Masiro Vilende

[Exile]

Page fifteen

Sirens sing
A step ahead
Sirens scream
This land is dead

I felt a chill go down my spine as I jumped out of the helicopter. Nilara followed shortly after grabbing her bow. As the helicopter lifted off and moved further and further away from where it had dropped us, we gazed upon the silent and dead northlands of the Iron lands. The fantoma marshes. Even though the sun was at its brigthest, the marshes remained dark. The wet, shallow grounds were covered in black roots and a fog that gave off a most dreaded aura. Here and there were puddles just deep enough for you to twist your anckle in, and behind the dead plants one could see eyes moving, deep, dark eyes followed by sounds of movement. The helicopter had disappeared, and we were on our own. I could see a sence of dread, a sence of fear, almost terror in Lenor's eyes. Even I, the infamous Vilende, instructor for the Snikmorder recruits was afraid. I told Lenor not to worry, that it was all in her head as we made our first steps. I just wish I believed that too.

After what seemed a decade of walking through the dreaded marshes, we reached the path that would take us beyond this dead land of horror. To leave it, we would have to go through the Fantoma forrest. The Fantoma forrest. It is said that those who enter it, never leave it completely. Part of their soul never leaves the forrest, and the part which does is said to slowly die. It is said to start with simple headaches followed by increased paranoia. One will turn against his friends and get to fear his loved ones before dying a slow, but certain death. If you believe those story's that is. And by the looks on Lenor's, and my face, we did.

Upon entering the forrest through the path, I constantly felt as if there were eyes upon me. As if something awaited its chance to perform it's twisted act. All I knew at the time was that I had to leave these lands, and fast.

We kept walking for almost two more hours, almost glue'd to eachother when we saw something right infront of us on the path. I held my breath, by Seta I held my breath. I, we, were afraid.

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