Alden glanced around, looking at the towering trees and thick vines that stretched endlessly in all directions. There were no signs of life—no voices, no structures—just an ancient, living wilderness.
Cautiously, he began to walk, hoping to stumble upon signs of civilization… or at the very least, another human.
After what felt like hours of trudging through the dense forest, something unusual caught his eye—a small rabbit eating a carrot..
But before Alden could take a step closer, a sharp thwip cut through the air.
An arrow struck the rabbit cleanly, blood scattering across the forest floor.
Startled, Alden turned to see a figure approaching the fallen rabbit. She wore a green dress.. Her ears were pointed, her brown eyes calm and focused as she knelt to retrieve her arrow from the rabbit's body.
"An elf?" Alden thought in disbelief, eyes wide. "They exist here?"
In his shock, he stepped backward—his boot snapping a dry twig beneath him.
*Crack*
The elf's eyes narrowed. She immediately rose and drew another arrow, her body tense and ready.
"Who's there?" she called, as she moved cautiously toward the sound.
She sees Alden holding a sword ready to fight, even though he didn't have any formal training with swords, he wasn't scared. "No way in hell I'm dying here. I will fight till my last breath." he thinks to himself.
She lowered her bow.
"Don't worry, I am not here to hunt down humans," she says, trying to ease the tension.. "Now—who are you, and why are you here? But first…" Her gaze flicked to the weapon in his hands. "Put that sword down."
"I am Alden, I came here to complete the verdant path."
"What path? Are you retarded or something?"
"W-What? Don't you know the verdant path? You live inside the path, you should know it."
She stared at him in silence. Then, slowly, her gaze became distant, as if recalling something buried in memory.
"Remember, children," the voice of the Grand Elder echoed in her mind, "We are not truly free. We were created for a purpose—to test and temper the ones who will come. The travellers. They will appear soon. If you ever see one… bring them to us."
"Wait! So, you're one of them! Come with me!" the elf suddenly exclaimed.
Before Alden could even process what she meant, she grabbed both his arms in a tight grip and launched upward, leaping from tree to tree with inhuman agility. The forest became a blur of green as the wind whipped past his face.
"What the fuck are you doing?! Let me go!" Alden shouted.
She didn't stop. Not even a glance back.
After several minutes of dizzying motion, they landed gracefully on a massive tree platform nestled deep in the jungle. Structures made of woven leaves and glowing vines surrounded them—the village of the elves.
She finally released him, and he stumbled forward, breathless.
"I told you to sto—" he began, but his voice caught in his throat.
All around him stood other humans—young men and women from his world, looking just as bewildered as he felt. Some wore the same expressions of confusion; others had already started speaking, and the elf had already left.
Before Alden could approach anyone, a group of armed elves surrounded them and began herding them forward. With silent precision, they were escorted through a corridor of trees and into a grand hall at the center of the forest.
An elder elf draped in ceremonial robes made of woven leaves and silver thread stood at the far end and said, "Welcome, everyone. I know you might be confused, but worry not, I shall tell you everything you need to know."
The door of the hall closes, producing a loud sound, startling everyone.
"Let me make one thing absolutely clear—though this is considered the easiest of the Twelve Paths, do not let that fool you. The last time these gates opened, not even one-third of the travelers survived."
A silence fell over the room like a shadow.
"The rest? They perished. Consumed by the jungle, killed by the beasts, or driven mad by the trials. The Verdant Path does not show mercy… and it does not forgive the weak."
"Shut the fuck up and tell us how to clear this path already," a rough voice interrupted.
All eyes turned toward the source—a tall man standing near the back, arms crossed, a long scar running down the left side of his face. His unkempt yellow hair fell over one eye, and with an air of complete disrespect, he picked his nose and flicked the contents to the ground.
The room fell into a tense silence. Some looked shocked, others amused. The elder and Alden merely stared at him, unblinking.
"You may have courage," the elder finally said, voice colder now, "but no discipline. That is how most of you will die."
"The path cannot be cleared through brute force alone. There is no map, no clear objective. Even though master Syltheran told you travellers to find the way to clear the Verdant Path on your own, I shall tell you, to clear the Verdant Path, one must reach and gain recognition from the Heartbloom Tree—a mythical, ancient tree hidden deep within the jungle. However, the path to it is not physical alone, but spiritual and emotional. Only those who have evolved will be able to even see the tree, let alone reach it. You have two years. That is the only rule."
He paused,
"Now… whether you leave here as corpses or conquerors—that is up to you."
"How are we supposed to evolve or get strong?" Alden says while gazing at the elder's eyes.
"We have a passionate one here, eh?" he said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Then his tone turned serious.
"This is the last thing I will tell you: The Verdant Path is the path of life. All around you, in every leaf, every root, every breath of wind—you will feel the essence of growth. Of change. Of nature's will to survive. To become strong, you must draw from that power. Learn from it. Adapt. And as per how you do that…"
He turned away, his robes whispering behind him as he walked toward the exit. "…is for you to discover."
With that, the Grand Elder left the hall, and the main door of the hall opened.
Alden clenched his fist and stepped out of the hall into the open air of the village.
Waiting just outside was the same elf who had dragged him here. She stood with her arms crossed, bow slung casually over her shoulder. When she saw him, she walked forward, her steps light and silent on the wooden platform.
"Follow me," she said simply. "I'll lead you to the resting chambers where you'll stay for the night."
She turned, but before taking more than a few steps, she glanced back over her shoulder.
"The grand elder instructed that all the travelers are only allowed to remain here for three days. After that, you'll have to leave."
Alden says, "Yeah, yeah, I know."
The elf says, "Even though I still don't understand what the Grand Elder said in the meeting hall about the Verdant Path and all that... I do hope you'll fulfill your quest."
Alden arrived at the resting chambers and sank onto the bed. The elf left without a word. As exhaustion took over, he closed his eyes. Tomorrow, everything would change.