Salvagars
7. Game Started
"Follow me!", said Xeron as he walked towards the middle of the forest. There was no other choice, they followed him even in doubt. Plus her adorable tail coiled around Arlon and Marvin to keep them from escaping.
They finally stopped in the middle of a fairly roomy forest. The distance between the trees is now far apart. The sunlight entered freely, making them have to narrow their eyes to see more clearly.
Xeron turned his body and looked at them with an enthusiastic look. "I haven't done this in a long time" he said, taking a deep breath. "So I will allow you to be free to leave this forest if you can choose the right path. There are 8 different roads and only 1 is true. You only have 3 chances to choose. If you fail until the 3rd choice, then your fate will be the same as those who are now silently sculpting in this forest.", xeron continued while pointing at the trees surrounding them in great numbers. "Is there a question?"
Marvin raised his hand and Xeron nodded, allowing himself to ask. "Are all the trees here human?", asked Marvin still in disbelief as he looked around.
"Yes. All the. Without exception", replied Xeron. The statement made Arlon and Marvin shudder.
"But, have any survivors been out of here all along?", asked Arlon to confirm that they really had a chance.
"There is" he said, recalling the incident. "It was just one group of hundreds of people who came. But it's been years."
"And that one group survived all?", asked Marvin enthusiastically.
"Yes. But most of them were injured all over his body", Xeron replied with a laugh. He thought it was too funny to remember. "There is a burning arm, there is a bruised eye, there is even a torn thigh", he continued, laughing out loud. Arlon and Marvin can only swallow. Their minds were already wandering thinking about what would happen next.
"So, all this time the news about the number of people who did not return was actually because of this forest? Not because of the Salvagar forest?", asked Arlon trying to analyze the mystery that has been happening in the city of Yorka.
"Hmmm.. Not particularly. More precisely do not know. I don't give a shit. It's just a shortcut to get there anyway. There are still many other paths that you do not know what is in it" said Xeron while staring intently, managed to make the two humans in front of him frightened.
Arlon was reminded of his father who went missing several years ago while hunting. It's possible that his father might now be one of the trees cursed here.
"So, after the troupe you were referring to, until now no one has escaped?", asked Arlon to confirm again.
"Nothing at all" Xeron replied firmly. "That's why I miss playing this game so much" he continued with a laugh.
They look around. As per their calculations, it is true that there are 8 different paths. But it all looks the same. Both dark and silent. And 100 meters from the main road, all the streets turned left, as if to keep the mystery behind it. The only difference is the numbers carved on the old pieces of wood that are stuck at each end of the road.
"What's at the end of the road?", asked Marvin, looking down one of the streets, trying to make a difference.
"much. You find it for yourself", he replied with a smile looking at the street that lay in front of him. "Of course, you ask too many questions. Now you can choose the first path" said Xeron while giving them space to choose.
Without wasting any more time, Arlon went around looking at all the roads. Trying hard to find a difference. But it all looks the same. Marvin followed wherever Arlon went, he resigned and trusted all his friends.
They walked back and forth from streets number 1 to number 8, and went around again many times. Both the streets, the soil structure, the rocks, the tree layout, are all the same impeccably. It looks like a duplicate. But Arlon believes there must be a difference between the 8 streets.
"He was not told there was a time", protested Marvin with an annoyed face.
"What's your problem? I don't like to wait long" Xeron said casually as he continued his count. "8... 7...“
"Ar, which one do we choose?", asked Marvin who was already very panicked to hear the count of Xeron who kept going.
"Ga tau!", replied Arlon. He panicked, but he was even more upset that Marvin wasn't helping him at all. Marvin was too panicked and just looked left and right.
" 6... 5..", the count goes on regardless of their panic. Slowly but surely.
"The cave will come wherever your choice is", said Marvin who has begun to resign to the situation. While Arlon is getting panicked because he has to decide immediately. He could no longer think clearly.
" 4... 3..."
"Which way do you think?" asked Arlon. He still has not had any enlightenment. Marvin just shook his head while looking over and over. "Select it as you feel!", said Arlon.
"2... 1... Yes, the time is up" said Xeron who is now behind them both. "Hurry to choose or I choose a path that is definitely wrong", continued Xeron with a smile with fangs sticking out.
"Marvin, you choose first. We still have 2 more opportunities" said Arlon who entrusted the first choice to Marvin, even though he already knows what the results will be.
"Quick!", shouted Xeron who was impatient to see the two of them lose.
"Road number 4!", said Marvin firmly while pointing to the road in front of him.
"Okay, please come in" said Xeron, letting them in.
They slowly walked to the chosen path. So far nothing strange. Around them there were still many trees with a quiet but calming atmosphere. They continued to walk with Marvin's position behind Arlon.
"If we are why, don't get me wrong!", said Marvin, looking right and left, beware of anything that might happen.
"Yes no, after all we have a chance 2 more times right.", said Arlon relaxed with his hands in his pants pocket, is ready if at any time have to wear a knife. "Hopefully this is the right path."
They walked for about 15 minutes and nothing happened. They begin to be optimistic that the path is the right one. They continued walking until they saw a figure standing before them. The person they knew was none other than Xeron.
