Your party enters the Living Forest

Your party has been walking for hours without coming across anything interesting

Jessie: I'm dying for some action

Aerith: Be glad that it's calm

Byleth: But isn't that weird we're getting closer to the capital and yet we have yet to run into anybody

Aiden: I think that's about to change

You point ahead and see some creepy trees in the distance

Tifa: What is that

Aiden: don't know, but we'll need to go through there to reach the capital, or we'll have to walk around it, if we can

Mash: That could take days for all we know

You feel a small rock landing on your head, and you look up and see Jade pointing at a spot

Aiden: Why don't we take a break? We won't know what that forest will bring

Jessie: But we haven't done anything yet

Aerith: We've been walking for hours, just a 30-minute break

Aiden: I'm gonna go take a bathroom break

Tifa: alone

Aiden: I'll be fine

Aerith: No, you won't, remember when we got attacked by that assassin, I'll go with you

Aiden: youre our mage Aerith, you'll need to rest

Mash: I'll go, my shield will keep him safe

Aiden: good idea, come with me

Aerith: Alright, I'll see you two in a bit

The two of you walk away

Mash: Where are we going master

Aiden: you'll see

You keep walking until you make sure none of the others can see you

Aiden: what is it

Jade jumps down and lands in front of you

Mash: an enemy

Aiden: relax, she's already broken in

Jade: master

Aiden: What is it you wanted to speak

Jade: I wanted to warn you about the Living Forest

Aiden: sounds lovely, what of it

Jade: It's the final resting place of all the Edinians who have died since the beginning of the empire

Mash: That's weird. It's common knowledge that the souls of the dead return to the goddess, so she can give them new life

Jade: When the Edinian Empire was created, the emperor of that time commanded his sorcerer to create a ritual that would make it so that the souls wouldn't return to the goddess but instead be laid to rest in their homeland

Aiden: I take it that the first Edinian emperor wasn't a fan of the goddess

Mash: That's more common than you think, maste. Most empires and kingdoms exist because they broke free of the holy church, as in the beginning, all lands belonged to the holy church

Aiden: I thought only the demon queen did that

Mash: She has been most successful, but she was in no way the first or the last who did so, she was just more **** than others

Jade: There is one more thing you should know, the forest has changed since the **** of Emperor Jerrod

Aiden: Emperor Jerrod, was he Sindel's father or something

Jade: her husband, Empress Sidnell, was the one who inherited the throne from her father, Jerrod was a diplomat whom she fell in love with, their marriage was very popular among the civilians, not so much to those who believed in the old ways, like General Shoa

Aiden: how so

Jade: Jerrod convinced Sindell to usher in a time of peace and to stop looking down at the non-Eldians that lived in the empire, and that's exactly what happened until he died under mysterious circumstances 3 years ago

Aiden: and how did that change the forest

Jade: The forest was a place where people could talk with those who had passed away. It was a calm and relaxing place, not even the most vile monsters that roamed the wilds would harm someone in the forest, but the moment emperor Jerrod died, the entire forest changed, the once peacfull spirts know attacked everyone they came across, drove others insane, it used to look like like a pradise and know it looks liek something out of your worst nightmares

Aiden: So there is a connection between the forest and the **** of Emperor Jared

Mash: What about the empress, did she change too

Jade: her heart had hardened by his sudden ****, she has become colder, but even so, she still treats the non-Eldians better than most

Aiden: Thanks for the warning, but we must go through it

Jade: I know, but be very careful, General Shoa's forces are in the forest

Aiden: why

Jade: By the empress's orders, she doesn't want to make sure no civilians go in and get themselves killed, and there's also Skarlet to deal with

Aiden: Skarlet?

Jade: Scarlet the blood witch, the current royal Sorceror, She was sent here by Empress Sindell's orders, to find a way to return the forest to its old state, but she hasn't had much luck

Aiden: The blood witch?

Jade: she speciales in blood magic

Mash: Oh, that's not good, Blood magic is a forbidden magic, the holy church executes anyone who even tries to use it

Jade: It's not outlawed here, but do not underestimate her, she is really powerful

Aiden: We'll be careful. Any more advice?

Jade: Do not get cut, she'll use your own blood against you

Mash: great

Aiden: Thank you Jade. Remember, you can still help us, just make sure the rest of the party doesn't see you

Jade: yes master

Jade teleports away

Aiden: let's head back to the rest, so we can go into the forest

Mash: as you wish

Hey guys, BWC Bull Aiden here. As most of you know, my PC is still broken, and I've already sent it away. Luckily, I still had a warranty on it

A friend of mine has allowed me to use his lapotop but he has Monday until Friday late shifts at work, so he wants it back, which means I won't be able to update the stories until next Saturday, or if I get my pc back from the shop before that

Thank you all for understanding, and have a nice day