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Chapter 4 - A Century Ahead

Haven’t read the previous chapers? Use the links below to access the previous chapters!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

All for a Sundial

Imitating was a difficult process. How can someone change their vocal range every 10 seconds? An unexpected trait huh? Okay, coming back to the point. So, this noise was familiar but it felt different at the same time… déjà vu maybe?.

“Quito is the sundial close by?”, I asked anxiously.

The sound kept repeating and it felt as though it was regenerating every time.

“Do not move or speak until I come back”, Quito ordered in a decrepit voice.

“This is called the campmate noise which damages the brain and does not let intruders come into the forest. It has an atrocious impact on humans from the past, future and people with irregular thoughts. Only the true Zeelant citizens can enter here but you can also enter through the maze. I shall warn you the maze reads your thoughts, it understands your actions, your motive and most importantly your weaknesses. None of the people who have entered previously have been able to come out of it. Think about it before jumping to conclusions. Do remember this task may lead to your ultimate demise.”

“So, are there any other precautions I need to know about?”, I asked before sneezing almost a hundred times.

“That’s all the matter I can convey, you will witness and learn from the others while you follow the path”, Quito said as he chuckled.

“How did you get such a bad cold? Did you by any chance eat anything or touch anything which had a dark brown outer colour?”

“I did have a brown apple this morning. Why? Was it poisoned or something?”, I asked, shivering.

“Aaaa… those are not the types of fruits you can eat normally. Those things are special antibiotic medications which are made only every two thousand years. It is extracted carefully from the roots of the willow tree. The liquid excreted by the tree is very transparent when we look at it, but when a human being touches it the liquid transforms itself into a brownish black colour. This also can be extracted only on a particular day of the year. If that day is missed, even uprooting the tree and extracting from it won’t work.”, explained Quito.

“Like what exactly happens on that day? Do the roots of the Willow tree come out themselves?”, I asked curiously.

“Yes, you are right! That’s how it works. The roots come out themselves at the strike of midnight and go back at the stroke of noon. They don’t last for a day, only for 12 hours in two thousand years. Unfortunately, there isn’t a willow tree that is nine hundred years old yet and the fruits you ate were extracted from the last one.Oh, I forgot one thing! Each tree can only produce it once in its lifetime. Authentically extracting these were prestigious jobs people had in the olden era but as time passed everything changed, no one wanted to take up the task as it was dangerous and life-threatening. Subsequently, there is something called the “Geological myth” according to which there are probabilities of a willow tree situated inside the maze which most likely is 900 years. However, nobody is willing to risk themselves. Even if the tree is there, coming out from the maze alive is crucial and difficult.”

“Uhhh… so indirectly you are telling me that I have to go inside the maze and get the liquid?”, I asked sarcastically. “Wait…you didn’t tell me the exact location of the starting point of the maze!” I asked.

Then suddenly the wind started blowing vigorously and subsequently Quito disappeared. I stood clueless amid the forest of the unknown, I had to solve the location and everything to this mystery of the maze on my own. Just coming out for a search of the Sundial had altered the path and changed the direction immensely. With my body shivering, I crept slowly with long footsteps while analyzing the ground for clues.