18.Red Sunset

The battle with the wolves was over, but the cost had been severe.

The expedition members' bodies were stained with dust and blood, and their armor and clothes were marked with countless scratches.

Harsh breathing sounds came from all around; someone was limping, while another was barely maintaining their balance from exhaustion.

With sweat and blood mixed together, they had no choice but to keep moving forward.

This was still the Great Forest.

Massive trees stood tall, blocking the sky.

The branches were densely intertwined, and the beams of light that filtered through them couldn't reach the ground.

The earth beneath their feet sank deeply, and roots spread out in all directions.

The air was damp, and a windless silence covered the forest.

"Reform the ranks," Lord Petriert commanded in a low but firm voice. "Continue the march."

At the expedition leader's order, the soldiers moved with heavy steps. The expedition to Hell Fortress had to continue.

Tristan unconsciously gripped his sword hilt.

The blood on his hands hadn't dried yet, but there was something else that concerned him more.

"Are you alright?" Tristan asked.

Looking to the side, he saw Elina rubbing the wound mark left on her forearm.

She nodded with effort, but her eyes still maintained their vigilance.

Beyond that gaze stretched a deeper and darker forest.

"This is as good as night..." Hallis muttered in a low voice.

Her words were true.

Despite it being midday, the forest was as dark as pitch, and there was an anxiety that one more step would suck them into the darkness.

"If we continue like this, we might lose our way," Hallis grumbled.

Before her words were even finished, something strange happened. The path they had just walked suddenly felt unfamiliar.

Tristan stopped and looked around. Somehow, the huge oak tree they had just passed was now standing firmly in front of them.

"Wait, that tree... isn't that the oak tree we passed?"

At Tristan's words, the expedition members stopped one by one and looked around.

"That's right," Ederin said, narrowing his eyes. "We definitely passed that tree earlier. I remember those distinctively shaped roots."

Paolo scratched his head with a confused expression. "Have we returned to the same place?"

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Lord Petriert stepped forward. "Knights, scout the surroundings."

The expedition changed direction and headed down another path. This time, they decided to leave markers.

Patricia engraved a blue magical light on a thin branch.

"Let's use this as a marker. Now if we meet this point again, it means we've taken a wrong turn."

After walking for a while, everyone stopped with dumbfounded expressions. Patricia's marker had appeared in front of them once again.

"This can't be..." the Outlaw muttered, emerging from the shadows.

Hallis frowned. "This isn't simply us taking a wrong turn. Something... is strange."

At that very moment, in the windless forest, the branches began to move gently.

They could see the trees changing positions without making a sound.

Tree trunks twisted subtly, and roots dug into the ground and emerged elsewhere.

Patricia's face turned pale. "The forest... is moving."

The forest was alive. The path they had taken no longer existed.

At those words, everyone froze. Now it was clear that the paths they had taken were definitely different, but the forest was changing its shape on its own, making them return to the same spot repeatedly.

"This is forest magic," Patricia said in a low voice. "The forest itself has become a living maze, trapping us."

Bow drew his bow and remained vigilant of his surroundings. This was the first time facing such an invisible opponent.

Tristan and the other novice knights drew their swords, but they didn't know what to cut. The enemy was the entire forest surrounding them.

"We might never be able to escape at this rate." Someone's whisper spread anxiety throughout the expedition.

Lord Petriert frowned and said, "It seems the forest is trying to prevent us from leaving. Form a defensive formation and maintain your intervals!"

And as he said, the expedition increasingly lost direction. Soldiers who had been advancing hesitated, and the knights tried to confirm their direction, but everything in the forest looked the same.

Then Elina's eyes sparkled.

"Greenlight! The magic we learned!"

Hallis's eyes also lit up as if she had realized something.

"Right! Let's try it."

The two stepped into the center of the expedition.

Elina concentrated her magical energy, recalling the spell Greenlight had taught them, and Hallis did the same.

"Lumière, Splash!"

Green magic spread out like an explosion.

Gentle beams of light extended from the fingertips of both people and gradually grew larger.

The magical light pushed back the darkness of the forest and became small lanterns twinkling in the air, surrounding the expedition.

The forest flinched and retreated, and the dense shadows gradually disappeared.

Moss and tree bark that had been hidden in the darkness revealed their clear outlines in the green light, and the sounds coming from the darkness also subsided.

Patricia smiled quietly and said, "Now we can see ahead clearly. Well done, Elina. Hallis."

However, the forest was still complex.

They were still lost, and though they could now see ahead, no one knew which way to go.

Just then, small, glowing spirits began to appear one by one through the magical light beams.

Elina recalled Greenlight's words: 'When you're in danger, the forest will help you.' Was this magic drawing help from the forest, just as Greenlight had said?

Starlike beings floated in the air, approaching the expedition.

"I think we should follow them," Tristan suggested, immediately seeking approval from Lord Petriert with his eyes.

The expedition leader observed the spirits for a moment before making a decision. "Alright. But don't let your guard down."

The spirits floated gently through the air, moving in a certain direction as if guiding the way, and the expedition followed without hesitation.

Surprisingly, the path led by the spirits was easy to walk. The ground was flat and felt as if someone had already passed through.

After some time, a faint green light began to envelop the surroundings.

'Could this be a trace left by Greenlight?' Elina thought.

And finally, "Sunlight!" Bow shouted.

Light penetrated through the forest. It was the moment when hope appeared before them, who had been wandering in darkness.

Warm sunshine filtered through the densely hanging leaves.

At first, it was a small beam of light, but gradually more sunlight spread, revealing the edge of the forest.

As they were about to take the final step, a strong wind swept through the forest, and the leaves shook loudly.

At that moment, the last remaining spirits appeared, twinkling and surrounding the expedition.

It was like the forest's final greeting.

"Let's go out!" Lord Petriert shouted. "Everyone maintain formation and move forward!"

Finally, they crossed the boundary of the forest.

The moment they escaped the darkness of the forest, the world opened up with light.

In that moment, a completely new world unfolded before the expedition's eyes.

Before the expedition that had passed through the deep blue forest, an endlessly stretching golden land revealed itself vastly.

When the wind blew, the fields rippled.

Like a vast sea undulating, light and shadow danced across the vast field.

Above it, the sky was dyed in deep crimson and purple as if burning.

The clouds flowed softly, absorbing the light of the sunset.

The sun, half-hung beyond the horizon, bathed the world in golden light.

This brilliant scenery was like a reward given by God to the expedition that had gone through the darkness and fear of the forest.

In the refreshing wind, the tension and fear that had weighed heavily were all carried away and scattered somewhere.

The sky, which had been hidden by leaves, finally unfolded completely before their eyes.

"We can catch our breath now," Tristan said to Paolo and Ederin.

Patricia clasped her hands and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Greenlight. I hope to see you again someday."

The Outlaw came out of the darkness and headed toward the sunlight after a long time. "Definitely better than the confined forest, this open space."

Hallis muttered, looking at the red landscape where the setting sun draped over the fields. "What lies beyond that..."

Elina looked up at the sky. The sunset light reflected in her eyes. "Perhaps... another test that lies ahead of us."

Bow cleared his throat and blurted out, "Can't we face that test after taking a short rest?"

After a brief silence, laughter spread among the expedition members.

Lord Petriert maintained his dignity even in his tired expression. "The rest will be brief. Our mission is not yet over."

The red sun was slowly sinking below the horizon, and darkness was approaching.

No one knew what future awaited beyond, but what was certain was that the expedition was already standing on that path.