Mia slowly opened her eyes.
Pain arrived before her memories did.
Her shoulder burned.
Her entire body felt like it had been thrown against the forest itself.
For several seconds, she stared upward, unable to remember where she was.
Then the memories returned.
The Tikbalang.
The leap.
The impossible speed.
The moment her grip finally failed.
The tree.
Mia clenched her teeth as she tried to move.
A sharp pain immediately traveled through her shoulder.
She stopped.
Something was wrong.
Her arm refused to cooperate.
Before she could worry about that, she noticed the silence.
Not the peaceful kind.
The kind that came when everyone was waiting for something to happen.
Mia slowly turned her head.
And saw them.
Jack.
Thomas.
Oliver.
They were awake.
Standing like statues, not moving, but waiting for something.
They were already in formation.
Jack stood closest to her right side.
His breathing was uneven.
His body was covered in dirt and scratches.
But his sword was raised.
Pointed forward.
Toward the Tikbalang.
Thomas stood on her other side.
His stance was weaker, but his grip remained firm.
He kept himself between Mia and the creature.
Oliver stood in front of them.
The only one who looked capable of moving properly.
The least injured.
The first line of defense.
Mia stared at them.
Even after everything...
Even after losing.
Even after being completely outmatched.
Their first instinct was still to protect each other.
She almost laughed.
Almost.
Because the situation was ridiculous.
They had just been defeated by a creature they barely understood.
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And somehow, they were still preparing to fight again.
Then Mia looked ahead.
The Tikbalang remained several meters away.
Crouched.
Watching.
It had not moved since she woke up.
Its dark mane hung over its shoulders.
The few golden strands mixed among the black hair caught the faint light passing through the trees.
Its eyes remained fixed on them.
Nobody lowered their sword.
Nobody spoke.
They had already learned not to underestimate it.
A single mistake had been enough to put all four of them on the ground.
They were not making another one.
Oliver kept his sword aimed at the Tikbalang.
His arm ached.
His body was exhausted.
But he remained standing.
Not because he thought he could win.
Everyone knew that wasn't true.
He was standing in front because someone had to.
And right now, he was the only one capable of doing it.
The Tikbalang continued watching.
Then slowly...
it stood.
Every student immediately tensed.
Jack tightened his grip.
Thomas shifted his footing.
Mia prepared herself despite the pain, despite not having a sword.
Oliver stepped forward slightly.
But the Tikbalang did not attack.
It simply turned away.
And began walking.
For a moment, nobody moved.
They stared after it.
Confused.
The creature that had defeated them was leaving.
Not charging.
Not threatening.
Just walking away.
Jack was the first to speak.
"...Is it expecting us to follow?"
Oliver kept his sword raised.
"Looks like it."
Jack glanced at Oliver.
"That's a terrible idea."
Oliver watched the Tikbalang disappear between the trees.
"Yes."
A pause.
"It is."
He looked back at them.
"But staying here is worse."
The group remained silent.
They didn't trust the creature.
Not even close.
But they also understood their situation.
They were injured.
They were still inside the forest.
And the Tikbalang was the only thing moving with a clear destination.
Oliver lowered his sword slightly.
"Stay close."
Jack looked annoyed.
"You're actually serious."
Oliver nodded.
Jack sighed.
"I hate that you're serious."
Slowly, carefully, the four students began following the Tikbalang.
Not as allies.
Not as friends.
But because, for now...
it was the only path forward.
The distance between them never disappeared.
The Tikbalang walked ahead.
The students followed behind.
Not too close.
Never too close.
Even though the creature had not attacked again, none of them were willing to forget what had happened.
Jack kept his sword in hand.
Thomas stayed near Mia, occasionally glancing at her injured shoulder.
Mia tried not to show how much pain she was in.
And Oliver remained at the front.
Watching the Tikbalang.
Watching the forest.
Watching for any sign that something would change.
The forest was strangely quiet.
Not the unnatural silence from before.
Not the feeling that something was watching them from every direction.
Just the ordinary sounds of the wilderness.
Leaves moving.
Branches shifting.
Their own footsteps.
It was almost unsettling.
After everything they had experienced, normal felt suspicious.
As they continued walking, Oliver noticed something.
The trees.
The marks.
The signs they had left behind.
Simple markings they had made to avoid getting lost.
Now, they could follow them again.
The route they had taken during the expedition slowly became recognizable.
Thomas noticed as well.
"The markings..."
Jack looked toward the nearest tree.
"Our trail."
Mia looked around.
"So the forest is back to normal?"
Nobody answered immediately.
But they understood one thing.
The maze-like paths were no longer interfering.
The Tikbalang continued forward.
It never looked back.
It never explained where it was taking them.
It simply moved through the forest with complete confidence.
That alone was unsettling.
A creature that should have been unfamiliar with human paths knew exactly where it was going.
After several minutes of silence, Oliver finally spoke.
"Mr. Tikbalang."
Everyone stopped for a moment.
Jack slowly turned his head.
"...Did you just call it Mr. Tikbalang?"
Oliver ignored him.
The Tikbalang continued walking.
Oliver hesitated.
Then called again.
"Mr. Tikbalang."
This time, Jack looked genuinely offended.
"That is somehow the strangest thing you've said today."
Thomas glanced at him.
"Considering today, that's impressive."
Oliver kept his eyes on the Tikbalang.
"Can I ask something?"
The creature did not respond.
Oliver continued anyway.
"My sword."
A pause.
"It's still stuck in the tree."
Jack stared at him.
"You are thinking about your sword right now?"
Oliver nodded.
"Yes."
"We almost died."
"Yes."
"We got thrown through the forest."
"Yes."
"The creature in front of us is the reason."
"Yes."
Jack waited.
Oliver looked at him.
"It is still my sword."
Thomas looked away.
Because he couldn't argue with that.
Mia, despite the pain, almost smiled.
It was such an Oliver response.
The situation was terrifying.
The danger was still present.
And somehow, he was worried about retrieving his weapon.
The Tikbalang continued walking.
For several seconds, it gave no reaction.
Then it stopped.
Everyone immediately became alert.
Their hands tightened around their swords.
The creature slowly turned its head toward Oliver.
The group waited.
Nobody knew what it would do.
Then the Tikbalang turned away again.
And continued forward.
Oliver watched it.
"...I assume that means no."
Jack sighed.
"I think that means your sword is staying in the tree."
Oliver looked disappointed.
"My sword."
Thomas shook his head.
"Of all the things..."
A pause.
"That is somehow the one bothering you most."
The group continued following.
Still cautious.
Still injured.
Still unsure what the Tikbalang wanted.
But as the forest path became clearer...
they slowly realized something.
The creature was not leading them deeper.
It was taking them back.