Elderwood Chronicles Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Path Unwanted

The Fractured did not trust the path ahead.

Ori walked with ease, their small form light on the earth, while The Fractured dragged his feet, each step feeling heavier than the last. His body, cracked and brittle, resisted the journey. His mind whispered that it was pointless.

“What is the point of all this?” he muttered.

Ori didn’t stop. “You’re moving.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere.”

A soft hum from the guide. “Do you need to know where the path leads for it to be worth walking?”

The Fractured frowned. He hated riddles. He hated that he didn’t have an answer.

They walked in silence until his foot caught on a gnarled root. He stumbled, barely catching himself. Ori turned just in time to see.

“You know, you could warn me,” The Fractured grumbled.

Ori tapped the compass on their chest. “Some things you have to see for yourself.”

The Fractured exhaled sharply. “More riddles.”

“You don’t like riddles?”

“I don’t like walking toward nothing.”

Ori suddenly stopped, and The Fractured nearly crashed into them. The small guide turned, their expression unreadable.

“Nothing?” Ori echoed.

The Fractured gestured at the empty forest. “Yeah. Just more trees. More dirt. No destination.” His voice wavered. “If there’s something I’m supposed to find, why not just take me there?”

Ori smiled, a small knowing smile. “Because you wouldn’t be ready for it.”

The words stung. The Fractured clenched his fists, his cracked fingers curling inward.

Ori turned and continued walking, clearly expecting him to follow. He hesitated, the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

But despite his frustration, despite his doubts… he followed.

And for the first time, a quiet thought crept into his mind:

Maybe the destination wasn’t the point.

Maybe it was what he found along the way.