Kim Dokja and the others continued to run for their lives as the knights gave chase. As they made their way through the forest, navigating through various paths and turns, they were able to get some of the knights off their tail, but the group had also unintentionally separated from each other in the process. Though Dokja, still in the midst of running, was unaware that his companions were no longer with him.
Panting from exertion, Kim Dokja looked around him, desperate for anything that could make him lose the remaining knights. Spotting a few particularly large trees ahead of him, he decided to try taking a shot at his newfound powers. It was now or never. After glancing back at the knights, he reached his hands out to the trees and foliage. He envisioned the plants blocking the path behind him, trying his best to will them to move. After a few heartbeats of nothing happening, Dokja felt helpless, about to give up as his legs were about to collapse.
But then, the ground beneath him began to shake as the trees started to shift. They slid through the ground with a low rumble as they lifted the dirt and rocks around their roots, relocating themselves. Coming to a stop, Dokja looked behind him to see a dense mass of foliage behind him, forming a blockade to the path. Even a small child would have trouble fitting through the gaps of the trees.
Dokja pumped his fists, triumphant seeing how well his plan worked. He turned to look around him.
"Damn, I didn't kn---" He cut himself off as he couldn't see anyone, realizing that he was alone and separated from his companions.
"Huh?" Kim Dokja said, confused as he glanced around. "Joonghyuk-ah? Biyoo? Bihyung?" he called out. His attention returned to the blocked path. "Where the hell are they?"
With the path now blocked, Dokja realized he made a mistake. Not only was he lost, but now he couldn't even go back to search for his companions. Staring at the cluster of trees, he sighed, not knowing whether to congratulate or curse himself for how effective his plan was. At the very least, the knights were no longer chasing after him. The only thing he could do now was start walking further into the forest, and hope he'd be able to run into them.
Before he could even take a step though, something lit from his chest. Frowning at the strange light, Dokja patted his chest and realized that the light was emitting from his necklace, the Yoo family heirloom. As he cupped the necklace in his hands and lifted it closer to his face, Dokja saw a thread of light emerging from the charm, extending toward the darkness of the forest ahead of him.
Dokja looked between the thread path and the necklace skeptically. He wanted to believe that the necklace wouldn't lead him astray, especially since it came from Yoo Joonghyuk's family of all places. But as he gazed into the pitch-black forest , he couldn't help but be a bit fearful of where exactly it was trying to lead him. Wrestling internally with himself for a bit, he let his curiosity win out. Wandering deeper into the forest was the only way he'd find his companions anyway.
He took a deep breath before proceeding forward. The sounds of howling animals and other unknown creatures surrounded him, sporadically breaking through the silence of the night. As he walked further, the path behind him became obstructed by the dense foliage. Knowing there was no going back, he broke into a nervous sweat, his sense of unease and anticipation growing.
Eventually, he reached a clearing in the forest where a large, square stone sat, illuminated by moonlight. Dokja jolted as the necklace started to lift itself from his body, continually emitting a magical glow as it hovered towards the stone. Intrigued, he walked towards where it sat, surrounded by sharp formations.
Looking closely at the stone, he noticed intricate patterns all over its surface, with the central design having a strangely shaped depression. The necklace's magical glow intensified as it lowered itself down onto the stone, perfectly fitting itself into the center. The patterns and sharp formations responded, glowing in harmony. The necklace was the missing piece of the stone, a key that unlocked something deeper within the mystical environment.
As the stone and the shard formations glowed with magic, the ground began to tremble like an earthquake had come. The trees and plants shook, and Kim Dokja watched in awe as the stone cast a brilliant light into the night sky, painting it with vibrant hues of magical radiance and illuminating the entire area. The air was charged with energy, and the once ominous forest transformed into an enchanting sight.
Kim Dokja was mesmerized by the extraordinary event unfolding before him, with the necklace and the stone having a profound impact on the entire forest. The connection between the heirloom, the stone, and the magical phenomena in the sky hinted at a deeper, interconnected magic that he could only begin to comprehend.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Joonghyuk spotted the glow of light illuminating the sky. Confused and concerned for Dokja, Joonghyuk contemplated the source of the magical light and hoped that it wasn't anything malicious. The unexpected spectacle left him intrigued and anxious, sparking a sense of urgency to reunite with his companion and unravel the mysteries that the enchanted forest held for them both.
The stone's glow became almost blindingly intense, and the ground beneath Kim Dokja's feet began to glow with the same ethereal light. Overwhelmed, he started making his way toward the stone once more to take the necklace, not knowing if whatever was happening was a good thing, or if it was too late to stop it. As he snatched the necklace from the stone, the magical energy reached its peak. Suddenly, the ground surrounding the stone transformed into a portal-like vortex, enveloping Kim Dokja in a surreal display of otherworldly power.
The surroundings shook, and the air vibrated with magical energy as the portal sucked Kim Dokja into its depths. The transition was swift, and the last thing Dokja saw was an unknown realm, the enchanted forest he was previously standing in nowhere in sight.
Upon Dokja's entrance into it, the portal closed, and the forest returned to its tranquil state of being, with only the lingering traces of magical residue being proof of the extraordinary event that had previously unfolded. The mysteries of the enchanted forest persisted, and Kim Dokja's fate was now intertwined with the secrets beyond the shimmering portal.
The intense light subsided, leaving the once vibrant forest clearing to be bathed in a serene moonlight once more. The forest and all its inhabitants, having witnessed the magical spectacle, resumed their tranquil night, and the night sky regained its quiet ambiance.
----
Kim Dokja awoke in a seemingly endless expanse of walls and no apparent exit, the whole area illuminated by a single light. The necklace was still in his tight grasp. Dazed from the sudden transportation and his mind still trying to process everything that happened in the last hour of his life, Dokja braced himself against the ground and slowly got up. Dusting himself off and putting the necklace back on, he took in the vast expanse of walls and space before him. Undeterred, he began to walk once more, the monotony of the walls stretching on for what felt like an eternity.
After an hour of seemingly futile exploration, on the verge of giving up, Dokja spotted a distant light. Filled with hope from finally seeing a break in the tedium of walls and walking, he rushed forward into a sprint, eventually reaching a room bathed in a dazzling glow. Overwhelmed by its brilliance, he squinted his eyes to let them adjust to the light, before cautiously reopening them fully to behold a sight that left his jaw hanging in awe.
Kim Dokja found himself in a chamber of unimaginable wealth, surrounded by the glinting allure of countless valuables. The room was a treasure trove, filled to the brim with piles upon piles of gems, gold bars, jewelry, and precious metals. The floor sparkled with the richness of the bounty.
"What the hell?" Kim Dokja muttered in shock as he surveyed the endless expanse of treasure. The sheer magnitude of wealth surrounding made him breathless, and a sense of disbelief settled over him. This room was beyond anything he could even imagine, challenging the very limits of his comprehension. He questioned how a trip through the forest could lead him to witnessing such opulence.
Kim Dokja, captivated by the sight, was tempted to reach out and grab one of the gems. He could feel the tips of his finger itching to pick one up. However, he quickly shook his head, ridding himself of the thought, and shifted his focus to finding an exit from the chamber.
Determined, he scanned the walls for any signs of a door or passage leading out. As distracting as the stacks of riches were, Kim Dokja had to remain focused. What he needed to do right now was explore and understand the realm he'd been landed in.
Behind him, heavy echoing footsteps rang throughout the room, startling him. Dokja got up from where he was inspecting the floor and swiftly assumed a defensive stance while scanning the surroundings for any possible escape routes. The air hung heavy with tension as he anxiously awaited the approaching figure to reveal themselves. To his astonishment and dread, he recognized the silhouette emerging from the shadows – the very same knight whose chilling encounter had left him haunted.
The knight, clad in a splendid suit of armor, held his own severed head with an eerie calmness. Dokja froze in surreal disbelief. Before he could muster a reaction, the knight, driven by an unknown force, closed the distance with unwavering determination.