Behind The Trees Novels & Stories

For a moment, I imagined them walking beneath these glowing trees. Laughing. Dreaming. Believing their kingdom would survive. The thought hurt more than I expected. A gentle breeze drifted through the forest. The glowing leaves above us began to shimmer. Then something incredible happened. The trees moved. Not from the wind. From magic. Their branches slowly bent, creating a path through the forest. Asterion lowered his head respectfully. "The Sanctuary welcomes its Queen." The path led deeper into the glowing woods. As we walked, I noticed ancient statues hidden among the trees.

Sera’s voice carrying behind me, getting smaller with each step. I don’t look back. I walk into the dark. I hear it before I see it: something in the trees ahead, low and fast and wrong. I stop walking. The wolves escorting me stop too. One of them looks at the trees. The other looks at me with the expression of a man who has just decided that whatever is in those trees is my problem now.

I lean into him, and he pulls me closer. Why do people like off roading? It’s so bumpy, I hit my head off the window a couple of times, making Ash and Austin chuckle a little. After the third time Ash slid back over and pulled me into the middle. Driving through the forest I can see some small round things on a bunch of the trees. “What are those?” I ask while trying my best to point to one, hoping he knows what I am talking about, as they are going past rather fast.

“It’s just right over here.” But then… Crash. There was a brilliant flash of light. The trees in front of us fell the ground, blocking our way. Shit. Shit shit shit. Someone was behind us. “Not. So. Fast,” she said.

He remarked with a puzzled expression. "I don't know," I said and the wind suddenly ceased for a few seconds and I listened intently. Four heartbeats, even separated to the North, South, West and East of the clearing we had settled in. There were huge trees on all four sides and I was staring at one directly, damn sure that one of them was hiding behind it. My nerves stiffened and I beckoned on both of them to lean in, "they are behind the trees." I gestured at the massive trees in question, "we are three and they are four. There will be one man left."

My punching game became strong for we’ve been practicing for our break hours. However, his words didn’t register in my brain for it caught something else. The alignment of the trees in front of us feels like it’s been intentionally planted to cover something. With curiosity and instinct, I’ve traced the footsteps and what I saw makes me want to believe about all of the mystery of this world. Right there, at the back of the trees is a civilization. An old civilization, and it looks like were somewhere on the cliff, having the capacity to see what’s the civilization below us looks like.

"We've come this far, Eryx. Together, we can navigate this forest." Nodding in agreement, we began our journey. As we ventured deeper, the trees whispered secrets of ancient times, their leaves rustling with stories of love, loss, and redemption. Some memories resonated with us, drawing us closer, while others sent shivers down our spines, hinting at dark tales best left untouched.

The dense forest seemed endless as Becca, Eugene, Max, and Mira walked through the thick underbrush, the path barely visible beneath a blanket of fallen leaves. It had taken hours to reach this place, but the closer they got, the more Becca felt a sense of anticipation building inside her. She paused for a moment, her breath catching in her throat. The trees around them parted to reveal a massive landscape ahead, and in the distance, the silhouette of a house emerged from the trees, framed by the light of the setting sun.

“This way. The tree should be just beyond this ridge.” They trekked onward, the excitement building with each passing moment. Eventually, they arrived at a small clearing, and there it stood—the old tree, its massive trunk gnarled and twisted, with roots that snaked out like ancient fingers gripping the earth. “Wow,” Jace breathed, taking in the sight. “It’s incredible.” Mia stepped closer, her eyes sparkling. “It feels alive, like it’s watching us.” Elara began sketching the tree, capturing its majesty and the intricate details of its bark. “This is going to be a beautiful illustration for our story.”

I kneeled in front of the tree by myself, listening to the sound of my heart hammering against my ribcage. The concoction I drank had heightened my senses. I could smell a sweet fragrance wafting from the divine tree. It smelled like the bradford pear trees that lined the entrance of the village. I wasn't sure how far David and the others had gone, but I could feel multiple sets of greedy eyes staring at me, making goosebumps erupt all over my skin.