Chapter 6: The White Forest

Sen, Dain, Yerah, Shera, Makota, Zarnem, Fex, and Ira finished packing their essential supplies for the journey. They were already travelling, with Fex and Ira riding the horses pulling the two carts. The horses were equipped with shoes flowing with Intergy, allowing them to travel swiftly without tiring. Sen, Dain, and Zarnem rode in one cart, while Yerah, Makota, and Shera occupied the other.

Yerah: So, how long have you two been together?

Makota: For about six years now.

Shera: Almost seven.

Yerah: Oh nice. So, you’ve been together a while.

Shera: Sadly.

Makota: Why do you always have to say those kinds of things?

Shera: I’m just playing with you. You know I love you.

Shera grabs Makota’s hands and rubs her thumbs in his palms.

Shera: It’s nice seeing a lady other than Professor Ira with us. Does your aunt and uncle care that you’re even travelling out like this?

Yerah: We don’t really talk.

Makota: Oh? Why is that?

Yerah: We just live together. That’s it.

Makota: Ah, I see. So, you’re just out doing your own thing now. Very noble of you to just give your life away like that.

Yerah: I guess. I mean, we live in Clyden. What’s there for us anyways?

Makota: Fair. Besides, it’s not like Zarnem gave us much of a choice.

Shera: So, I take it there’s no one special in your life then?

Yerah: Huh?

Shera: Like, a boyfriend?... Or girlfriend?

Yerah: Hahaha. Single. And no boyfriend yet.

Shera: Ah, I see. Strange for a pretty girl like you to be single.

Yerah: Oh, haha. Yeah, I guess. I’m picky.

Makota: So, do your aunt and uncle ask about you?

Yerah: They let me do what I want, so long as I do well for myself.

Shera: Oh, I see.

Makota: And they’re ok with just letting you go like that. Interesting.

Yerah: Yeah. I’ve shown over and over to them I can handle myself.

Shera: Love it.

Over in the other cart, Zarnem sat with Sen and Dain.

Zarnem: I know you both didn’t go to school, but if there’s something I hoped you figured out to reduce injuries when attacked.

Dain: You mean like layer Intergy over our skin?

Zarnem: Yes. As far as I remember, Sen was injured by the Zagon when they first showed up, correct?

Sen: Yeah, my leg was cut.

Zarnem: And also, during your fight with Aetrem and Lilan.

Sen: Yeah, I also had my leg injured too.

Zarnem: I don’t know about you Dain, but for you Sen, you need to make it an instinct to shield yourself with Intergy before you even get hit. It needs to be an instant reflex like catching yourself if you happen to fall.

Sen: Yeah, I do. It’s just, I underestimate how much Intergy to use.

Dain: When Sen and I spar, we never really intend to hurt each other badly.

Zarnem: That’s fair. However, in this situation we’re in, don’t expect anything or anyone to hold back when attacking you. Always expect to get hurt. It’s more about how much injury you can reduce.

Dain: Right, but as you know, the more Intergy we used to shield our bodies, the more Intergy we use up. If we use a lot of it defending, we may not have enough to fight back.

Zarnem: And that’s the hard thing with fighting. You’re always having to read the enemy, even how much of an attack to brace for.

Sen: And then, there are people like Zan, right?

Zarnem: Yes, there are people like Zan who don’t need to because as soon as he’s hit, his body turns into acid. He’s one of the few that don’t need to layer himself with Intergy.

Sen: And how do we fight something like that?

Zarnem: I wish I knew. As far as I know, he was imprisoned for some time.

Dain: How do you lock up someone who can turn to acid? I’d imagine he can just escape.

Zarnem: I don’t know. I just know he was locked away for some time until he managed to escape. I assume it’s Sicrus who set him free.

Sen: What do you know about Sicrus, other than what we talked about before?

Zarnem: Nothing much more. If he’s working with Zan, he has to be just as powerful, or maybe even stronger.

Dain: Why hasn’t Krutone done anything about them yet?

Zarnem: Trust me, they would if they could. It’s not really all that easy to just hunt them down, and even if they did, their powers are still unknown… or at least Sicrus is. This is why being able to shield yourself with Intergy is important. You may not know this, but you can also do the same to protect your inner vital organs.

Dain: Yeah, I heard in Clyden Academy, that’s taught there.

Sen: We understand it even though we never went to school there. It’s just, we never practiced.

Zarnem: Well, like I said, in the situation we’re in, you’re going to have to.

Sen: You can harden your skin with your earth abilities.

Zarnem: Yes. I can protect myself with both my abilities and Intergy.

Dain: But we don’t.

Zarnem: Well, Sen can.

Sen: Light.

Zarnem: Exactly, as I’m sure you’ve been experimenting with.

Sen: Well, not only that, but earlier when I fought against Aetrem, I felt dark Intergy too.

Zarnem: Was it defensive?

Sen: Sort of? More like both. I felt dark Intergy run through my body, and then because I wasn’t sure how to control it, it erupted. It wasn’t like light energy though. It was cold. It was an icy feeling.

Zarnem: Interesting. You’re the only light and dark user I know, so there’s isn’t much I can explain to you about it.

Dain: Sen, next time we spar, maybe we should really look into what you can do with darkness.

Far ahead, Fex and Ira guided the horses pulling the cart.

Fex: The weather is nice thankfully.

Ira: Yeah.

Fex: I really wish we didn’t have to go out to Krutone.

Ira: Well, it’s like Zarnem said, we need to report the possibility of Penim getting a hold of The Orb, and something about Sen.

Fex: Yes, and we’re barely passing around Revano, our literal enemy.

Ira: He was able to get here from Krutone, so I’m sure he can guide us back easy.

Fex: Yeah, I get it. It’s just crazy, you know? Zagons. It was folklore last week, and now it’s real.

Ira looks behind to see if Zarnem is listening to the conversation. She confirms he’s busy talking to Sen and Dain.

Ira (lowering her voice): He knows things.

Fex looks back at Zarnem talking to Sen and Dain also.

Fex (also quietly): Yeah. He’s from Krutone after all. They essentially control the world.

Ira: Ever felt like questioning him?

Fex: All the time.

Ira: You’re closer to him than the rest of us.

Fex: Yeah, but I don’t want to challenge his authority.

Ira: I mean, you can just ask him as a friend.

Fex: I did at one time. It’s a touchy subject.

Ira: Why?

Fex: I think he’s guilty of something.

Ira: Oh?

Fex: Because why would he leave a place like Krutone? He was a captain. Something must’ve happened.

Ira: I mean, he did say he lost his friend.

Fex: Yeah, who we’re now finding out might still be alive.

Ira: Hmm.

Fex: Let’s stop talking about it for now. I don’t want to be heard.

Hours passed as the trees around them began to show streaks of white on their green leaves. The further they ventured, the more the trees became entirely white. It wasn’t cold, nor was it snow—just the leaves and bark of the trees, both turned a stark white.

Shera: Wow! Beautiful.

Ira: Hey everyone, take a look. We’re crossing through The White Forest.

Sen and Dain looked out the cart. Zarnem stayed inside. Makota and Yerah also looked out to see the trees.

Yerah: Wow…

Fex: Fun fact, this isn’t snow! It’s just Intergy that is underneath the forest. As these trees grew, the roots absorbed the Intergy, making their color white.

Ira: And a more interesting fact is that this happened because of a war hundreds of years ago. This was once a battle ground. As you may have learned in your history, Revano unleashed a powerful bomb of Intergy they had stored as a weapon. Many years later, the trees grew from the remaining Intergy that still runs underneath.

Fex: Hundreds and hundreds of soldiers died in that explosion. And now we’re here, crossing through.

Zarnem remained silent in his cart, sensing they were being watched. Hidden among the trees were figures dressed in white, blending seamlessly with their surroundings. Dain glanced upward, catching a subtle movement in the branches. He nudged Sen and pointed. Sen followed his gaze, spotting the movement as well.

Makota: Crazy how something so beautiful came from a result of something so destructive.

Shera: Yeah, and to think it was from a trash place like Revano—

Intergy wires shot through the air, ensnaring the horses and trapping Ira and Fex as well. Without hesitation, Zarnem summoned an earth blade from the ground to defend himself. A spy dropped from a tree, charging at Zarnem with an Intergy blade, but Zarnem swiftly blocked the strike. Dain, poised to defend, was about to unleash fire at the spy when another appeared behind him, using more Intergy wires to bind him.

Zarnem glanced around and saw that Makota, Shera, and Yerah were also restrained by several more spies. Sen created a sword of light Intergy and swung at the spy near Dain, but before he could land the blow, additional Intergy wires descended, wrapping around Sen and tightening the hold on everyone. Though the group was already bound, more wires shot out, securing them even more.

The only one free was Zarnem, who had anticipated the attack. He surveyed the situation and realized he was outnumbered by at least twenty spies.

Spy 1: We have people traveling from Clyden? How fun.

Zarnem: You’re from Revano.

Spy 2: What brings you all here?

Spy 3: What Clyden idiots thought it’d be smart to cross through The White Forest?

Spy 1: Crossing our land is quite brave.

Spy 3: Or quite stupid.

Spy 2: They’re from Clyden, so let’s go with stupid.

Zarnem sent stone spikes from the ground towards a group of the spies, but they were immediately blocked by a wall of stone as well.

Spy 1: I don’t recommend you try fighting all of us.

Zarnem saw one of the spies holding a blade on each hand at Ira’s and Fex’s neck.

Spy 2: We’d really like a big paycheck, so how about we make this easy, and you just come along with us?

Spy 3: Osin would be euphoric to see what we have here.

Spy 2: Eight soldiers from Clyden. We’d make huge money here.

Zarnem hardened his skin to stone and drew another stone blade from the ground.

Spy 1: I said I don’t recommend you fighting. We could just go back with six. Killing these two wouldn’t mean much of a loss.

Zarnem looked over to Ira and Fex, realizing they could get killed in an instant. Then he looked over to Sen, Dain, Yerah, Makota, and Shera.

Spy 1: Let’s cooperate yeah?

Spy 2: How about this? We take you back, we get paid, and then you can try to figure out a way to escape?

Spy 1: It’s a lot better than just killing you all off.

Zarnem: And you think I’d take that?

Spy 3: Why not? Either die now or die later. At least then, you might have a chance of escaping. But right now, your comrades die, and perhaps yourself next.

Zarnem paused, surveying the group as they lay bound. After a moment of thought, he lowered his blade and softened his skin. In an instant, a spy ensnared him with Intergy wires. The spies blindfolded everyone and tossed them into the cart they had arrived in, using the horses to pull them toward an unknown destination.

Ira: Zarnem, what are you thinking? You sure this is good?

Zarnem: It’s like they said, we can at least escape later. But right now, there’s no way. Let me think for a moment.

In another world, Sicrus, Zan and Mayzen are sitting on boulders. The place is dark and Zagons are resting around the area.

Sicrus: So, do you think we just break our way in?

Mayzen: I wouldn’t say so.

Zan: Not like we could anyways, haha. Those damn Krutonians and their defenses.

Mayzen: Based on some of the new information I was able to gather, going through Krutone’s new Intergy security would alarm them instantly.

Sicrus: So, the plan is still to enter through Luria?

Mayzen: It would seem so.

Zan: We could always just torture one of the soldiers to open the gate.

Sicrus: I don’t like those odds. You’re assuming they won’t just accept death.

Zan: That’s where Mayzen does his magic and figures out how to open it.

Mayzen: We need to figure out how exactly this gate works in the first place. It might require a specific someone to open it. It may even need approval from the inside of Krutone.

Sicrus: And the quieter we get in, the better.

Mayzen: We have to go in quietly. The very moment we’re detected, it’ll make the entire goal harder.

Zan pets a Zagon.

Zan: Well, we can always send these as a distraction.

Mayzen: No, we already discussed that wouldn’t work. It doesn’t guarantee it.

Sicrus: Zan, you’re just looking for a reason to cause chaos. Can we focus?

Zan: Alrighty. Always so serious, you.

Sicrus: Any idea where Penim is? He’s taking a bit of time.

Mayzen: He’s scouting for Zarnem. Word has it that he left Clyden with others. He also has Sen.

Sicrus: Wait, are they going to Krutone?

Mayzen: More than likely, and if that’s the case, we can utilize them as our way to get in.

Sicrus: Penim can’t ruin it then.

Mayzen: We’ll make an agreement.

Zan: And you think that asshole would work with us?

Mayzen: He’ll have to… it’s the only way he’ll get to Zarnem.

Back to Revano, the crew is being thrown into a prison, gates embedded with Intergy.

Spy 1: This is all of them.

Guard 1: You realize you captured Zarnem right?

Spy 1: Do I get paid more for him?

Guard 1: You definitely do. Not sure how much, but Emperor Osin will give more without a doubt.

Guard 2: Shall I report to Emperor Osin?

Guard 1: Please do.

The guard leaves.

Spy 1: I’ll be waiting for my payment at the gates.

The spy leaves. The guard looks back at Zarnem, making sure it’s really him.

Guard 1: Can’t believe they actually caught you.

Zarnem didn’t look bothered. He stared down.

Ira (whispering): Fex, can you figure it out?

Fex: Already did. These bars are made with Intergy using electricity.

Zarnem: Don’t try anything.

Ira: What? Do you have something else in mind?

Zarnem: Wait for the report with Osin.

Ira: You want us to face the emperor? Are you out of your mind?

Zarnem: We can negotiate.

Fex: You can’t be serious. Negotiate with Emperor Osin?

Makota: Even I know that’s an absurd idea.

Zarnem: It’s better than causing a ruckus that’ll draw more of their soldiers to us.

Fex: Why didn’t you fight back in the forest?

Ira: You could’ve tried freeing one of us.

Zarnem: Too risky. It’s better if we all stay alive.

Fex: I’m really doubting your leadership. You’re making me wish I never came along.

Zarnem: Just trust me on this.

Ira: How do you plan to negotiate?

Zarnem: I have information he’ll want to know.

Fex: What information could you possibly have? Revano is a sworn enemy from Clyden. You really think he’ll negotiate?

Zarnem: I’ll make it work.

Fex: If we get out of this alive, you’re telling me everything, damn it.

Zarnem looked towards Fex showing frustration.

Zarnem: Deal.

Over to Sen, Dain, and Yerah in their cell farther away.

Sen (to Yerah): Are you hurt?

Yerah: A little bit, but I’ll be fine.

Sen: Can I help you with anything?

Yerah: I’m ok. I can heal myself.

Dain: We were ambushed fast.

Sen: We could barely do anything at all.

Dain: So, we’re in Revano right now?

Sen: It would appear so.

Yerah: I didn’t realize we were that close to Revano’s gates.

Dain: I don’t know why we took this route. It’s so dumb getting this close to enemy territory.

Sen: Zarnem said it was the fastest way to Krutone.

Dain: Yeah, but what’s the point if we die this way?

Yerah: Well, it seems he has a plan.

Sen: It’s insane he thinks he can negotiate with Revano’s emperor.

Dain: I understand he’s important, but he can’t possibly be that important.

Sen: He could’ve fought back.

Dain: He could’ve, but he surrendered.

A door opens and a soldier walks through.

Soldier: Zarnem you say?

Guard 1: He’s there.

Soldier: What a pleasure. Emperor Osin would like to have a word with you.

Zarnem: I’ll go, but not alone.

Soldier: You’ll have to come alone. Emperor Osin has no interest in anyone else but you.

Zarnem: Then I refuse to go. It’s simple really. Let me bring one. We won’t fight back. It’s for security.

The guard shrugs to the soldier.

Soldier: Only one.

Zarnem looks over to Sen.

Zarnem: Him.

Sen: Me?

The soldier looks at Sen and unlocks the gate. Zarnem and Sen walk out.

Dain: Be safe out there Sen.

Fex: Zarnem, why are you taking Sen?

Zarnem looks at Fex, but doesn’t answer. Zarnem and Sen are guided to a cart. The cart is pulled by a horse.

Sen: Zarnem, why me?

Zarnem: Because you’ll keep quiet.

Sen: Huh?

Zarnem: When we meet with Osin, keep quiet.

Sen: What’s there for me to even say?

Zarnem: Fex would open his mouth, and Ira would argue. Let me do the talking when we get there.

Sen looked at Zarnem concerned.

Zarnem: Is that understood?

Sen nodded.

Zarnem: And anything that is said during this meeting, you don’t let anyone else know.

Sen: What?

Zarnem: Do you understand?

Silence.

Zarnem: Do you understand?

Sen: Yes.

As they travelled, Sen looked around realizing that the place of Revano was a sight hard to see. As Sen sat in the cart, the reality of Revano unfolded before his eyes. The streets were cracked and uneven, littered with debris, as if the city had been abandoned by time itself. Buildings stood in disrepair, their walls stained with soot and grime, with wooden planks hastily nailed over shattered windows. The air was thick with the scent of burning coal and damp, decaying wood, a stark contrast to the fresher, livelier atmosphere of Clyden.

People moved like shadows along the sides of the road, heads bowed, eyes downcast, their clothes nothing more than rags draped over skeletal frames. Children with hollow cheeks clung to their mothers, their ribs visible through thin, tattered shirts, while others sat motionless in alleyways, their expressions vacant, as if they had long since stopped expecting kindness.

At nearly every street corner, armed soldiers stood, their uniforms pristine compared to the filth surrounding them. Posters of Emperor Osin lined the crumbling walls, his painted face glaring down at the people with words demanding loyalty: “Unity Through Strength. Strength Through Obedience.” Some of the posters were torn, the edges burned, but none were completely removed.

Sen watched as an elderly man struggled to push a cart filled with what little food he had, his frail hands shaking. A soldier stopped him, inspected the contents, and without hesitation, took half before letting him go. The man didn’t protest. He simply bowed and walked away, his pace slow, his gaze empty.

In the distance, a group of people stood in a line outside a ration station. Their figures barely moved, their shoulders slumped, as if they had been waiting for hours. A woman at the front of the line held out a small voucher, but the officer at the station shook his head. She pleaded, dropping to her knees, clutching his uniform. Without hesitation, he struck her across the face, sending her to the ground. No one in the line reacted. They simply stared ahead, silent, unmoving.

Sen’s stomach tightened. This wasn’t just poverty. This was suffering at its purest. The people weren’t just hungry— they were broken. There was no fight left in them, only survival, and even that seemed like a fragile hope. Sen exhaled slowly, gripping his hands into fists. His mind raced. How could anyone live like this? How could anyone allow this? He glanced at Zarnem, whose face remained unreadable.

Sen: Zarnem… this place.

Zarnem: Don’t talk about it. Save it for another time.

As the cart approached the towering gates of Emperor Osin’s palace, Sen felt an immediate contrast between the desolate streets of Revano and the grandeur before him. The gates, crafted from blackened steel, shimmered with traces of Intergy, glowing faintly as they parted to reveal a long, pristine pathway lined with golden lanterns. Unlike the crumbling buildings of the majority of Revano, the palace stood.

Guards in sleek, navy-blue uniforms flanked the entrance, their expressions stoic, their eyes following every movement. The palace doors, massive and adorned with intricate carvings of Revano’s history, swung open effortlessly, revealing a corridor lined with towering statues of past rulers, each one carved with a stern, unyielding gaze. The air inside was rich with the scent of incense, a stark contrast to the filth and decay outside.

Sen and Zarnem were guided through the vast halls, their footsteps echoing against the polished floors. Murals of past battles decorated the ceiling, each one depicting Revano’s triumphs—scenes of war, conquest, and merciless retribution. Servants in fine silk robes moved silently along the sides of the hall, never raising their heads, their presence acknowledged only by the quiet rustling of fabric as they passed.

At the end of the grand hallway stood a set of immense double doors, gilded with silver and gold, guarded by two elite soldiers. They stepped aside, pushing open the doors to reveal the Emperor’s throne room. The space was enormous, the walls lined with banners displaying Osin’s sigil— a roaring black dragon against a crimson backdrop. At the center of the room sat a massive throne of dark stone, embedded with glowing veins of Intergy that pulsed like a living heart.

Emperor Osin sat upon it, his posture relaxed yet commanding. He wore a robe of deep red and black, the fabric embroidered with golden patterns resembling flames. A crown of twisted metal rested upon his head, and his piercing amber eyes studied them with quiet amusement. His fingers tapped idly against the armrest.

Osin: You’ve grown so much, Zarnem.

Zarnem: Emperor Osin.

Sen (thinking): You know him.

Osin: Son of Zash. What brings you here? And who’s this guest you bring?

Zarnem: This is Sen.

Osin’s eyes flickered.

Zarnem: And I have some news for you.

Osin: Oh? What news do you have for me?

Zarnem: Penim is alive for sure.

Osin: Alive!? Didn’t you say he died in that mission?

Zarnem: I failed to check for his body. I assumed he died because he was heavily outnumbered by your soldiers.

Sen (thinking): What… the… hell… is going on?...

Osin: So, the Zagons, it’s him? It’s Penim’s doing?

Zarnem: There’s no one else I can think of. He’s the only one I knew who was ever interested in The Orb.

Osin: Right. But how exactly did he get it? Don’t tell me President Kyto let it slip under him?

Zarnem: I have no clue. But this is why I’m here.

Osin: Go on.

Zarnem: First, I need to get through The White Forest. It’s the fastest way to Krutone. You have to let your spies let us pass. Secondly, you need to push for the next summit to happen earlier. These Zagon attacks are getting larger, and we can’t afford to wait for our next plan. Lastly, I need you to resource me and my team with extra food and water if we’re going to make it to Krutone faster. Clyden couldn’t provide much, but they did what they could.

Osin: You think these spies will be merciful to you? You’re all from Clyden.

Zarnem: Under your command, yes. We are no longer enemies. Our enemy is Penim.

Osin: Can’t we just find and kill him?

Zarnem: Well… it’s not just him. As of now, we know Sicrus and Zan are working with Penim.

Osin: Zan? You mean the acid monster? Who let him out?

Zarnem: We think it’s Sicrus.

Osin: Are you talking Sicrus, the one who is responsible for destroying Troita?

Zarnem: Yes, him. And I confirmed that during my encounter with Zan.

Osin: Oh, so you saw Zan with your own eyes?

Zarnem: I did. And he’s as powerful as everyone says he is.

Osin: Anyone else? Do you know their mission?

Zarnem: I do not. That is why I’m saying to hurry this summit meeting before it’s too late. We need to do something now.

Osin: That’s not up to me.

Zarnem: And I’m aware of that. That’s why I’m asking you let us pass through The White Forest so I can get President Kyto do make things happen sooner.

Osin: And you think he’ll listen?

Zarnem: With Zagons, does he have a choice?

Osin: And you’re asking for me to give you our resources?

Zarnem: Yes, anything.

Osin: We’re a third world, and you’re asking for resources?

Zarnem: Anything.

Osin looks at Sen then back to Zarnem. He smiles.

Osin: Ok. There’s not much more you need to explain. We’ll let you through and help you get to Krutone. Just don’t die. I’d hate to waste resources on you.

Zarnem: Thank you, Emperor.

Osin: Keep an eye out for those Zagons. More importantly, keep an eye out for Penim and his team.

Zarnem: We will.

Sen was processing everything he heard. His mind was racing with so many thoughts on who Zarnem really is. As Sen followed Zarnem out of the throne room, his legs felt heavier with every step. His mind raced, each word of the conversation looping in his head, colliding with the image he had built of Zarnem. They stepped outside, the cold air of Revano feeling heavier than before. The streets were still lifeless, the people still suffering, but now, Sen felt their pain in a different way.