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each one toppling faster than the other with a sickening crack, their sturdy trunks snapping like twigs.
    Breeze backed into the lake and was immediately bitten by the iciness of the water, but his fear of whatever was heading toward him overruled his discomfort.
    The tree falling ceased abruptly and a creature stepped out from the forest with the radiance of the moon casting a spotlight on it. It was tall. Taller than any man he had ever seen. Its eyes flickered, alternating between shades of red and white. It stood perfectly still as it stared at Breeze.
    Breeze was knee-deep in the lake and breathing heavily. The icy water was making him shiver, but he was too afraid to move. He could see the creature breathe heavily too. Each exhale it made was laced with a low, guttural growl. It was menacing and frightening to behold, with its tangled and unkempt hair covering its body from head to toe. Then it began striding towards him.
    Breeze reflexively stepped back deeper into the lake. The water was up to his waist and the cold was unbearable. His heart was beating hard, making the blood roar through his ears that he could barely think straight. Then the smell hit him.
    The creature emitted a foul odor that reeked of sulfur. It was a smell he was familiar with, spending many a summer recess and weekends helping his father in the foundry. But the odor from this monstrosity was so powerful it made him gag.
    The creature took a few more steps towards him with its eyes flashing a throbbing red when it came to an abrupt stop.
    The fierce red eyes gave way to a white glow as it stopped growling and cocked its head.
    Breeze felt a wave of calm sweep over him. Whatever terror he experienced earlier was replaced by a sense of serenity. The creature had glowing eyes that illuminated its face, and it stretched a long and hairy arm towards him. It made a beckoning motion. Breeze absentmindedly took a step forward, and then stopped.
    In the back of his mind, he heard a hissing noise. The hissing grew into a powerful static that drowned out all other sound. He glanced at his nav-compass, and the needle was spinning wildly.
    He covered his ears in a desperate attempt to block the noise when he caught a sudden flash of movement from above. He looked up and saw the bright star that he used to guide himself out of the forest was now hovering above him. It morphed into an orb and pulsated with radiating light in a staccato pattern.
    The creature’s eyes exploded into a fiery red as it pointed to the orb with a piercing howl. The orb pulsated with a rainbow of colors in response, then shrunk into a black ball and streaked towards the hairy creature, striking it in the chest and sending it tumbling into the forest. The creature shrieked and howled as the black ball expanded into a larger sphere and began absorbing it.
    Breeze had seen enough. He needed to leave. Now.
    He struggled to get out of the icy lake, shivering mightily as he waded out of the water. The static hiss was more powerful than ever and he couldn’t concentrate to try and fly. He ran away as fast as he could along the shoreline.
    He ran until the sound of static dissipated and the creature’s horrific shrieking subsided. He came to a stop and dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. His shivering became more intense as he felt the cold air on his drenched pant legs. His boots were soggy and squished with every step he took.
    He knew he had to fly up to find the road. If he could find it again, he would follow it and hopefully it would lead to a town.
    He looked at his nav-compass and was relieved to see that it was working again as the needle spun casually until it came to a stop and pointed north.
    He stood up and tried to overcome his shivering as he stretched out his arms and closed his eyes. If there was ever a time he needed to achieve flight, it was now.
    He felt the familiar rush of air across his face as his feet left the ground. He opened his eyes and saw he was hovering