Half an hour passed when both decided to carry on with their journey. David agreed that they hid behind the hills separately, so they wouldn't get caught together when the bandits showed up.

According to Talim, their three mysterious pursuers actually belong to Weston Marauders. They had been raiding unfortunate travelers for decades. When David asked how about if they got nothing out of their victims, Talim said they would sell them as slaves at the Black Market. David's stomach tightened, thinking that he almost got caught and would be possibly bought as slaves in this foreign world. He couldn't imagine living under the mercy of his master.

As they continued to walk, David noticed that the two small mountains were actually the beginning of a series of steep mounds at either side, forming a single narrow path between them. David couldn't help looking back every minute just in case they were being followed. He was also worried that the Weston Marauders would show up in front of them, cornering every way out possible. In that case, they would be done.

“Do you think they might show up in front of us?” David asked, unable to contain his worries.

Talim stopped walking to face him. 

“Impossible,” he sighed.

“How?”

“Unless they want to meet their end,” Talim said. “No people in their right minds would tread the Whispering Trees.”

The way he said it, David knew it was not good news. “What's the Whispering Trees?

Talim made a glance ahead and looked back to David, “Okay. I'll tell you some good news and bad news.”

David folded his arms, ready to listen.

“Let's begin with the good news,” he started. “The Weston Marauders know about the story of the Whispering Trees. You may start to understand why they abandoned their chase. After we or if we are lucky enough to live after that, there will be a river waiting near the place. And it will save us some time because it's a shortcut out of this forest.”

“And the bad news?” David asked, a little annoyed that he ended it with extra suspense.

“By crossing the Whispering Trees, we may get killed,” Talim finished.

David huffed. What was new? He didn't even have to spend a couple of days to learn how dangerous this world was. It felt like every second his head was at risk. In his anger, he kicked a pebble, sending it flying to the feet of a mound.

“How about we climb it?” David asked, pointing to the nearest hill.

“Can you do that?” Talim doubted.

David looked up. He could tell that the smallest one would be as high as a building with more than thirty floors or so. He considered that it would be very challenging because all of them were sharply angled.

“With efforts, I think I can manage. I have some practice though,” David said, wondering if he could finally use what he learned on rock climbing every summer.

“They were too steep. And even if you reach the summit, the river awaits you at the other side. You would most likely fall to your death,” Talim warned.

“Nevermind,” David said, losing all his hopes. “You seem to know a lot around here. I thought your people rarely walk outside.”

“I read books as my past time. Building a refuge would not mean staying ignorant beyond the boundaries,” Talim explained. “If that was the case, we would not have survived long right after the emperor claimed a throne.”

“Tell me the story of the Whispering Trees."

“It's one of the legends,” Talim told him. “According to the book I read, the trees were cursed. They were actually evil spirits that once incorporated physical bodies. They were not real trees, they were transformed by a powerful wizard named Jed. It's not clear if a battle took place there and how these harmful presences continue to spread horrors.”

“They can attack you?” David asked, trying hard not to let his words tremble.

“Not that you may have thought they could move,” Talim clarified. “You will hear their whispers. Some of them would sound really alluring or terrifying. You may start hurting or killing yourself. Some voices would mislead you. Some would leave you disoriented. And many horrible sounds you cannot imagine.”

“What are the chances of surviving?” David asked.

“Bleak,” he said miserably. “There were two people in Ryeland who we had suspected walked through the Whispering Trees.”

“What happened?”

“One of them was found wandering along the road not far from here. He was in a catatonic state,” Talim said. “He killed himself a couple of days later after being rescued. The other one was never found.”

David swallowed. He finally understood their predicament. If they go back, they will be caught by the bandits. If they try the hills, they will only get killed. Either of the options didn't offer a better alternative. At least by risking their necks in the Whispering Trees, they would gain an advantage on their journey.

“I think we need to plot a strategy,” David suggested.

“That's not a bad idea,” Talim agreed. “Do you have any?"

“How about we talk while crossing it?” David proposed.

“Sure,” Talim nodded.

Not longer than three minutes when they both found themselves staring at the group of lifeless trees colored in ash. They were scattered randomly, making it hard to find a certain trail. They had no leaves, only trunks and branches were left as if this section of forest was burned not long ago. David thought this would be a perfect place to visit for Halloween.

Most limbs twisted unusually; they were thick enough to transform the world beneath them into a twilight realm. David felt the increasing urge to run back and just surrender to Weston Marauders. But he wouldn't want to look like a complete wuss in front of Talim.

“It looks scarier than I thought,” David said.

“Believe me, I didn't expect it to be this terrible,” Talim appalled.

“I'm not hearing anything,” David reported.

“Maybe it starts when we cross,” Talim said. “Are you ready to go?”

“Are you?"

“Let's do this,” Talim started to walk.

David let Talim lead three steps in front of him. He made a little distance apart from him in case something bad would happen once he stepped on its uninviting terrain. Nothing happened. He didn't hear any voices. They walked quickly, but they were wary not to touch any of the limbs obstructing their way.

“I read that the way out would be to walk in a straight line,” Talim said loudly. His voice was too noisy and intruding in the quiet surrounding that David found himself cringing.

Then again, he realized it was his own idea.

“How about we dance in a straight line?” David asked, almost shouting.

Talim laughed noisily, “This is ridiculous.”

Almost a couple of hundred paces since they entered when David started to hear rambled voices. He couldn't tell if they were whispering in his ears or they were just in his head.

“Do you hear that?” David shivered.

“Yes," Talim answered looking paler. “Try to ignore it.”

David tried to start a conversation, but he found the unintelligible noises too distracting. He tried not to think about them and focus on his track. He dodged branches and sometimes ducked to avoid low limbs. The voices became more pronounced and aggressive as they continued. He didn't want to focus but he couldn't help catching words like Death, Kill, Help, and Hungry.

They both stayed close together as they walked briskly, almost running. One tree sat in the middle of their path, allowing them to split for a second. When David passed it, he heard an urgent voice of Talim, “Look left!” 

There was something in it that made him comply without a second thought. The series of orders began to shout in his mind.

“Look right, back, left, forward, up, down!”

David found himself disoriented. Too many voices were overlapping. Body trembling, he tried to look around searching for Talim. He couldn't see him. His sight began to blur. He was bewildered, lost, and left alone. Sinister voices persisted to hiss threatening words. He heard sounds of crying, mocking, begging, and an evil laugh all at once. What was he going to do? He could barely think. Was he going to die here in the middle of this dreadful place?

“No!” David repeatedly shouted the word. He couldn't die here. He needed to find a way home.

Suddenly the whispers started to decrease in volume. He could still make out words but they were bearable. Composing himself, he started to look in all directions. Maybe less than twenty meters away, he saw Talim wandering. David quickly ran to him and snapped him back to consciousness.

Talim looked to him perplexed, “What?”

“We have to get out of here,” David said.

He could still see the tree they had passed together, so he knew where to go. Clutching Talim by one arm, they advanced quickly. David's hope elevated with excitement as he started to hear the sound of the river at a short distance. 

The voices of whispering trees continued to subside becoming a typical background noise. In diminishing babbling whispers, he recognized a voice that was very similar to his.

“You will die soon.”

“You won't achieve anything.”

David knew he should ignore it, but he couldn't resist replying, “Who cares?”

“You are always this stupid,” the whisper answered.

“Because we both are,” David called back as they exited and went straight for freshwater.