Episode 6 : THE FOREST, THE WATCHER, AND A VISION

THE FOREST, THE WATCHER, AND A VISION

Still in the forest, Diedra, Veyra, and Vakim continued their journey in search of the Sabbath of the White Witches of Time. The path was exhausting, and the forest grew darker and darker, as if it were coming to life. Diedra could hear the whispers of the forest, a subtle murmur that seemed to come from all directions. Every tree, every leaf, every branch seemed to have its own voice, as if the entire surroundings were trying to convey a hidden message.

Diedra suddenly stopped, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine. She slowly turned her head, trying to locate the source of the whispers, but everything seemed to blend into a mysterious song of nature. Veyra, noticing her hesitation, asked in a hesitant voice:
— Did you hear it too?
— Yes... — replied Diedra, her eyes fixed on the shadows dancing among the trees. — The forest is speaking. But I don’t understand what it’s trying to tell us.

Vakim, who seemed less impressed, muttered:
— Maybe it’s just the wind. Or some animals. We can’t stop now; the Sabbath isn’t far.
But before they could take another step, a loud rustling erupted from the nearby bushes. The branches bent abruptly, and a pale light, like a silvery glimmer, shone through the leaves. Diedra felt the air grow heavy with an unknown energy, and the whispers of the forest became clearer, almost like words spoken in ancient tongues.
— It’s not just the wind... — she whispered, her eyes flashing with fear and wonder. — Something or someone is waiting for us.

Diedra tightened her grip on the dagger at her belt, her heart pounding. Veyra raised her staff, and a bluish-green spark danced in her palm, ready to invoke a defensive spell. Vakim, on the other hand, drew a long knife and scanned the agitated bushes. From the shadows of the trees, a silhouette began to take shape, as if emerging from the darkness. It had an ethereal appearance, almost translucent, and the pale light enveloping the forest seemed to pulse through its form. It was not a being of flesh and bone, but rather a living shadow, a remnant of long-forgotten times.
— You are strangers to the forest, but the forest has recognized you, murmured the entity’s voice, a faint echo like a breeze through the foliage. Diedra felt her skin crawl. The being did not seem hostile, but neither was it friendly. Around it, the whispers of the forest grew louder, becoming clearer.
— Who are you? asked Veyra, holding her staff firmly. The silhouette moved slowly, and the air around it shimmered as if reality itself were thinning in its presence.
— A watcher. A memory. A warning.
The entity’s words echoed in the air, vibrating through their bodies. Diedra tightened her grip on the dagger, feeling her palm sweat beneath the hilt.
— What kind of warning? she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
The silhouette approached slowly, and the pale light surrounding it grew brighter, revealing faint features, like traces of paint on a black canvas. Its eyes—if they could be called eyes—were two deep voids, filled with an ancient sorrow.
— The forest does not wish you harm, but it will not let you pass without testing you. The Sabbath you seek is hidden from the eyes of the uninitiated. Only the worthy can reach it.
Vakim, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward, his knife glinting in the faint light.
— And who decides who is worthy? he asked, a note of defiance in his voice.
The entity paused, and the air around it seemed to grow sharper.
— The forest decides. And now, the forest will test you.
Before any of them could say another word, the light around the entity exploded into a shower of sparks, and the forest seemed to come alive with an unknown force. The trees bent, and thick, twisted roots rose from the ground, trying to ensnare them.
— Get back! shouted Veyra, invoking a barrier of bluish-green light that shielded them for a moment.
Diedra leaped to the side, avoiding a root that tried to grab her, and prepared to strike with her dagger. But at the same time, she felt the whispers of the forest penetrate her mind, revealing images and words she could not fully understand.
— Don’t fight it! she shouted, her voice seeming to come from afar. — We must listen!
As the roots retreated and Veyra’s magical barrier began to fade, the forest sank into an unnatural silence. The air grew heavy, as if reality itself were thinning. Diedra felt a wave of dizziness, and in the next moment, the world around her dissolved into a rain of strange lights.
When she came to, she was no longer in the forest. She found herself in a dark, cold chamber with stone walls. A torch flickered weakly on one of the walls, and in the center of the room, a figure knelt with its back to her. She recognized it. It was her own silhouette. But something was wrong. The version of her on the floor trembled and moaned softly, and when it raised its head, its eyes were empty, devoid of any spark.
— You were never strong enough, murmured the shadow, in her own voice but distorted. — You thought you would succeed, but you failed every time.
Diedra clenched her dagger. She knew it was an illusion. She knew the forest was trying to penetrate her mind, to make her yield. But why did it feel so real?
In another part of the forest, Veyra faced an impossible choice. Before her were two portals. In one, she saw Diedra falling, overcome by an unknown power. In the other, she saw Vakim, trapped in a snare of shadows, screaming for help. A whispered voice invaded her mind:
— You can only save one. Choose, witch.
Vakim, for his part, felt paralyzed before a landscape he knew all too well. His hometown, consumed by flames. The fire danced around him, and among the flames, he saw the faces of those he had failed to save in the past. Each of them stared at him with empty, lifeless eyes.
— Did you think you could escape the past? mocked a familiar voice. — But the past will always follow you.
Diedra stared at her shadow, feeling her heart pound in her chest. That distorted voice, those empty eyes—it was all meant to break her. But she was not the same person she had once been.
— You’re not real, she said, in a voice she barely recognized. — You’re just a shadow. An illusion.
Her shadow laughed, a cold, lifeless sound.
— But I am part of you. You know that. You failed then, and you will fail again.
Diedra closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. She remembered the words of the entity in the forest: The forest is testing you. And if this was her test? To face her own fears and doubts?
With a swift motion, she threw her dagger to the ground.
— I’m not hiding anymore, she said, her voice firm. — I’m not running from you. I am who I am, with all my failures and weaknesses. And that’s enough.
As the words left her lips, the shadow began to dissolve, as if made of smoke. The torchlight flickered brighter, and Diedra felt the world around her rebuild itself.
Meanwhile, Veyra stood before the two portals, her heart weighed down by the burden of choice. The whispered voice echoed in her mind, but she tried to focus.
— I can’t choose between them, she murmured. — It’s not right.
— Then both will perish, replied the voice, cold and merciless.
Veyra closed her eyes, trying to find an answer. She remembered the words of Serathis,who had once told her: Sometimes, true power lies not in choosing, but in finding a way to avoid having to choose.
Opening her eyes, Veyra raised her staff and plunged it into the ground. A wave of magical energy spread around her, destabilizing the two portals.
— I won’t choose, she declared, her voice strong. — I will find a way to save them both.
The portals began to fade, and the whispered voice seemed to drift away, mingling with the rustling of the forest.
Vakim remained motionless before his burning hometown, his eyes filled with pain. The faces of his loved ones stared at him, and the familiar voice challenged him to confront his past.
— I can’t change what happened, he said, his voice hoarse. — But I can make sure it never happens again.
With a quick motion, he drew his knife and plunged it into the ground, symbolizing an oath. The fire began to die down, and the faces in the flames seemed to smile for a moment before disappearing.
As Vakim’s words echoed in the air, the darkness around him began to dissolve. The illusory fire of his hometown vanished, and the faces of his loved ones turned into sparks of light that scattered in the wind. The forest reappeared around him, but now it was different. The pale light filtering through the trees seemed warmer, more welcoming.
At the same time, Diedra and Veyra awoke from their nightmares, finding themselves back in the forest, side by side. All three looked at each other, breathing heavily, as if they had narrowly escaped death.
— Was that... real? asked Veyra, her voice hesitant.
— It was a test, replied Diedra, rubbing her temples. — The forest tested us.
Vakim nodded, looking around with determination.
— And we passed, he murmured. — But what now?
At that moment, a gentle breeze swept through the forest, carrying with it a sweet, calming murmur. The leaves of the trees danced, and the light seemed to focus on a single point, where a silhouette began to take shape. It was a tall, slender figure, almost human in appearance but too perfect to be real. Its skin shimmered like silver in the moonlight, and its eyes were like two shining stars.
— Welcome, travelers, said the entity, its voice seeming to come from all directions at once. — You have passed the forest’s trials and proven yourselves worthy to continue your quest.
Diedra, Veyra, and Vakim exchanged glances, still slightly shocked by the being’s presence.
— Who are you? asked Diedra, her voice respectful but curious.
— I am a spirit of the forest, a watcher of ancient secrets, replied the entity. — The forest has sent me to guide you, for the path to the Sabbath of the White Witches of Time is fraught with dangers you cannot face alone.
Veyra raised her staff, but the forest spirit gently motioned for her to stop.
— You have no need for weapons here, it said. — Here, power comes from understanding and trust.
Extending a hand, the forest spirit revealed a shimmering object—a small, blue stone that seemed to pulse with an inner light.
— This is the Stone of Time, it said. — It will guide you to the Sabbath, but only if you are capable of uncovering its secrets. It responds to your pure intentions and your will to understand the mysteries of the forest.
Diedra reached out and took the stone, feeling a pleasant warmth spread through her arm.
— How do we use it? she asked.
— The stone will show you the way, but you must pay attention to the signs, replied the spirit. — The forest speaks through symbols and images. Listen to it, and you will find what you seek.
Before they could ask anything else, the forest spirit began to fade, transforming into sparks of light that rose toward the sky.
— Remember, added its voice, now a distant echo. — The Sabbath is not just a place. It is a state of being. You must be ready to change in order to find it

AN UNKNOWN WORLD

Serathis felt his mind being pulled into a whirlwind of images and sounds, as if reality itself were unraveling around him. That strange voice continued to whisper, but the words were distorted, as if coming from depths of time and space he could not comprehend.
— Do you want to know the truth? Then follow me...
He tried to resist, to maintain his connection with Diedra, but the unknown force was too strong. Around him, the priests began to collapse one by one, overwhelmed by the energy that seemed to engulf the ritual chamber. Samira was the only one still trying to help him, calling his name, but her voice seemed to come from very far away.
— Serathis! Stop the ritual! she shouted again, her voice filled with desperation.
But Serathis could not stop. He felt something pulling him deeper, a blinding light enveloping his vision. Then, suddenly, everything stopped.
When he opened his eyes, Serathis was no longer in the temple. He found himself in a strange landscape—a tall mountain shrouded in clouds, with lightning flashing across a dark red sky. Before him stood an imposing figure—Zeus, the king of the gods. He was taller than any man, with a white beard and eyes that shone like lightning. In his right hand, he held a golden scepter, and in his left, a bolt of lightning that pulsed with immense energy.
— Serathis, said Zeus, his voice thundering like a storm. — You have come seeking the truth.
Serathis looked at him, feeling his heart pound in his chest. — Yes, he replied, his voice respectful but firm. — I want to know what is happening to Diedra. I want to know why you disappeared and why you left the world in the hands of the other gods.
Zeus lowered his gaze, his expression growing graver. — Diedra is more than you know, he said. — She is my creation, an experiment to see if a human could bear the power of the gods. I wanted to create a bridge between our world and yours.
Serathis stared at him in shock. — Diedra... is your creation?
— Yes, replied Zeus. — But something went wrong. She developed a will of her own, a power even I cannot fully control. And now, the Sabbath of the White Witches of Time is the key to understanding what is happening to her.
— What must I do? asked Serathis, feeling the weight of responsibility.
Zeus raised his scepter, and a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. — You must find Diedra and help her discover her true nature. But beware, for you are not the only one seeking her. There are dark forces that wish to use her for their own purposes.
— How can I find her? asked Serathis.
Zeus extended a small, blue stone that pulsed with an inner light. — This is the Stone of Time. It will guide you to her, but only if you are capable of uncovering its secrets. It responds to your pure intentions and your will to understand the mysteries of the universe.
Serathis took the stone, feeling a pleasant warmth spread through his arm. — Thank you, he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
— Do not thank me yet, said Zeus, his expression solemn. — Your path is fraught with peril, and not all the gods are on your side. Be cautious, and do not forget that the truth can be more terrifying than any lie.
Before Serathis could ask anything else, Zeus vanished in an explosion of light, leaving him with the Stone of Time glowing in his hand.

RETURN TO REALITY

When Serathis opened his eyes, he found himself lying on the temple floor, with Samira and the other priests gathered around him, worried. The light of the candles flickered weakly, and the air was heavy with tension.
— Serathis! Are you all right? asked Samira, her voice filled with concern.
He looked up, his eyes meeting hers.
— I saw... Zeus, he said, his voice hoarse. — He told me the truth about Diedra. She is his creation, an experiment to unite our world with that of the gods.
Samira stared at him in shock. — What? How is that possible?
— I don’t know, replied Serathis, slowly getting to his feet. — But we must find her. Zeus gave me this stone—the Stone of Time. It will guide us to her.
Samira looked at the stone, feeling a wave of energy wash over her. — What do we need to do?
— We must go, said Serathis, his voice firm. — The Sabbath of the White Witches of Time is the key. But we must be prepared, for we are not the only ones seeking it.