Chapter 45: The Glowing Forest
Breaths caught in their chests. There was no screaming or panic, just a profound silence broken by the gentle rustling of the glowing leaves and the soft buzz of insects. Emily was the first to break the silence, her voice barely audible, "Where... where are we?"
Kaelen looked around, his eyes wide with astonishment. The place was like a dream, or perhaps a painting sprung from the imagination of a mad artist. Trees with glowing blue and green leaves cast delicate shadows on the grassy ground that shimmered with the same colors. Strange flowers slowly opened their petals as if they were breathing light. Glowing insects fluttered in the air, each wing emitting a faint musical tone, forming a serene, natural symphony.
"We're not in the abyss anymore, that's for sure," Ethan said, his voice full of wonder. He wiped his face with his hand as if trying to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
Laila, who was always fascinated by beauty and mystery, took a step forward and reached out to touch a glowing leaf. She felt a slight warmth radiating from it. "It's... real. But how? And where did the gate go?"
Kaelen looked at the spot where the gate had been. All that remained was a faint circle of blue light on the ground, slowly fading as if it were a distant memory. There was no trace of the dragons or the Commander, just this strange beauty that surrounded them on all sides.
"I don't know," Kaelen replied, trying to gather his thoughts. "But we're safe... at least for now." He felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. They had survived the abyss, but now they were in a completely unknown world. "We have to move. We can't stay here."
"Where to?" Caleb asked, his eyes scanning the glowing horizon. "There are no signs, no roads."
"We'll follow the light," Kaelen said, pointing to a more vibrant thread of light that extended through the forest, as if it were a natural path. "Maybe it will lead us somewhere, or to some answers."
They began to walk slowly, each step stirring a faint shimmer from the glowing grass beneath their feet. The musical sounds of the insects grew clearer as they delved deeper into the forest. The trees became denser, and their colors grew more vibrant. They felt as though they were walking inside a dream, but a dream that could turn into a nightmare at any moment.
After a period of walking, the lights began to change. It was no longer just a soft glow; intricate patterns began to appear on the tree trunks, as if they were ancient runes made of light. The patterns moved and changed slowly, as if they were speaking an incomprehensible language.
"Look at this," Emily whispered, pointing to a massive tree in the middle of the forest that glowed with a deep blue light, and the patterns on it were more distinct and complex. It seemed to be the center of all this luminescence.
Kaelen approached cautiously, his heart beating fast. The tree pulsed with light as if it were a living being. When they reached it, they noticed something they hadn't seen before. There was a small crack in the trunk of the tree, from which a bright white light was emanating, as if it were hiding something inside.