As they finally made their way out of the woods, a massive rift stood before them, Its starting and end stretching far and long unable to pinpoint the origin. From the corner of their eyes, they spotted an elderly merchant approaching them, he dragged along with him a wagon full up items, mostly gears, weapons and water cans.
"Greetings, young travelers," he said in a croaky voice. "My name is Barbos the Merchant."
"Are you two heading north to the Woken Field?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly. Sera replied,
"Yes, we are."
Barbos's expression turned grave. "Well, I'd advise you not to continue in that direction. There's been a lot of trouble there lately. But it's all just rumors, of course." He eyed them warily, as if unsure how much to reveal.
Sera's gaze narrowed slightly. "I appreciate your concern, but there's something important we need to attend to there."
Barbos nodded, seeming to accept their decision. "Very well, but... be careful. The roads can be treacherous, and the Field itself... well, it's not a place to take lightly."
As he spoke, he stepped aside, revealing his wares. "Perhaps you'd like to purchase something before you continue on your journey?"
Sera's eyes scanned the goods and landed on a water flask. "I'll take the water sash, please."
The merchant smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Good choice. And what about you, young man?" he asked, turning to Ren.
Ren hesitated, looking uncomfortable. "Nothing, really. I'm fine."
***
After the purchase, Barbos bid them farewell and continued on his way. Ren and Sera watched him go before Sera's expression turned serious.
"What did he mean by 'trouble' at the Woken Field?" she muttered, her brow furrowed in concern.
Ren shrugged. "No idea, but we'll find out soon enough."
Sera's gaze turned to the rift before them. "We'll need to take the shortest route there, and that's across this rift." Her voice was resolute, but Ren could sense a hint of unease beneath the surface.
"Okay, Ren, you're up," Sera said, patting Ren on the shoulder. "Use Shadow Step and reach the other end." She gestured to the vast rift before them.
Ren's face twisted in doubt as he gazed out at the seemingly impossible distance.
"It's so far... are you sure it's even possible?"
Sera's expression was confident. "Yes, you can do it. All you need is to focus." She turned Ren to face the rift, her hands on his shoulders. "Concentrate," she whispered, her voice steady and reassuring.
Ren's eyes locked onto the other end of the rift, his determination growing. He watched as his Shadow stretch and stopped beneath the rift.
"Is that how afar it can stretch?" sera asked her tone disappointed.
"Looks like it"
The girl turned and started walking right along the rift where the old merchant had approached them from.
"Looks like we're going to have to use the bridge"
"A bridge?"
"Yeah, it's a few miles away from hear"
They both trailed along the rift. At least now the journey was bearable since Sera had purchased a sandal for him from the merchant, the rocky pain no longer tortured his feet.
***
Ren and Sera stood before the rickety bridge, its worn-out ropes and cracked wooden planks screaming warnings of impending doom. The wooden slats were weathered, some missing or hanging precariously, and the rope holders were half-eaten by termites, their fragile state a testament to the bridge's age and neglect.
"Let's go," Sera said, her voice firm and unfazed, as she began to cross the bridge with a confidence that belied the structure's precarious state.
Ren stood frozen, his mind racing with doubts.
"She's crazy," he thought to himself, his eyes fixed on Sera as she made her way across the bridge.
"You better hurry, something might be lurking in the woods," her voice echoed back to him, her words carrying on the wind.
Ren gulped, his anxiety spiking as he took his first step onto the bridge. The wooden planks creaked beneath his feet, and he grasped the ropes at his sides for support, his knuckles white with tension. With each step, he exhaled slowly, the bridge swaying ominously in the wind, its fragile structure threatening to collapse at any moment.
Sera stood at the other end of the bridge, watching Ren's progress with an intensity that made him feel like a tightrope walker on a high wire. Ren's gaze drifted downward, and his stomach lurched as he saw the vast chasm below, the rocky bottom a seemingly endless drop that promised certain death. He tried to focus on the path ahead, but his eyes kept straying to the abyss, his sense of vertigo growing with each step.
Just as Ren was starting to gain confidence, one of the wooden planks snapped beneath his foot, and his leg sank into the gap. He yelped in surprise, his heart racing as he clung to the ropes for dear life. He managed to pull himself up, his breathing ragged, and continued forward with a newfound sense of trepidation.
Suddenly, an unusual noise echoed from behind, and Ren froze, his eyes locked on Sera's.
"Ren," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.
"Move quickly now."
Sweat dripped down Ren's forehead as he hesitated, his eyes darting toward the sound.
As he turned his head slightly, he caught a glimpse of a massive black bird perched on the rope, its eyes fixed intently on him. The bird's size was imposing, its wingspan rivaling that of an eagle. Ren's expression changed from fear to amusement, thinking that Sera had overreacted to the presence of a mere bird.
But his amusement was short-lived. The bird's beak opened, revealing human-like teeth, and its expression twisted into a sinister grin. Ren's eyes widened as the bird began to peck at the rope it stood on, its movements deliberate and menacing.
With a surge of adrenaline, Ren began to run, the bridge creaking and swaying beneath his feet. The rope started to lose its strength, and the bridge's structural integrity began to fail. Ren stumbled and fell, clinging to the rope for dear life as the bridge's remaining fibers snapped, and the structure swung wildly, crashing against the wall.
Ren looked up to see Sera's worried face peering down at him, her hand extended. He heard the bird's unnatural laughter as it flew away, a sound that was both human and avian, yet somehow off-key. Summoning his last ounce of strength, Ren pulled himself up, his fingers closing around the rope like a vice. As he drew close enough, Sera leaned out and grasped his hand, pulling him to safety. Something about Rens palm caught her attention she pondered on its hardness, for someone who looked like him he's hands were oddly tough, but then she saw it best to ignore it.
"What the hell was that?" Ren asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
"Poker Birds," Sera replied, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "They're mischievous birds that come around to make trouble. They've led to some people's deaths and many misfortunes." She paused, her eyes glinting with amusement. "And it looks like today, you would've been their victim." She patted Ren on the shoulder, her touch reassuring.
"Come on, let's go."
***
As they continued into the woods, Ren's breathing grew more labored. Suddenly, they emerged into an open space, the forest laid out behind them like a verdant cloak. Ren gasped loudly, bent over with his hands supporting him.
"Here we are," Sera said, her voice tinged with excitement.
Ren caught his breath and stood straight, his eyes widening as he took in the breathtaking view. Before them stretched a vast, woken field, its expanse seemingly endless, with the horizon barely within reach. The field was a kaleidoscope of colors, with flowers of different kinds swaying gently in the breeze, and butterflies flitting about them like delicate brushstrokes on a canvas. For the first time, the sky was a brilliant blue, with white clouds drifting lazily across it, and Ren felt a sense of ease and calm wash over him as he absorbed the serene atmosphere.
"It's always same reaction every Gatebearer gets when they come here," Sera said, her voice laced with nostalgia. "It serves as a reminder of home to us."
Ren's gaze wandered as a squirrel darted out of the bush behind them and ran towards the field. But as soon as it reached the edge, it collided with an invisible barrier, bouncing back as if hitting a solid wall. Birds that flew towards the field met the same fate, their gentle bodies rebounding off the unseen surface.
"Okay, that's enough. Let's go," Sera said, walking towards the field with a purposeful stride.
Ren was about to stop her, but her leg sank into thin air as if there was an invisible doorway before them. She moved closer, and her entire body was swallowed whole, like stepping into water. Ren stood there, shocked and wondering, before Sera's head popped out, and she called out to him to follow.
Ren gulped, hesitating for a moment before taking a step forward. As he passed through the invisible doorway, he felt his entire body being drawn in, like sliding through water mixed with glue. The sensation was disorienting, but he pushed through, and when he finally emerged on the other side, he saw something that made his eyes widen in awe.