Chapter 145 - Arguing with the Paranormal.

As Guard Commander Chan sunk deeper into the dense Woods, the area around him became darker faster than the beat of his heart. Apart from dusk covering the sky, the woods contributed to this darkness as well. Due to it, Paranoia followed him faster than that 6 foot tall Wild Boar did. He kept hearing noises from each side too often. Although he didn't like it, he didn't react too much to it. His worst concern were animals naturally camouflaged in the woods.

Let's pretend that this place isn't heavily haunted. Let's pretend there aren't any ghosts around here. Good, but him simply walking in the dark can equal to his death. As many species which can be potential predators are Nocturnal. Example, Bears! It's hard enough to survive a bear encounter in the broad morning sunlight. If a Bear decides to attack him at such darkness, death is inevitable. He doesn't even have a torch, not to mention the required skill to survive an animal attack! Getting the opportunity to see a Source Bear in action, the last thing he wants to experience right now is to encounter another one of those. Thankfully, they aren't so common in Ignis anymore.

In this case, you would think that it wouldn't get any worse. Well... once he started running away from that massive Wild Boar and made his way through the part of the forest thick in thorny branches, he lost his backpack which contained his Camping equipment, the accurate map to the Ghost Tree and the written special word that he needs to succeed with this task. This just makes survival even tougher.

All of the equipment he has now, is an Iron Dagger. But unless he has an extensive knowledge in off the land survival, it won't make much of a difference if he has a Dagger or not. You can give a Flamingo a knife but it would only be funny unless the Flamingo is a GrandMaster in Swordsmanship.

Out of fear, he didn't even notice that he was missing such important equipment until after he encountered the Ghost who portrayed itself as Guard Commander Chan's long dead father, one bad scene after the other didn't give him the time to check for his belongings. Would you check if you went through anything similar? 

The setting sun reminded him of the cold night, nights he got a bit used too but still had a strong hate for! He is now certain that he underestimated and undervalued the comfort of a warm bed and a roof over his head. When he first felt his back, his eyes widened in... I'd like to say fear? Fear from the cold would be the best description of his current feelings. And anger swiftly arose on his heart. It was hard enough to survive the night with the Camping equipment. But this? It is too much. He will turn to a frozen treat for Predators.

"I'm sick of this bullshit." He yelled in anger from the top of his lungs. Scaring nearby crows and forcing them to fly towards the sky, he is fed up with this quest in general. Right  after he yelled, he punched an arm thick tree a couple of feet near him to at least let out some of his stress and anger, it only ended up giving him more. As you might already know, it isn't a breeze to punch a tree with all your might. Even for an average or slightly a bit over average person, it would be a very painful experience.

"Shit shit shit shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit!"

"By the name of crap big and small."

"Boarcrap!"

As you can see from the... different dialect that ran through his mouth at the moment, beautifully expressing his pain, hitting the tree sure hurt his hand but it still felt minor compared to everything else he went through today. Even though hitting a tree in the freezing cold only increased the pain, with luck by his side trying to undo his nonsense, he thankfully he didn't break any fingers.

But now weighing his options, it was clear that he only has two. Proceed with this quest and risk his life with potentially life threatening Hypothermia, he could be risking to not wake up in the morning once more due to the cold alone! Apart from the cold, chances are that that possibly mutated Wild Boar is still on Chan's trail. The Ghosts don't seem so friendly either. His second option would be to turn back and tell King Xakro ill.u.s.tratio lll that he quit the quest when the odds didn't work to his favour. The King won't likely look kindly upon a failure.

"Ghost Tree it is." He told himself feeling 100% convinced about it. Knowing that whatever danger awaiting him in this forest is nothing compared to being burned out of existence in a blink without the ashes remaining as an aftermath. Although that sort of death would be quick, he obviously wasn't curious enough to try it or try his luck with King Xakro, an unstable psychopath.

"Over here."

"Huh." Another unknown voice? Getting a flash of memory on his mind due to it, remembering what King Xakro said. Ghosts will be more active as soon as the day turns into night. As soon as the sun sets over the horizon. So he started convincing himself to think for the better. At least it will be easier to find the Ghost Tree now. And compared to the lack of paranormal activities throughout the other nights, he must be very close to it.

"Oh no. I ain't going through this bullshit again. Call once more and i'll freeze your ass!" Imagine having the guts to argue with a ghost! He is either getting used to them or feels too confident because he knows their weakness.

"Kiss my fading ass." Apparently another nearby Ghost didn't like Guard Commander Chan's attitude. You would expect them to say something more spooky, but no. They are talking like people in Saloons who had too much beer. What an adventure it would be to study them!

"Alright that's it!" He yelled as he reached for his backpack to get the Parchment containing the special word which can freeze these ghosts. But.

"Shit. The Parchment was on the Backpack." Upon realizing that he had lost the special word which can literally put this huge task to an end, his confidence went down and sunk below the ground.

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha..."

Laughed another voice from a distance, mocking Chan's misfortune.

"Shut the hell up." Yelled out Guard Commander Chan in anger, he was carrying enough stress. Realizing that he lost that special parchment, was the last thing he needed to go through today.

Surprisingly, still avoiding to give up, he started Whispering to himself. "Alright let's see if I can remember that word. I went too far in to simply quit!" While massaging his temples to think about that word with all of his concentrating capacities, yeah this was definitely something he doesn't do often.

"Alegale?" Spoke out Chan with a slight light of confidence. He felt so sure that the word was based on Ale, enough to keep arguing with the Ghosts. This is so pathetic. It was him who got his hands on this word, risking his own skin for it. How by the 8 sources of Demonic powers could he forget?

"No darling. Try again." Replied a thick manly voice from a distance. It's like they've put Chan on a circle and were messing with him to pass time.

"Really? I was half sure about that anyway." Afterwards sitting on an old rotten stump, thinking about this harder as if he isn't talking to actual ghosts... I have to say, his lack of fear towards Ghosts is unexplainable. "How about.... ahaaaa! Aletapos?"

"Uuu you are so close."

"Forget about Ale already. It ain't it."

Feeling that it would take way too long to remember the word by his own, he proceeded to ask, "By any chance, can any of you find and bring me my backpack so i can render all of you powerless."

Perhaps Ale helps Chan think more clearly? Because at this moment he sounds like he chucked down 15 bottles of them this morning with its effects still active. He is making less sense than the ghosts even though unintentional.

"Well, I wouldn't say all. But no."

"Common. Be useful for once god dammit." Yelled Chan at a tree. I mean, at least he has a direction to turn too instead of speaking with air.

"Hey. We aren't the ones wasting time arguing with Ghosts."

"But you are ghosts..."

"Yes. But i don't argue with other Ghosts. My family from the first era had class, thank you very much."

"Sassy little shit." Expressed Guard Commander Chan. Unfortunately for him, he expressed himself too freely this time. He turned around to a tap on his shoulder, only to see a light skinned 10 foot Woman. It wasn't a Calidum Lutum though.