The Stac is a legendary forest.

Every dream is trapped within, foaming eternally through the thick undergrowth, searching for a lost soul to inspire. Caught between the confines of the subconscious with no way out.

Mortals sometimes catch a glimpse of it. When they are sleeping or when they are desperate for inspiration.

Some had already seen too much. They are called crazy. Then they talk to themselves or yell at the sky.

Those people are even locked up by other mortals with long, spotless white coats and needles, where they are given magical things.

What the other people don't know is that they aren't crazy at all. They saw the Stac.

"This is what we're going to do. Gillian, as soon as we get to the palace, shut up. Or I'll do it for you." Gillian coughs.

"And Elysia, please. Don't try to kill anyone."

A grunt rises, but I'm smart enough to hold it back. This is not the time to bother Felix. He is tense from the great pressure on his shoulders. You can tell by his tight lips and sparkling eyes.

I make a hand gesture for him to go ahead of us.

Nobody speaks.

The first step into the forest feels like a step into another world. The first thing I notice are the colors. Yellows and greens and reds cover trees, leaves and moss, so bright that I squint. Whistling sounds above our heads and the call of foxes comes from all sides.

Beside me, Gillian sniffs loudly and removes his scythe from his back. His eyes flash back and forth quickly.

"It smells like blood in here."

Gillian has barely finished his sentence when a rustle sounds next to us. I turn slowly on my axis and scan the treetops. The foxes have stopped screaming and the birds are silent as a mouse. Feeling my fingers brush the hilt of my sword. I take a step back. Gillian sneaks into the undergrowth with his scythe already in his hand. My sword scrapes against the scabbard. 

I cringe.

The bushes rustle again. Vibrations go through the ground. My backpack slowly slides off my shoulder. He falls to the ground with a dull thud. I push it aside with my foot. A monster pops out and its roar shakes the trees.

Its lower jaw is larger than its upper jaw and two tusks reach just next to its thick potato nose. He has eyes like those of a reptile, and when he blinks a membrane appears over them. Thick fur ears rise above his fur, appearing to be covered in soot. His curved fingers end in long nails that he pushes into a tree. That way it leaves scratches. He clenches his paws.

I roll sideways to avoid the fist. A nasty grin sticks to my face. His nostrils expand.

This was just what I needed.

The familiar feeling of black power creeps through me and makes my muscles bulge. I feel my temples throbbing. I banish the spark of fear to the deepest part of my head and run my tongue over my bottom lip.

Gillian runs at the monster with a powerful battle cry and slashes his leg. The big head turns towards him and those jaws part. Smoke curls from two flat nostrils.

I want to scream for him to step aside, but I'm interrupted by Felix who throws a wisp of shadow at him. It hits so hard that Gillian flies backwards, just as the fire scorches away the earth he had just stood on.

I sprint forward and don't see where he lands. Fides flashes and slams into the creature's side, where it remains trapped. Thick, black blood flows past him and I have to let go of my sword.

The creature thrashes around, howling in pain. He hits Felix, who stumbles backwards.

Gillian appears out of nowhere and grabs onto a tusk. He no longer holds his scythe. He pulls out the knife he has on his side and stabs it in the monster's eye.

The monster wavers. Felix squats down and digs his fingers into the earth. Darkness emerges behind him and wings seem to form on his back for a moment. At high speed, they crawl on the ground and wrap themselves around the monster's legs.

Gillian, meanwhile, is between his ears where he keeps drilling his knife into his skull. The beast falls to the ground, causing the earth to shake. Then he stays still.

I hold my breath. Ready to step in if the creature is still alive. Gillian slides off the carcass.

I feel the energy leave my body and stumble towards the being. With one foot on his body and my hands around the hilt of the sword, I begin to pull. But no matter how hard I try, the damn thing won't budge an inch.

"What is this thing?"

Gillian circles the cadaver and then joins his hands. I just feel my sword start to move. The creature below me begins to shake. Limbs turn black and then fall apart. Everything differs and falls into ashes. The wind blows them back into the forest.

My sword hangs limp in my hand and I choke. Coughing, I bend over. "I think I just swallowed his ashes," I say between loud coughs. Gillian looks at me sideways.

"I think it was a nightmare." Felix comes to stand next to me and puts his hand lightly on my arm. He looks at me questioningly. I want to tell him everything is fine but I can't breathe. Gasping for breath, I close my eyes and focus on my surroundings. Slowly the feeling disappears and I can get up again.

My cheeks heat up. I pick up Fides and nod to Felix, who is still holding me. Hoofbeats sound in the distance.

We all turn our heads towards it and then start running in the other direction. Then I turn around and run back, grab my bag and catch up with Felix again.

Sweat collects on my forehead and upper lip and my legs begin to shake. We know we can't stay ahead of them, but refused to give up.

"Here to the left!" Gillian grabs my arm and swerves to the left. Here the path was smoother. I

almost slip through the moss. Fortunately, my feet find a grip in time and I sprint on.

The glances of creatures hidden behind the bushes burn my skin, but I don't let them distract me. Gillian jumps over a stream, then beckons me to do the same. I try to slow down, but then feel my legs slip out from under me and I fall flat on my stomach in the water. I gasp before I go under.

I remain dazed. Sounds are muffled here and my field of vision is black. Then two strong hands seize me and pull me across.

Gillian takes me from Felix and continues running with me leaning on his shoulder. Suddenly we come to a stop and my blurry vision catches a horse with a rider on it. Five others stand next to him and surround us.

Gillian curses and tightens his arm around my waist. A cold drop slides down my neck, giving me goosebumps. With swampy sounds my backpack bumps against my back, which fortunately is almost completely healed.

I blink quickly to clear my vision. The apparition before us jumps off his horse and strides across the grass towards us. Gillian gasps as he takes off his helmet and shows us his face. I also had to swallow. On his hands are two semicircles that together form a sun. One half was colored completely black. I had never seen a hunter before.

According to Felix, hunters are elves who had given up their powers to prove their loyalty to their king. They travel all over the realm to track down and eliminate possible traitors.

The hunter draws his sword and holds it under Gillian's chin. He begins to breathe irregularly.

"Intruders. What are you doing here in Stac?" His emerald green eyes sparkle and take in first Gillian and then me. His long hair is tied in a ponytail and the color of fresh wood. I have no doubt that if he still had his powers, he was a natural elf. Everything pointed to it; his hair, eyes and muscular build. I almost regret not seeing his power.

Felix puts his hands behind his back and bows to the Hunter.

"We are on our way to the kingdom, warrior."

"The kingdom is not a public place. You can't just walk in whenever you want." Gillian's eyes don't let go for a second. The tension between the two men is like magic in the air. Gillian's mouth turns up and he smiles at the Hunter.

"You come with us." Roughly he presses his sword horizontally against Gillian's neck and guides him to his horse. His company gathers around us and someone tries to grab me. My instinct takes over and I pull Fides. Felix raises his hands in surrender and gives me a penetrating look.

I growl and throw my sword at my feet. If Felix wants me to act like a willing prisoner, I will. But if this turns out to be wrong, I will curse him.

Someone pulls my bag. I'll probably never see that again.

My hands are twisted behind my back and I have to suppress my laughter as three guards walk with us. They put me on a horse and a rider sits behind me.

"Don't forget my sword!"

I gesture to Fides on the ground and have to hold back a grin when a rider picks it up.

Too easy.

The Hunter hisses something at Gillian, then spurs his horse on. They dart past us, taking Gillian's smile with them. My rider also leaves. Soon we catch up with them.

The forest flashes by and the clatter of hoofs is the only sound that echoes for hours afterwards. We drive south without taking breaks. After a while my muscles are stiff and my lower back hurts from riding. The riders don't seem to have a problem with it at all, although I couldn't tell what they were thinking because of the iron helmets on their heads. In the middle, on their foreheads, a weapon was burned. I squint to see it against the light bouncing off it. When we drive under a canopy, the sign is briefly visible. The big key with the rose behind it shows off in black on everyone's helmet. Except for the Hunter's, who wore none. His coat of arms was embroidered on his right sleeve.

All tension drains from me and for the first time in hours I can think again. I know where we're going. And unbeknownst to them, these horsemen, these watchmen, led us to our goal.

We were taken to Adarlyn.