Ice threw the bag to Ray, who calmly retrieved the bow while Celestia stepped back to better assess the situation.
Though he had secretly hoped to meet other people, this encounter felt far too sudden. There had been no warning, no sign of anyone nearby; they had simply appeared out of nowhere.
Even Celestia hadn't sensed them coming, and she could usually detect any creature stirring in the shadows from a dozen meters away.
Faced with the trio's evident tension, the two strangers stood perfectly still, silently watching them.
They looked to be a middle-aged man and woman. The man, tall and composed, wore glasses and radiated a calm, almost disarming friendliness.
In sharp contrast, the woman beside him, striking, blonde, and clad in a vivid green dress, rested one hand on the hilt of a short sword. A fierce glint burned in her eyes, and every part of her posture screamed readiness. She looked like she could strike at the slightest provocation.
The air grew thick with tension, crackling with the potential for violence. One wrong move, and everything could erupt into chaos.
Finally, the man gently placed a hand on his companion's shoulder to ease her stance.
"They're just kids," he said quietly. "What do you want to do?"
Her grip on the sword tightened. Her gaze never left the group.
"But it makes no sense for them to be here," she muttered.
He shook his head slowly. "You know we can't use our powers here. That means they're not illusions or altered creatures. Relax… let's not lose what's left of our humanity."
She hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly loosened her grip.
The man smiled and took a slow step forward, raising both hands in a peaceful gesture.
"My name is Julius, and this is Natasha. As you can see, we're not your enemies."
Ice didn't lower his guard.
"Sorry, but trust is a luxury around here," he said coldly. "And I've got... issues."
Julius sighed, and in that instant, the air changed.
It grew heavier, thicker as if it had suddenly become aware of itself. Something ancient seemed to stir beneath the surface of the world.
And then Julius vanished.
Ice's eyes widened. He spun around, all senses on high alert, but saw nothing. Yet his instincts screamed that death was near if he didn't move.
A flick brushed the back of his neck.
He whirled, sword already in hand but his blade was effortlessly caught in Julius's grip, as if it were a toy in the hand of a child.
'Seriously...' Ice thought.
"Just give it up," Ray muttered beside him, already lowering his bow.
Ice hesitated, then reluctantly slid his sword back into its sheath. He didn't stand a chance, Julius had made that perfectly clear. The best he could do now was hope the man wasn't hostile.
Julius scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
"Sorry. I really didn't want it to come to that. It's just… we're kind of in a rush."
Ice exhaled slowly, the fight draining from his eyes.
"You're right. We were probably too tense. Honestly, we're lucky to have run into you."
Ray and Celestia approached cautiously.
"He's right. We desperately need information," Ray said, extending a hand. "Anything you can tell us about getting out of this place."
Julius glanced at the offered hand, hesitated, then shook it.
"I hate to be the one to tell you this," he said gravely, "but there is no way out. I've been here for ... ten years now...at least."
His words hit like a thunderclap, cracking through the fragile hope the group had clung to. If someone as powerful as Julius had been trapped here for a decade with no escape, what chance did they have just a group of kids barely surviving?
"No," Ray said, clenching his fists. "There has to be a way."
Ice gave him a sideways glance but said nothing. He was drenched in sweat, growing increasingly pale, his body nearing its limit.
"Let's head into the forest," he muttered. "We'll talk there."
Without waiting for a response, he moved toward the trees, passing close to Natasha. Their eyes met briefly, and though no words were exchanged, something tense passed between them.
The others followed him into the forest, eventually finding a small clearing to settle in. Julius joined them, while Natasha remained a few steps away, standing guard.
Ice took a few sips from the water bottle and, for the first time, tried to remove his glove.
It wouldn't budge.
He applied more force—still nothing. It was as if the fabric had fused with his skin. Strangely, it wasn't retaining any heat, either.
He gave up and turned to Julius.
"So… why are you in such a hurry?" Ray asked.
Julius gave him a surprised look.
"So you really don't know anything. And you've survived this long… how?"
Ice allowed himself a faint smirk.
"Let's just say we've got a tough skin… and a decent guide."
Julius scanned their bruised, dirty faces and torn clothes with a thoughtful expression.
"Then congratulations. Most don't make it this far. For every person in this place, there's a monster that mirrors them, hunting them. And if you travel in a group, the monsters group too. That's the nature of the Repentants."
He paused, then added, "Right now, we've got two of them on our tail. One's been weakened and can't regenerate. As for the other… we've already cut off its limbs, but it should finish regenerating soon."
Ray raised a brow.
"Why not just kill them?"
Julius's face darkened.
"Because every time we kill one… a stronger one replaces it. We didn't realize until it was too late."
Ice's brow furrowed.
But we only encountered one, he thought. That doesn't match what he's saying.
Still, something else had been bothering him, a question that had lingered since their arrival.
"These trees," he said. "This whole forest… Why does it feel so strange?"
Julius suddenly stood, and Natasha drew her rapier in a single, fluid motion. This time, even without Celestia's abilities, they all heard the sound of footsteps in the distance, closing in fast.
Julius raised a hand to signal them not to act. His voice, when he finally answered, was low and somber.
"Because in death, we find repentance. And every one of these trees… is a Repentant."