Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare-Chapter 79: Walking through the Jungle

The jungle closed around them like a green shroud, the canopy above filtering sunlight into golden streaks that danced across the mossy floor. The air was dense, thick with the earthy scent of damp leaves and ancient wood. Every footstep was softened by layers of fallen foliage, yet the jungle seemed to hum with life—birds chirping in sharp, repetitive patterns, branches creaking overhead, and insects buzzing relentlessly.

They moved in the formation Von had laid out with military precision. Liam and Marcus took slow, measured steps just behind Von, both with hands close to their weapons, scanning the woods with sharp eyes. Sera and Mariel followed behind them in the protected middle, clutching their smaller weapons tightly, their boots crunching softly on the underbrush. Behind them, Jason, Sophia, and Eleanor kept a steady watch, each adjusting their positioning to keep the flanks secure. At the rear, Von’s two companions—Threk and Gorr—marched silently, eyes always moving, occasionally exchanging glances or silent gestures.

Von would vanish now and then, ghosting between the trees like a seasoned predator. Sometimes he would crouch beside an unusual track or disturbed bush, studying it. Other times, he would nod to Threk, who with surprising agility for someone his size, would climb the nearest tree, leaping from branch to branch until he had a high vantage point. He’d remain up there for minutes, squinting into the distance before descending with quiet, precise movements.

"Anything?" Von would ask when Threk landed softly beside him.

"Still clear," Threk replied in a husky grunt. "But the insects are getting worse."

He wasn’t wrong. The deeper they went, the more relentless the biting grew. Tiny, black-winged insects buzzed around their faces, their sharp bites leaving red, itchy welts across exposed skin. Eleanor slapped at her neck with an annoyed grunt, Sophia hissed in frustration as one bit her cheek, and Jason flailed his arms in exaggerated desperation.

"For the love of all gods!" Marcus groaned, scratching violently at his forearm. "I’d rather fight another dozen pirates than be eaten alive by these flying demons!"

Sera was swatting wildly at her hair, her eyes red and watery. "I can’t—ugh, one just flew into my mouth!"

"This is torture," Sophia muttered, smacking her wrist, already peppered with welts. "Pure torture."

Only Von seemed unfazed, striding through the chaos like a man who had long since made peace with nature’s less pleasant side. But even he paused, watching the growing discomfort of the group with a slow shake of his head.

"This won’t do," he said.

Without further explanation, Von disappeared into the brush off the trail, pushing aside low-hanging branches with his thick forearm. The group stopped where they stood, panting and scratching.

Liam looked around, sweat trickling down the side of his face. "Where’s he off to now?"

"No idea," Marcus muttered, still rubbing at his neck. "Probably wrestling a bear to make us bug repellent."

Sophia gave a tired smirk at that, but said nothing, instead flicking another bug off her shoulder.

It wasn’t long before Von returned, his broad frame emerging from the undergrowth, holding several thick, waxy leaves and clusters of what looked like bright green herbs in his hand. Without a word, he knelt down and began smashing the leaves between two flat stones, grinding them into a paste. The smell that drifted from it made half the group recoil.

"Oh gods," Eleanor gagged. "That’s vile."

"What is that?" Sera asked, covering her nose.

Von didn’t even flinch. "Local plant. Bugs hate it. Won’t stop all of them, but it’ll help."

He handed the smelly mash over in large globs, nodding toward the group.

"Rub it on. Arms, neck, face. Any exposed skin."

"Do we have to?" Jason whined, sniffing the mix. "It smells like something crawled up a troll’s backside and died."

"You want to keep scratching your eyes out, be my guest," Von said dryly, already slathering it across his own arms with the casual ease of a man who’d done this a hundred times.

The group hesitated, then one by one began applying the mixture, groaning as the smell clung to them like a living thing. Marcus slapped a glob onto his face and winced. "I smell like a rotting tree trunk. A really old, wet one."

"You are a rotting tree trunk," Jason muttered, smearing paste onto his neck.

Liam took two handfuls of the paste and stepped toward Mariel first. "Hold still," he said gently.

She looked up at him, already swatting at another bug. "I’ll take this over getting eaten alive."

He carefully rubbed the paste along her arms and shoulders, avoiding her eyes as she watched him closely. Then he turned to Sophia.

"Your turn."

She raised an eyebrow, but didn’t object. "This better not leave me smelling like this for days."

Liam smirked slightly. "We’ll be too busy being alive to care."

He applied the mixture on her with the same care, but she said nothing, her eyes flicking briefly to Mariel, who was still watching them.

"I could’ve done it myself," Sophia said after a beat.

"I know," Liam replied, stepping back. "But I offered."

Sophia looked like she wanted to say something more, but just turned her gaze back to the path ahead.

Mariel looked between them, her lips tightening briefly before she turned to help Sera with the rest of her own paste.

With everyone now reeking of the bitter concoction, the group pressed on—miserable but at least bite-free.

Night fell slowly, wrapping the forest in a blanket of deepening shadows and humming silence. The sun had dipped beneath the dense canopy, casting everything in a bluish twilight, and with each passing minute, the air turned cooler and thicker, filled with the croaks of unseen creatures and the rustling of leaves.

Von raised a hand, motioning for the group to stop. "We find a place to rest here," he said simply.

Without another word, he reached for his massive club and a curved cutlass strapped to his side. Then, as if the jungle itself had called to him, he turned and silently vanished into the trees. The underbrush barely shifted as his bulky form disappeared into the thicket, as if the man was made of shadow and bark.

"How does he dash off alone without fear?" Jason asked, blinking at the spot Von had disappeared into.

Marcus let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "That man’s built different."

"He moves like a ghost," Eleanor added quietly, scanning the darkening woods.

Mariel crossed her arms and let out a small, impressed sigh. "He doesn’t even hesitate. Like the forest’s a second home."

"Or maybe it’s the first," Liam muttered thoughtfully. "He knows this place better than we know our own boots."

"Wouldn’t surprise me if he married a tree and raised baby squirrels," Marcus joked, earning a quiet snort from Jason.

They waited in silence, keeping alert, though the air was heavy with fatigue. After what felt like fifteen minutes, the brush ahead rustled once more. Von emerged, calm and composed, his steps deliberate and smooth. Draped across his shoulders was a strange-looking animal—its fur dark and dappled like a starless night sky, its legs long and slender like a deer, but its face was blunt and wide, with small ears and deep golden eyes that had gone dull in death.

He stopped in front of them and gestured with a nod. "Follow."

No further explanation. Just that one word. And it was enough.

The group followed silently, stepping carefully over twisted roots and uneven ground. Von led them about two minutes through a narrow trail, then stopped where three enormous trees stood in a triangle, their trunks wide enough that five men could barely encircle them. Beneath them was a flat patch of earth, slightly sunken, protected by the trees’ branches that arched like a canopy overhead. It was almost like a natural fort.

The Jungle was still here. Peaceful in its way. A quiet clearing held in the arms of ancient giants. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Von set the animal down gently. "We’ll camp here."

Everyone looked around in muted awe.

"You cleared this?" Mariel asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Von gave a grunt and nodded. "Cut through the vines. Cleared the brush. Marked it with scent stones so no animal wanders too close."

Jason blinked. "Scent stones?"

"Don’t ask," Ulric muttered from the back. "You don’t want to know what they’re made from."

The group got to work instinctively, moving into what had become a rhythm for them. The Dwarf—who now everyone finally knew as Borik—joined Gorr in bringing the animal to one side of the clearing and began skinning it with practiced ease. They worked in silence, blades flashing in the moonlight, steam rising from the warm flesh as they separated hide from meat.

Threk, the more agile of Von’s companions, began assembling a small fire in the center. He used dry moss, bark, and a peculiar type of seed that burst into flame when struck right. Soon, a small fire crackled gently, bathing the area in flickering amber light.

Everyone else started creating makeshift beds from cloaks, branches, and whatever soft patch of earth they could claim. Liam set his things down near one of the thicker tree trunks, laying out a blanket and forming a small pile of kindling as a side project to keep his hands busy.

Mariel stepped in his direction, clutching a bundle of her things to her chest. "Hey, Liam," she said casually, trying to sound light. "Is this spot taken?"

Liam turned to her, about to say no, when from the other side, Sophia’s voice rang out.

"I already claimed this one," she said, dropping her gear beside Liam’s and plopping down without hesitation.

Mariel blinked. "Oh. I didn’t see—never mind."

She turned, her face carefully neutral, and chose another spot a few feet away. It wasn’t far, but the shift in mood was clear.

Sera, watching nearby, gave Sophia a subtle side glance. "Smooth."

Sophia didn’t answer. She busied herself tightening the straps on her boots, face unreadable.

Liam, noticing the tension but unsure what to say, rubbed the back of his neck and muttered something about needing to help with the fire.

Across the clearing, the smell of cooking meat was already starting to rise as Borik and Gorr skewered the first thick chunks over the fire, turning them slowly. The juices hissed when they hit the flames, sending up little bursts of smoke that made everyone’s mouths water.

Marcus flopped down onto a pile of leaves beside Jason and grinned. "Now this is camping. No stale bread, no dried meat. A warm fire and fresh kill? Heaven."

Mariel sat down beside Sera and let out a slow sigh, hugging her knees.

"Hey," Sera whispered gently. "You alright?"

"I’m fine," Mariel said with a small shrug. "Just tired, that’s all."

Sera gave her a knowing look, but let it be.

Meanwhile, Von stood quietly by the edge of the camp, club still in hand, eyes watching the forest. He didn’t speak much. He didn’t have to. The way he stood there—one man against the night—was more comforting than a dozen guards with torches.