Salvagars

6. The Silent Forest

He laughed satisfied with what he had done so far, until his saliva dripped from the corner of his left lip. Arlon who had realized Xeron's actions could only remain still.

"You mean the old man in question now turned into a tree?", asked Marvin who was still in disbelief, while occasionally staring at the tree in question. Arlon nudged Marvin by the waist to keep him quiet and not have much to say. Hearing that question made Xeron laugh even louder.

"Please, I'll give you some time to see for yourself my work" Xeron said proudly. "If you take a closer look, you will surely be more amazed."

Marvin who was still curious immediately ran towards the fragile tree in question earlier. However, he did not see anything different from the trees in general, the difference only looks older. Arlon was reluctant to be left alone with Xeron and chose to follow Marvin. He watched the old tree.

Nothing seems awkward at all. It was still the same tree he had looked at from afar. He was not interested in observing the tree. He was tired and wanted to rest. While staring at the clock in his left hand, Arlon leaned back for a moment. There is still time left to reach the Cambora River. Suddenly, Marvin shouted while staring at the tree, making Arlon also jerked and stood up straight again.

"Why the hell?", asked Arlon while looking resentfully at Marvin.

"There was a.", said Marvin stopped while pointing towards the tree.

"What's wrong?", asked Arlon again while occasionally looking at the tree. But still nothing strange. "What the hell?", continued Arlon. But Marvin still hasn't budged. His eyes were still looking towards the tree with his mouth open. He sculpted.

Xeron just silently watched the two of them. Arlon looked back at the tree, finding out what Marvin just saw. And once again Marvin shouted.

"What?", asked Arlon who was getting annoyed. He saw nothing suspicious.

"That's his eye.. There were eyes" said Marvin. Arlon immediately looked for the eye Marvin meant.

"What eye? Where?“, asked Arlon in confusion. And again Marvin shouted. His finger pointed at the frail tree trunk while trembling. Arlon approached the rod, but there was no meaningful change.

"there! Near your hand!", said Marvin half-screaming. Now his face looked paler and his body started to sweat.

"Where?", asked Arlon again while still looking for the intended eyes around the tree. Marvin again shouted while pointing towards the tree and when Arlon looked in the direction he was going, it turned out that the eyes Marvin had been referring to had appeared right beside his hand. The eyeballs moved staring at Arlon and Marvin alternately.

Arlon was startled and immediately retreated away from the tree. At the same time, that face also faded and disappeared. Arlon's heart was beating fast. Still can't believe what he saw. This time, he advanced again to search for that face, ascertaining whether it was true that he saw, yet now it was completely gone. They both look at each other.

Arlon came back closer and held the frail tree trunk slowly. And sure enough, that face came back. Arlon went back and the face was gone again.

Arlon finally realized the cause. He immediately held back the tree and the face of an old man reappeared. This time Arlon had to hold himself back from moving away and take his hand off, even if he wanted to.

"What?" said Marvin, pointing at his ears and shaking his head, indicating that nothing was heard. But the father still spoke.

Arlon was silent for a moment and ventured to stick his ear near the treefather's mouth. No sound at all. He tried to understand the meaning of the speech of this tree through the motion of his lips. Of all the words that try to be conveyed, Arlon several times caught the word 'hand'.

"Hand?", said Arlon to the tree. The tree's eyes were shining, as if it was true what he said.

He thought for a moment and tried to stick his other hand together, so both hands held the tree trunk. And Arlon's experiment was successful. The sound of the tree is now clear.

"Yes! Smart kid! Unlike your friend who usually just screams".", said the tree quietly but annoyed. Marvin shouted again, hearing the tree speak.

"Sst! Don't be noisy!", said Arlon, who was observing Xeron across the street, apparently unaware that the tree had spoken to them.

"I'm sorry" said Marvin, whispering occasionally, staring at Xeron and the tree alternately. "Great too! Only you who understand the language of trees as animals yes", continued Marvin while patting Arlon's shoulder proudly.

"My time is not much. Xeron is too dangerous! Go while you can! Don't get caught!", said the old man slowly and clearly. The two of them could only look at each other and realize that they were in grave danger.

"How is it? We're going to the Salvagar forest" asked Arlon in a whisper. Xeron seemed to have regained consciousness by now and was rushing towards them.

"Go west, follow the group of ants and leave immediately! You can ask the other residents, they may know better" said the tree . Xeron approached them with an angry look. Realizing that, Arlon immediately took off both of his hands and retreated from there.

"I told you, SILENCE!", Xeron snapped while hitting the tree with his big, hairy hands. So tight, his punch made the ground around him tremble. The old face is gone. Luckily the tree was not destroyed, only making some leaves fall off. Suddenly, the forest went back to silence.

Arlon and Marvin stepped back slowly. Xeron turned his body towards the two of them, and they rushed to escape. However, it has not gone far, Xeron's long tail has been blocking in front of them and his durin hit Marvin's hand.

Marvin immediately cried out in pain, while his hand immediately spat out fresh blood. The wound is a little but deep enough. Arlon took the towel from his bag and tied Marvin's hand.

"You can't go anywhere. After all, the addition of two new trees is fine for me", Xeron said with a laugh. He puffed his chest, making himself look bigger than before.

"We just want to cross. We promise we won't be here again" Arlon pleaded. He hopes this is not the end of his life. The towel used to tie Marvin's hands, has now left many red spots.

"All right, if that's what you want. Now you have to choose your own way out" said Xeron.