A day and a half earlier, still during the night.
A slender figure crossed the forest like a silent blur.
She did not touch the ground.
She moved through the treetops with an agility impossible for ordinary eyes, leaping from branch to branch, using inclined trunks as natural ramps, propelling herself with absolute precision.
Her body seemed to merge with the violet shadows of the nocturnal forest, wrapped in a dark cloak that slightly distorted her silhouette, as if light itself had difficulty fixing upon her.
The wind cut across her face as she advanced at high speed.
She was not fleeing.
She was returning.
Ahead, the space between two trees seemed… empty. Even so, she did not slow her pace. On the final leap, she crossed the air and passed through something invisible.
The barrier rippled.
For a brief instant, a translucent film reacted to her passage, like solid water being pierced by a swift body. As soon as she crossed, the dark cloak that enveloped her unraveled into particles of shadow, dissipating into the air like smoke.
Revealing who she truly was.
A young woman with dark skin, almost bluish under the diffuse light filtering through the leaves.
Her eyes were yellow, bright, and alert, reflecting every detail around her. Long, pointed ears betrayed her race, elongated backward in smooth curves. Her body was lean, flexible, and shaped for speed and silence.
She landed on a thick branch, panting for the first time since she had begun to run.
Ahead of her, the forest was different.
The trees were even taller, colossal, their trunks wide enough to house entire constructions. Between them, bridges of living wood and natural fibers stretched in all directions, connecting platforms, suspended houses, and organic towers that seemed to grow along with the trees.
It was a city above the forest.
Soft lights emanated from crystals fastened to the structures, illuminating elevated passages and crossings. The constant sound of light footsteps, low voices, and the rustling of leaves filled the air.
She took a deep breath, recovering, when another figure emerged from the shadows of a nearby tree.
He was similar to her. Dark skin, golden eyes, pointed ears. A man, slightly taller, with discreet tribal markings on his arms and face.
"You returned earlier." He said, watching her closely.
"What happened?"
She clenched her fists for a moment.
"I… saw something strange on the north side of the forest. An anomaly." Her voice was controlled, but there was tension in it.
"I want to speak with the elders."
The man frowned slightly as he noticed her expression.
"If that's the case… very well. Go straight to them."
She nodded and set off again, now crossing the city with the same speed as before. She leapt between inner trees, ran along horizontal trunks, and crossed narrow bridges without hesitation, dodging other inhabitants who instinctively moved aside upon sensing her urgency.
Her destination was clear.
At the center of the city rose the greatest tree of all.
Its trunk was so vast it seemed like a living mountain. Carved into its side was a great construction integrated into the wood, with circular balconies, roots shaped like columns, and ancient symbols deeply etched into the bark.
There resided the superiors.
She crossed the final bridge at a sprint and entered without announcing herself.
The interior was wide and silent. The floor was formed of polished roots, and light entered through natural openings in the trunk, creating golden beams that cut through the space. The air was heavy, laden with an ancient presence.
Three figures were seated in elevated positions, partially shrouded in light-colored cloaks.
The elders.
The first was tall and extremely thin, his skin marked by deep lines that resembled roots. His golden eyes were dull, as if he were already tired of everything.
The second had a rigid, almost military posture, with long white hair tied back and a sharp, critical gaze.
The third was the oldest. Small, hunched, leaning on a staff made from the tree's own wood. His presence was silent, yet more crushing than the other two.
"You returned earlier than expected." Said the first, his voice echoing softly through the hall.
"Why?"
"How was the forest?" Asked the second, direct, without preamble.
She knelt respectfully.
"Everything was in order… almost everything. The domains are flowing normally." She hesitated for a moment.
"Except for an anomaly."
The three elders exchanged subtle glances.
"Explain." Said the third, his voice low yet firm.
She took a deep breath.
"My mission was to watch the northern region of the forest, near the river. I remained in the shadows, as instructed." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she recalled it.
"That was when I encountered a human."
The hall grew quieter.
"Human?" Repeated the second elder, frowning.
"So deep in the forest and far from his domains?"
"Yes. I also found it strange." She nodded.
"But that is not all…"
Her expression changed.
There was something there. A trace of fear that did not suit an experienced sentinel.
"Continue." Said the first elder.
"I observed him from a distance. He was sitting near a campfire… alone. He did not seem injured. He did not seem lost." She swallowed.
"Then, without any hesitation, the human stood up… and ran straight into the flames."
The elders' eyes narrowed.
"Directly into the fire?" Asked the second, suspicious.
"Yes." She confirmed.
"I thought it was suicide, a ritual, or madness. I hesitated to intervene. I only observed."
She closed her eyes for a moment.
"His body burned. The flesh charred. The smell…" Her voice faltered briefly.
"When I was certain that he had died, I turned to disappear."
She opened her eyes again, now shining intensely.
"That was when I saw it."
The hall seemed to grow colder.
"The blackened, charred body… moved."
The elders leaned slightly forward.
"In a wrong way," she continued.
"Unnatural. He stepped out of the fire. And then… in three seconds…"
She took a deep breath, as if she still could not believe it.
"I saw a miracle."
"Describe it." Ordered the third elder.
"The flesh regenerated before my eyes. First, cracks on the surface that closed. Then, muscles formed where there had only been charcoal. Bones rebuilding themselves. Skin covering everything." Her voice trembled now.
"In seconds, he was whole. Alive. As if he had never died."
The silence became absolute.
"That was when I fled." she concluded.
"I do not know what he is. I do not know if he noticed my presence. But that… was not normal. It was not common magic."
The three elders remained silent for long seconds.
Finally, the oldest adjusted his support on his staff.
"You did well to return." He said slowly.
"If this is true… then something new walks through the forest. You may go rest. We will decide what to do with this information."