards Arcadius, startling him. Nimbly grabbing his hand, she led him to the right side of the clearing where the trees lessened and turned him to face the sunset.

The ghoul picked himself up and crept closer to Alison who pointed off into the distance. There, under her finger, were lights and not the lights he was so afraid of. Lights that gave off the warmth of company, lights that gave off the sense of life, lights that danced along the river.

He could see rows of tightly knit houses, each illuminated by its own individual lamp. Farther down he noticed a bustle of people, the night life where people gathered to smile and chatter inside crowded rooms. Even lower, he could see what appeared to be boats, illuminated by the parade of children who ran amuck with vibrant sparkles in hand.

He watched in awe, mouth slightly agape, the vibrant life that he suddenly yearned to be a part of. He could feel safety coming from the town, from the group of people that danced in the dawning night.

Alison grasped the shoulder of Arcadius who gave a shudder to her touch.

"Ark, squint your eyes, and you'll faintly be able to see your town. It's across the river but there should be a boat to get you across. I think I left it last time I was here."

Arcadius gave a start to her last words and gave Alison a questioning look.

"Oh right. Your sister's medicine," she said as she took vials from within her robe. "Make sure she takes a drop every other night and in time she will be as norm. And keep these safe, I won't be able to get anymore. Take care not to waste them needlessly."

Arcadius hand quivered as he grasped the glowing vials of Rejune, never having held more than a few droplets in his life. Even those droplets had been miracles he would never imagine receiving. He looked at Alison and shook his head, questions surfacing in his eyes.

Alison looked toward the ghoul, the first faint hope she had waited so long for, and then took a long look at Arcadius. She gave a deep sigh and for the first time that day, her smile disappeared. She gave the ghoul a quizzical gaze.

"I can trust you won't disappear if I leave you here alone? If I remember correctly, there's only one boat and we'll need it later ourselves. Plus, there's the festival taking place. Ark will be seen immediately if he goes without—"

"No! You said you would answer my questions when we've arrived to safety! 'We've arrived' you said," the ghoul interrupted, curiosity threatening to overflow into madness.

"Ask."

"Who am I?"

Alison then regained her smile and turned to leave, the orange sunset dyeing her robe in coats of fire and setting her hair aglow. She clapped her hands once. A harsh grinding sound emitted from within the ruin, a powerful wave of dust rushing out. He fell into a coughing fit, his body hitting the ground reflexively to avoid the scattering dirt.

"I don't know. But you may find an answer inside," Alison said as she lowered her sleeve away from her face.

With that, Alison led the coughing Arcadius back into the forest, in the direction of the ember river.

“What is a ghoul?”