A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

My curiosity deepened, but my gut twisted with unease. "Wait, so what's so dangerous about it?"

Jiuge crossed her arms, her tone serious. "The Forest of Forgotten Tales is a mysterious place. I think in your world there's a similar place—the Bermuda Triangle. Instead of an ocean, though, it's a forest. And it's not like any ordinary forest."

"It's a place untouched by time, a shadowed realm where forgotten legends and incomplete myths linger—stories that were never fully realized or simply lost to history," Jiuge added, her tone heavy with unease.

She shuddered as if recalling something she'd rather forget.

"We were told creatures of every kind inhabit the place—Kitsune, shape-shifters, tricksters—and some of the most potent and dangerous beings from ancient myths are said to roam the place."

She glanced up, her expression turning somber.

"It's a place where reality bends, and anyone who enters can easily lose themselves… in more ways than one."

Jiuge's fingers flew over the tablet once again as she scrolled through the information, searching for any other clues that might explain Amaterasu's connection to this dangerous place.

Agnos' voice dropped lower, carrying a weight of unease.

"The forest isn't just a place—it's a shifting labyrinth. The paths change on their own. One moment, you're heading in one direction, and the next, the road's vanished, replaced by something else entirely."

He then glanced at the tablet briefly before continuing, his gaze darkening. "No one who ventures too deep ever comes back the same. Some lose their memories, others lose their very selves. There are stories… that if you wander too far, you might become part of the forest's next forgotten legend."

I shivered at the thought. The idea of being trapped in a never-ending loop of forgotten stories didn't sound like something I wanted to experience firsthand.

"So Amaterasu went there on her own?" I asked, trying to make sense of it.

"It looks like it," Jiuge replied. "But why? What was she searching for in the Forest of Forgotten Tales?"

"Well, whatever her reasons are, it must be something serious if she's willing to risk everything to go there," I muttered, my mind racing with possibilities.

I could feel the weight of the unknown pressing in. We weren't just chasing a missing goddess anymore. This was something bigger, something far more dangerous.

Something was pulling Amaterasu into that dangerous, shifting place—and it might be the key to understanding the discrepancies she found in the sun and moon's charts.

I exhaled, trying to shake off the gnawing unease.

"We need to find her. If we don't, who knows what could happen to the balance of Mythica. And if she's been trapped in that forest… we might be running out of time."

Agnos clicked his tongue in frustration.

"Tsk. Did you not hear a word we said? That place is dangerous. And for once, I'm not teasing you, Carl—tempting as it is. Right now, as your self-proclaimed 'special guardian,' we need to rethink this."

"Agnos has a point," Jiuge added, his tone laced with genuine concern. "If even a Sun Goddess—a literal deity—got trapped in there, what makes you think a mortal like you could handle it? You don't even have powers."

"Who says I don't have powers?" I shot back, crossing my arms.

Agnos and Jiuge exchanged a skeptical glance before turning their gazes back to me, curiosity etched on their faces.

"You… have powers?" Jiuge asked, raising a doubtful brow. "And what might those be, exactly?"

I smirked, feeling smug. "The power to command both of you to use your powers."

The air hung still for a beat before Agnos and Jiuge both gave me a synchronized deadpan stare. Their faces screamed disbelief, but also the reluctant acknowledgment that I wasn't entirely wrong.

"Wow. Bravo, Carl," Agnos deadpanned, clapping slowly with mock enthusiasm. "I'm really starting to question Naga's decision to make me your babysitter."

I laughed, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Relax, you two. I'm not just going to barge in unprepared. Obviously, we need a proper plan."

After what felt like an eternity of persuasion—and more groaning than I cared to count—Agnos and Jiuge finally agreed.

As we began to leave the palace, something unexpected happened. The core fragment around my neck, crafted into a necklace pendant by Naga, suddenly lit up. The warm glow pulsed rhythmically, tugging me forward as if drawn by some invisible force.

"W-what's going on?" I stammered, trying to resist, but my feet kept moving toward wherever the fragment was pulling me.

"Obviously, it wants you to follow it. Duh," Jiuge said with an exaggerated eye roll. She gave me a shove. "Stop fighting it and move already."

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" I huffed, letting the fragment lead the way.

After a few minutes of being dragged through winding halls, we stopped in front of a massive steel door.

The fragment floated forward, glowing brighter, until it touched the door. With a low, resonating hum, the door slid open on its own.

Inside, the air felt thick with energy. At the center of the room, suspended midair, was a radiant crystal pulsating with golden light.

"T-this is… the Crystal of Light," Jiuge gasped, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Huh?" I squinted at it. "Is that important?"

"Yes," Agnos replied, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "This is the heart of Amaterasu's domain. It's how she provides sunlight to the world realms she governs."

I stepped closer, captivated by the brilliance of the crystal. It was breathtaking, radiating warmth and light like a miniature sun.

But something was off. A quarter of the crystal wasn't glowing. Instead, it had turned dark, as if the light had been drained away.

"Huh? Why has that part dimmed?" I asked, a knot forming in my stomach.

"That's not good," Jiuge muttered, her expression grim. "It means parts of her domain—and the realms connected to it—are already succumbing to darkness and corruption."

"And that's not all," Agnos added, his voice dropping lower. "The Crystal of Light doesn't just power her domain. It's also tied to her life essence. If it's this dark now… Amaterasu might be in serious danger."