The transition was stark. One moment, Aziel was in the thinning, grey-tinged edges of Elysian Forest; the next, he stepped into a realm devoid of natural color.
The trees in Death Forest were black, their branches gnarled and bare, like skeletal fingers clawing at a perpetually overcast sky. The ground beneath his feet was a carpet of dark, dry leaves that crunched unnaturally loud in the profound silence.
No birdsong, no rustling of small creatures, just an eerie stillness that pressed in on him.
The air itself felt heavy, cool, and carried a faint, earthy scent, like a freshly dug grave. Even the light seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, casting long, distorted shadows that danced at the periphery of his vision.
Aziel paused at the edge, taking it all in. It was a deeply unsettling place.
He took a breath and stepped forward, officially entering the Death Forest.
"Well, this is gloomy," Aziel commented, his voice sounding a little too loud in the quiet. "Blackie, where do I need to go to find this Phantom Fenrir? Does it have a den or something?"
"You don't need to find it," Blackie's voice replied from the ring. "Phantom Fenrir already knows you're here. It would have detected you the moment you stepped into Death Forest."
"Oh. Convenient." Aziel looked around. "So, I just have to wait here then?"
"No, just keep walking. Head deeper into the forest. Fenrir will reveal itself when it decides to."
Aziel frowned. "Do I need to keep walking? You said it already detected me, right?"
"If you just stay here, there's a chance it won't even bother to meet you. That's just how it is,"
"Why's that?"
"Well, no one knows for sure. Maybe it sees people who just stand in one spot as cowards, or maybe it's just enjoying making you sweat a little."
Aziel let out a sigh. "Ugh… how troublesome."
He started walking deeper into the black woods, the crunch of his boots the only sound breaking the oppressive silence.
Hours passed, and Aziel trudged onward, each step carrying him deeper into the heart of the Death Forest.
The oppressive silence continued to weigh down on him, broken only by the rhythmic crunch of his boots on the dark forest floor. It was like the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Aziel grumbled, "Haa… how much longer do I have to walk for?"
Just as the words left his lips, the forest around him began to shift. The already dim light seemed to fade further, the shadows thickening and swirling like tangible entities.
A sudden chill ran down Aziel's spine as he felt the air grow heavy with an unseen presence.
Then, a voice echoed through the woods, casual yet laced with a dark amusement that sent a shiver down Aziel's spine.
"Yoww, Aziel."
Instantly, Aziel spun around, his hand instinctively moving towards his katana hanging on the left side of his waist.
But the scene behind him was a stark contrast to what he had just passed.
Just moments ago, the path had been dimly lit by the weak light filtering through the blackened trees. Now, though, it was swallowed by an absolute, suffocating darkness that felt almost alive, wrapping around him like a thick fog.
Keeping his composure, Aziel peered into the darkness.
About ten meters away, two massive pinpoints of crimson light hung suspended in the air. In the dimness, he could begin to make out the shape of row upon row of teeth. As he stared, they widened into the shape of a smile.
Aziel was taken aback by Phantom Fenrir's size. He had expected it to be colossal, but seeing it with his own eyes was a far cry from what he had imagined.
The air crackled with an energy that seemed to emanate from the massive, shadowy form taking shape before him.
"Well, well, who do we have here?" The booming voice of Phantom Fenrir echoed, dripping with amusement. "Aziel. Long months, no see. What brings you to my lovely abode? Anything I can help you with?"
Aziel's eyes narrowed, but his voice remained level. "I'm here to retrieve a memory fragment I left with you."
"Oh?" Phantom Fenrir chuckled, the sound like rocks grinding together. "You finally went through with erasing your memories? I thought you'd take a bit longer before actually doing it. No wonder you look a bit different."
Slowly, Aziel noticed the glowing eyes and the disembodied grin begin to shrink, descending towards him. At the same time, he heard the distinct sound of footsteps approaching. From the swirling darkness, a figure materialized. It was humanoid, standing around two and a half meters tall. It wore what looked like dark, flowing martial arts attire, and its head was that of a black wolf with piercing red eyes.
Phantom Fenrir, now in a more discernible form, walked slowly, circling Aziel, its wolfish head tilted as if examining a curious specimen.
"So, you really don't remember anything? You remember who I am, don't you?"
"Yes, my memory is gone." Aziel kept his gaze fixed on the circling figure. "And I don't quite recall the nature of our… relationship."
A melodramatic sigh escaped the Mythical Beast. "Forgotten me already? How heartbreaking."
Phantom Fenrir paused, then its tone shifted back to playful. "Still, I must say, you don't look as gloomy as you used to. Losing your baggage seems to suit you."
He stopped his circling and met Aziel's gaze directly, his red eyes gleaming. "But you must know, Aziel, getting that little piece of your past back from me won't be that easy. There's always a price."
"What do you want?" Aziel asked.
A wide, toothy grin spread across Fenrir's wolfish face. "Nothing much. Just want to stretch these old bones. Been a while since I had a good spar. The usual, you know."
Aziel was silent for a moment, weighing his options. It seemed he wouldn't be able to get his memory fragment without a fight.
"Alright," Aziel said, his tone firm, "If that's what you want."