The King's Mate

CHAPTER 3

PSYCHOLOGY FACT:

"91% of people skip the first slice of bread, just because it's ugly."

CHAPTER 3

Thick fog hovered in the enchanted forest. The murky condition of the atmosphere puts a great dark suspense of what lurks behind it. Despite the dark air that surrounds the clearing, Barbarus is aberrantly calm and quite beside us. He was looking around the area, examining every corner with his eagle-like eyes, sensing the powerful spirits concealed by the wilds but did nothing instead nestling comfortably at the rife corpulent dried leaves. 

The place is safe. No sign of wolves, vampires or any predatory carnivore creature. Though, in the distance, I felt the wild animals resting by the shield of trees, by the means they are quite filled. Knowing wilds don't sleep for as long as their stomachs are full. I focused on my doubled hearing senses; crickets of insects and small animals echoed through the silent night, it resonated amongst one's sensitive hearing. 

Mellow chill of air constantly hits my bare skin earning  chills from the roots of my hair. Usually, I won't feel cold with the existing abilities I possess, but being in the Enchanted land disabled some of it, I felt as if I am back to being a hundred-year-old again where I was starting to develop my abilities. Though, compared to Alex, being a wolf won't be bothered by it for their incandescent body temperature. So he is fine. 

Taking in the peaceful surroundings, I see them in relief. 

This part of the forests is called the "Enchanted". Here live the unknown creatures only I, and some creatures known of. They are unknown for they hide and never been seen by the others. I know them. For centuries of living on lands, traveling from one state to another, I have come across them. Usually I would just feel them, around me, watching my every move as I rested under the harbour of wild trees. But one night, a curious creature revealed his identity and from then I came aware of their existence. 

They are shy and distant creatures, they keep to themselves and would always conceal themselves to hide and camouflage through trees for years, out of the prying eyes of other creatures. And just now, I feel them, a lot of them. This is their Den. Their territory. Just glancing at the monstrous trees I would know this region is their territory, yet, they don't mind us being here. They're just watching us, doing nothing, not minding that we stepped and dared to enter their territory. 

They are the very peaceful creatures I know of. 

"Where are we?"

"The Enchanted." I answered Alex and guided him towards where Barbarus is nestled. Instead of resting under the shelter of trees, we choose to sit in a clear space, where the light of the moon illuminates straight our way. The light it provides almost seems like it's morning by how clear we can see the surface forests.