Hao Xuan followed the disciples of Mount Cae through the dark forest until they ca upon a small valley hidden within the shadows in plain sight.
It was surrounded by hundreds of years old trees arching on all sides and from above nothing would seem out of place but upon descending under the thick canopy the wide-open space would be visible.
They were welcod by a few scared mortals who stood guard at the entrance with weapons they had no use for.
As Hao Xuan walked deeper into the valley and saw the tired and emaciated dirt-ridden faces of hundreds of natives huddling around small campfires for warmth he understood why Zou Huan was so adamant about coming here first.
Many of these people would not survive the next few hours if they weren't given aid imdiately. The journey so far had sapped them of their vital energy rendering them little more than husks of their forr selves.
It would be a gross overstatent to say that they were hanging on by a thread.
Zou Huan and Han Rong didn't need to say anything else, Hao Xuan understood the importance of ti.
"Co on then, what are we waiting for?"
Han Rong patted him on the shoulder breathing a sigh of relief, "Thank you brother, I appreciate you doing this-"
He was worried that after seeing so many people Hao Xuan would decide against it but-
"Stop," he imdiately cut Han Rong off, "I'm not doing this for you or anyone else. I have been in their position so I know all too well how it feels. That stark hopelessness when the hunger and cold sets in your bones, the emptiness growing ever stronger with the coming of the night, that dreadful numbing feeling is all too familiar. I am...only doing what I should."
Han Rong pulled back his arm with no words to counter Hao Xuan's. It was a given to help others in tis of need but more often than not people would rather keep themselves fed for a day longer than share what they had.
"You are different from before," he comnted after a brief mont, "A little older, a little...somber."
Hao Xuan t his gaze montarily with a facetious smile, "Tell about it. I feel like I've lived through a hundred lifetis already," he chuckled and began walking back only to pause near the entrance.
"Let's not waste any more ti, the longer we stay here the riskier it becos," he whispered the last sentence to himself whilst slowly walking deeper into the forest.
Looking around at the trees towering over from all sides he couldn't help but think how alive they looked. Or perhaps it was not them.
With every gust the shadows seed to be dancing in the wind. Hao Xuan couldn't see anything clearly but he could still feel them, the ones hiding in the dark.
They didn't have a physical presence but he understood they were there, much more real than his hunches.
And yet he eyed the hidden ones as if they were standing in front of him.
This wasn't the first ti he had encountered them, at least not in this life. He understood to a great extent what they were, what they wanted to be but still they wanted to be caught, to make their presence known if only to drive even more souls to madness.
"I know what you are, I know what you want. You are born of the emptiness left in our wake. I may not see you but I feel your presence growing ever so powerful, oh Denizens of the Deep," he spoke in a hushed whisper.
The words weren't intended for anyone specific but they obviously reached the intended target as it beca evident with the events that followed in the monts after.
Another gust of wind blew in from the north making every single tree shake from the roots to the crown. If one listened closely it would sound like the thumping of countless naked feet.
'They' were elated beyond comprehension upon getting recognition but upon hearing the next few sentences silence fell over the forest.
"But make no mistake, for all of your strengths you will never walk in the light. Stay hidden, keep yourselves concealed within the veil because if you ever show yourselves I will make sure it is the last thing you do."
The commotion imdiately died down, just in ti to see the mortals being hushed into droves and brought out in groups of six and above. There was a vague grey light surrounding each group. It not only provided so form of defense but also increased their movent speed.
Hao Xuan didn't have to think for very long to understand that Han Rong had obviously used another one of his spells as it beca apparent by his depleted energy soon after.
"A small movent spell. It doesn't last very long and uses a lot of spiritual energy that's why I was saving it for when we found you," he explained with a weary smile.
"Hmm, follow , we'll cut through the forest."
One by one the groups left the valley following closely behind Hao Xuan. Zou Huan was the last one to leave, peering at the gorge that had provided them refuge one last ti.
And as soon as he lept away the shadow of one of the countless boulders began moving. It constricted and expanded, taking a different shape from before.
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