Alen's Forest
"You've got all your things packed, right?"
"Yes." I nodded, adjusting the straps of the backpack on my shoulders at Amy's question.
The massive duffel bag was so big it would have dragged on the ground if I tried to carry it, so Amy had offered to carry it for me.
Today was the day we were leaving Ferman's Castle, a place we had grown so fond of. As I looked back at the home where we had left so many deep memories, a faint wave of melancholy washed over me.
"Let's go," Amy said, picking up her own luggage. Outside the wide-open doors, Victor stood waiting for us, leaning casually against the wall.
"Victor, where is Rain?"
"No idea."
I looked around, scanning the area for any sign of her.
Since it was our final day, surely she wouldn't be late. Where could she have gone? Seeing that Chuchu was missing too, they had probably run off somewhere to play together.
Woof, woof!
Right on cue, Chuchu came bounding down the end of the hallway at full speed. Clutched tightly in his jaws was Rain's plump, yellow chick backpack.
I threw my arms wide open for him. Spotting me, Chuchu charged forward but began to slow his pace just in time. He leaped into my arms with just enough restraint not to knock me over, burying me in a mountain of fluffy white fur.
"Did you sleep well, Chuchu?"
Woof!
Chuchu barked enthusiastically in response. In his excitement, the chick backpack slipped from his mouth and tumbled to the floor. It was now thoroughly soaked in dog drool.
Fearing Chuchu might snatch it up and bolt again, I quickly scooped it up.
"Heyyy!"
Just then, Rain's voice echoed from the far end of the hallway where Chuchu had appeared. Her face was flushed bright red as she sprinted toward us. I waved my hand at her.
"Rain!"
"Jeff! Shine!"
Spotting us, Rain hopped in place and waved her arms frantically. Her golden hair shimmered beautifully in the morning sunlight.
"Did Chuchu steal it again?" I asked, handing the backpack over as she panted to a stop.
Rain glared at Chuchu and nodded. "Yeah. I swear, he loses his mind the moment he sees this bag."
Rain teased, dangling the bag right in front of Chuchu's nose. As the chick's round backside swayed back and forth, Chuchu's own tail and hips began to wiggle in perfect, frantic synchronization.
"Does everyone have everything? Nothing left behind?" Amy asked, scanning the gathered group.
I did a quick mental inventory to make absolutely sure. The painted stone dinosaurs in my bag were safe and sound, my picture diary was packed, and I hadn't forgotten my sketchbook either.
"All good here," Victor and Rain confirmed with nods.
With that, we began our march down the long hallway.
We traversed the corridors, descended the grand staircase, and finally arrived before the massive castle gates. There, the castle staff stood lined up in neat rows, bowing deeply toward us.
"My father ordered this, didn't he?" Amy asked, looking over them.
No one answered.
Letting out a soft sigh, Amy stepped forward, and I followed close behind her.
Walking slowly, I took in the faces of the people around us one by one. They had all been so kind to me. To be honest, I couldn't remember all of their names and faces, but they had always treated Shine and me with genuine warmth. I offered them a cheerful wave.
As we approached, the heavy, tightly shut castle gates swung open on their own. The crisp morning sunlight and a cool breeze brushed against my cheeks. The chilly air rushing into my lungs instantly woke me up.
Ferman was standing right in the middle of the courtyard garden. Since this was the first time I had ever seen him so early in the morning, I waved enthusiastically.
"Grandpa!"
Ferman's eyes met mine, and a warm smile touched his face as he waved back.
Woof!
Chuchu, who had been trotting alongside us, suddenly bolted straight toward Ferman. He flopped down right next to his master's feet, his tail standing straight up and wagging happily.
"Aren't you busy today?" Amy asked as we finally reached Ferman's side.
Ferman let out a soft chuckle. "Time is something one can always make."
"I'm just worried you're overexerting yourself."
"Do I look like a man who is overexerting himself?"
"Didn't you have a major meeting scheduled for this morning?"
"There was indeed such an affair."
"Then you are overexerting yourself."
Ferman didn't argue, merely keeping his gentle smile. His gaze drifted past Amy to Shine and me standing behind her. I raised my hand slightly so he could see it clearly. Under the morning sun, the silver lion ring gleamed, its ruby eyes flashing crimson.
Amy stared at Ferman in silence, her lips parting as if to say something. Her whispered words were swept away by the cold wind before they could fully form, but Ferman seemed to have caught them perfectly. His eyes widened in quiet surprise.
Amy lightly touched her lips, then pulled her phone from her pocket, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"Gene. We're ready to head out."
Amy initiated the call. The moment she spoke their destination, a strange, heavy current began to ripple through the air.
Crack!
The space itself began to warp. The empty air twisted and tore open, forming a dark, swirling vortex that slowly expanded.
"You are welcome back at any time," Ferman told us.
I stared at him for a moment, then reached into my bag and pulled out one of my painted stone dinosaurs. It was my absolute treasure, beautifully decorated with bright paints. I had two of them in total, but I figured I could spare one for Ferman.
"Jeff, is that...?"
"Yeah. It's my treasure." I nodded and stepped closer to Ferman.
"Jeff?"
"I want you to have this. It's my treasure."
I held out the stone dinosaur to him. It was a very stylish dinosaur, painted in a vibrant array of colors. Ferman stared down at the little stone resting in his palm for a long moment. I took two steps back and held up my remaining stone dinosaur to show him.
"They're a pair. Dinosaurs have to be together."
"A pair?"
"Yes. So that means I have to come back to make sure they meet again." I giggled, making my dinosaur fly through the air.
Looking down at me, Ferman's face softened into a warm smile, and he began to mimic my movements. The dinosaur in his hand took flight, soaring through the air in tandem with mine.
"Jeff," Amy's voice called out from behind me.
I stole one last glance at Ferman, then turned and ran back. Standing before the massive vortex, Amy held her hand out to me. I looked at her, then glanced back at Ferman one more time. He was still smiling warmly. I gave him a final wave.
Shine took Amy's other hand. Once she had both of us secured, Amy stepped directly into the swirling vortex. The churning black void began to swallow her form, and I took a deep breath and stepped in after her.
The atmosphere shifted in an instant. Gone was the crisp, biting morning air of the castle, replaced by a warm, slightly humid breeze.
I blinked slowly.
We were standing in a forest shrouded in thick fog, the rich, earthy scent of damp grass tickling my nose. Startled, I looked around in confusion.
"Welcome!"
Out of the mist, a dark silhouette emerged. Startled by the shifting shadow in the fog, I quickly hid behind Amy's back, peeking out to watch the figure approach.
"Gene?"
The figure stepping through the fog was indeed Gene. Amy, seemingly seeing this place for the first time as well, looked around and asked, "Did you relocate the headquarters?"
"We couldn't exactly keep using a place the government already sniffed out," Gene replied. He spread his arms wide and spun around in a cheerful circle. For some reason, he seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood.
"Where are we?"
"A place nobody else knows about. My secret sanctuary."
"Is it really alright to show us a place like this?"
"I'm only showing you because it's you guys."
The fog slowly began to dissipate. As the mist cleared, my jaw dropped at the scenery revealed before us. Towering, ancient trees stretched up to the heavens. Sunlight filtered through the gently swaying leaves like golden rain, casting dancing shadows that tickled my face.
"You managed to sort this out surprisingly fast."
"We have Uncle Ferman to thank for that," Gene said, winking at Shine and me. I stuck my tongue out at his greasy wink and quickly looked away.
"Whoaaa!"
Rain seemed to absolutely adore the place. Spreading her arms wide, she took a deep, dramatic breath of the fresh air, squealed with delight, and began running in circles. *Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.* Her tiny footsteps echoed merrily through the clearing.
"Looks like Rain is a fan."
"What is this place? It's not an illusion, is it?"
"Absolutely not. It's a sanctuary completely hidden from satellite detection," Gene declared proudly. He gestured for us to follow and turned to lead the way. As Amy fell into step behind him, we followed close on her heels.
"I'm amazed you found a place like this."
"Well, I managed to get in touch with some old friends."
Listening to Amy and Gene's conversation, I drifted toward a massive leaf. It was so huge it looked like something straight out of a fairy tale, and it seemed to be waving at me. Instinctively, I reached out and touched it. The leaf, beaded with damp morning dew, suddenly shivered at my touch, shaking off the water droplets. Startled, I yanked my hand back and clung tightly to Amy's leg.
"Amy! Amy! The plant is moving!"
"They're all alive," Gene answered instead.
Alive? I stared blankly at the leaf. It was swaying gently. And it wasn't just the leaf—the massive trees, the tiny wildflowers blooming along the path, everything was swaying in strange, rhythmic patterns. It wasn't the wind moving them; they were moving of their own volition.
"Whoa!"
Sentient plants. Rather than fear, an intense curiosity welled up inside me. I let go of Amy's leg and approached one of the massive trees.
"Jeff."
"Shine, look over here! The branches are moving."
I grabbed Shine's hand and pulled her closer to the giant tree. The tree gently swayed its branches as if greeting us. I waved back with a bright smile. "Hello, Mr. Tree!"
Hahaha!
A soft, boyish chuckle echoed from within the tree. Startled by the voice, I bolted right back to Amy, dragging Shine along with me as I clung to her leg for dear life. "Amy! The tree laughed!"
"The tree?"
Amy stopped in her tracks, turning her gaze toward the tree I was pointing at. The branches swayed slowly, almost as if bowing to her. *Rustle, rustle.* The soft whispering of the leaves drifted through the air. As we stared at the tree, Gene began to explain.
"That is a tree."
"I know that, Gene."
"And he's my friend."
"Are you pulling our leg?"
Hahaha!
The laughter rang out once more, much louder this time, clear enough for everyone to hear. At the sound, Amy instantly flared her energy. A shimmering white aura surged forth, cloaking her back in a protective shield.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"
A strange voice called out. I looked up toward the source of the sound. Perched on the very highest branch of the tree was a young boy. He was quite small, barely any taller than Shine and me.
"Alen!"
Gene waved happily. The boy, Alen, waved back, causing the massive branch to sway dramatically as if the tree itself were waving its hand. Alen stood up on the branch, and the giant bough gently lowered him toward the ground. As he drew closer, his features came into focus: brilliant golden eyes, sun-kissed bronze skin, and long black hair woven into a neat braid.
"Hi there. I'm Alen."
The boy offered a refreshing smile and waved. His laughter seemed to carry the very breeze of the forest. *Whoosh.* A cool, pleasant wind swept through the canopy, rustling the leaves in a gentle welcome.