Silence.
Not the quiet of peace.
But the kind that presses into the chest.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
The storm above rumbled faintly, but even thunder felt distant now; like it belonged to another world.
Leah stared at Mauris.
She didn't blink.
Didn't move.
Her breathing had slowed into something shallow and fragile, as if even the air might break if she took too much of it.
Henry's quiet sobbing filled the space between them.
Broken.
Uneven.
"I… I can still hear him…" he whispered, voice trembling.
"I can still hear him screaming…"
No one answered.
Then;
A shift.
Small.
Behind them.
Thalia.
Her fingers tightened weakly against the roots.
She inhaled slowly, forcing herself to focus.
Pain crawled through her arms as she tested the hold around her body.
The roots responded instantly.
They tightened.
Crushing.
She clenched her jaw, suppressing a groan.
"…They react to movement," she murmured, voice low, strained.
Leah turned slightly toward her.
"I know… I tried…"
Thalia closed her eyes for a second.
Thinking.
Fighting through the fog in her head.
"…No… not just movement," she whispered. "Struggle… resistance…"
Henry let out a shaky breath.
"What does that even mean…?"
Thalia ignored him.
Her body shifted slightly again.
The roots tightened; but not as violently this time.
Her brows furrowed.
Then;
Something brushed against her back.
Light.
Familiar.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait…"
Leah looked at her.
"What?"
Thalia's voice came quieter now.
Almost disbelieving.
"My arrows…"
She shifted her shoulder as much as the roots allowed.
A faint wooden clink answered her movement.
"They're still here…"
Leah's eyes widened.
"What?"
Henry looked up suddenly, panic mixing with confusion.
"…What do you mean still here?"
Thalia swallowed.
"The quiver… it's still on my back."
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Then Henry's voice came again, shaking.
"My… my knife…"
He shifted slightly, wincing as the roots tightened around his ribs.
"I… I can feel it… at my waist…"
Leah's heart began to race again.
"…So everything we had… came with us?"
No one answered immediately.
Because they were all thinking the same thing.
If their weapons were here;
Then maybe…
Thalia inhaled slowly.
"…Don't move suddenly," she said quietly. "We have to test it."
Her fingers twitched.
The roots tightened.
She stopped.
Waited.
The pressure eased slightly.
Her jaw clenched.
Then, carefully;
Slowly...
She began to move her arm.
Not a struggle.
Not force.
A controlled shift.
Millimeter by millimeter.
The roots creaked softly around her.
Tightening.
Then loosening.
Then tightening again.
Her muscles trembled under the strain.
"Slow…" she whispered to herself.
Her hand moved back.
Searching.
Fingers brushing against the rough bark;
Then;
Wood.
The edge of an arrow shaft.
Her breath caught.
"I've got one…"
Leah leaned forward as much as she could.
"Thalia…"
But the moment Thalia's fingers tried to close around it;
The roots reacted.
Violently.
They constricted around her arm and chest.
Crushing.
A sharp gasp tore from her throat.
"Ah!"
Her body jerked involuntarily.
The arrow slipped from her fingers.
Gone.
The roots tightened further, biting into her skin.
Henry panicked instantly.
"Stop! Stop, you're going to get crushed!"
Thalia's teeth clenched hard.
Her entire body trembled.
But she forced herself still.
Forced her breathing to slow.
The roots held tight for a few seconds longer.
Then;
Gradually;
They loosened again.
Releasing just enough.
Thalia sagged slightly against them, chest heaving.
"…It reacts to intent," she whispered hoarsely.
Leah frowned.
"Intent…?"
Thalia swallowed.
"When I tried to grab it… not just move… but use it…"
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"It knew."
Henry shook his head weakly.
"That's not possible…"
Thalia's gaze lifted slowly toward the endless forest of roots.
"…This place isn't possible."
Henry swallowed hard.
His fingers trembled against the roots wrapped around his wrists.
"I'll… I'll try…"
His voice was thin.
Unsteady.
But there was something else beneath it now.
Desperation.
He moved slowly.
Carefully.
Just like Thalia had said.
Not fighting.
Not resisting.
Just… reaching.
The roots shifted.
Tightened slightly.
Henry froze.
His breath caught in his throat.
"Slow…" Leah whispered. "Don't fight them…"
Thalia's voice followed, strained but steady.
"Control it… don't let them feel panic…"
Henry shut his eyes for a second.
Then moved again.
Millimeter by millimeter.
His hand slid along his side.
Fingers searching.
Shaking.
Then;
Cold metal.
His eyes snapped open.
"I… I got it…"
His fingers wrapped around the dagger's hilt.
Tight.
Real.
"I GOT IT.....I GOT IT!"
The roots tensed.
Leah's voice cut through instantly.
"Don't rush! Henry, listen to me; slow!"
He nodded quickly, breathing hard.
"Y-yeah… yeah…"
Carefully, he pulled the dagger free.
The roots pressed tighter for a moment;
Then eased.
As if uncertain.
As if watching.
Henry stared at the blade in his hand like it was the only real thing left in the world.
"Okay…" he whispered.
Leah's voice steadied.
"Cut them. Start with your arms."
Henry raised the dagger.
His hand shook violently.
"Do it," Thalia said. "Now. Before they react again."
He slashed.
The blade bit into the root.
A harsh, tearing sound split the air.
The root convulsed.
Tightened;
Then split open.
A dark, sap-like fluid seeped out as the vine recoiled.
Henry gasped.
"It's working!"
"Keep going!" Leah shouted.
"Don't stop!" Thalia added.
Henry hacked again.
And again.
Each cut faster.
More desperate.
The roots writhed around him, tightening and loosening in uneven pulses—but they were weakening.
"Come on… come on…!" he muttered.
One final strike;
The last root snapped.
Henry dropped.
He hit the ground hard, gasping as air rushed fully into his lungs for the first time.
For a moment he just lay there.
Shaking.
Alive.
Then he forced himself up.
"I'm okay… I'm okay…"
Leah's voice cracked.
"Henry; help us!"
He scrambled to his feet and rushed to Thalia.
The dagger trembled in his hand as he began cutting through the thick roots binding her to the pillar.
They resisted more.
Tighter.
Stronger.
"Faster!" Thalia urged through clenched teeth.
"I'm trying!"
Leah shouted from where she was bound.
"You're doing it....just keep going!"
The blade tore through another root.
Then another.
Thalia groaned as the pressure tightened briefly around her ribs;
Then suddenly;
The last vine snapped.
She dropped forward.
Henry caught her just before she hit the ground.
They both staggered.
Breathing hard.
No time.
"Leah," Thalia said immediately.
They turned.
Together.
Henry cut.
Thalia pulled where she could.
The roots resisted.
But now they knew;
They could break them.
"Almost there!" Henry shouted.
One last strike;
The roots gave way.
Leah collapsed forward;
Then immediately pushed herself up.
Ignoring the pain.
Ignoring everything.
"Mauris."
She ran.
Stumbling.
Falling once.
Catching herself.
Then reaching him.
Her hands grabbed his armor.
"Mauris…!"
Henry and Thalia followed, cutting through the remaining roots binding his body.
The last vine snapped.
Mauris's body slumped forward.
Leah caught him.
Pulled him close.
Held him tightly.
Tears broke free instantly.
"Mauris… wake up… please…"
Her voice shattered.
"Wake up, Mauris… please…"
She shook him gently.
Then harder.
Nothing.
"No… no, no, no…"
Henry dropped beside them, hands trembling as he reached for Mauris's wrist.
Searching.
Feeling.
His face went pale.
"I… I can't…"
Thalia knelt down slowly.
Her movements were heavier now.
Quieter.
She reached out.
Placed her fingers against Mauris's neck.
Waited.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Nothing.
Her hand lowered.
She placed it gently on Leah's shoulder.
Leah froze.
Still holding him.
Still hoping.
Thalia's voice came softly.
Steady.
But hollow.
"…Leah…"
A pause.
Then.....
"He's gone."
Leah didn't respond.
She just held Mauris tighter.