Chapter 30: Human-Shaped Ginseng
The world greeted him with cold.
Asher woke, shivering uncontrollably, his body protesting the frigid dawn. His breath came in rapid puffs, misting the air like smoke, as a sharp sneeze forced his head forward, followed by another. Each sneeze left him groaning, his muscles aching from the strain.
The sun rose slowly, spilling golden light over the forest, painting the trees in amber hues. Long shadows stretched across the frost-covered ground, the beauty lost on Asher, who could only focus on the biting cold. If he had been in a better mood, he might have appreciated the view, but today it only reminded him of how much he didn't belong here.
Shaking his head, he tried to clear the fog from his mind. His body, stiff from the uncomfortable night, protested with every movement. Another shiver wracked him, his teeth chattering involuntarily.
His eyes unfocused as he scanned the ground, wishing for relief from the chill. Then something caught his eye. It seemed like a trick of the light at first—a faint glimmer, a pale thread twisting across the rocky ground.
He blinked, confused, and looked again. It was still there, clear and real, like a path laid out just for him. But when he focused, it vanished, leaving only the cold silence of the forest.
Frustration swelled in his chest. Of all the things he could have missed, it had to be something like this. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. Then, his gaze shifted downward—toward the base of the escarpment.
That's when he saw it.
He hadn't looked closely enough before. The glimmer had led him right to it—a sizable gap in the cliff, one he hadn't noticed the night before in his exhaustion. It wasn't a narrow crack or hidden crevice, but a space big enough for him to slip through.
Cursing under his breath, he realized how stupid he'd been. He had been too tired to see it earlier.
Something was waiting for him inside that gap. Whether shelter or some deeper mystery, he couldn't say. But there was a pull, an undeniable feeling drawing him toward it.
He grunted as he made his way down the escarpment, carefully avoiding loose rocks that could send him tumbling. With each step, his feet found more stable ground. Soon, he reached the base and stood before the gap. For a moment, he hesitated, taking in the dark entrance.
He crawled inside, the space gradually widening into a small chamber. The light filtering through the treetops cast a faint glow over the rough stone walls, and beams of sunlight flickered across the floor, illuminating the farthest corners.
In the farthest corner, something caught his eye. At first, he thought he saw eyes staring back at him, their dark pupils glinting in the dim light. A chill ran down his spine, and his heart raced. He instinctively took a step back.
But as he blinked and rubbed his eyes, the image became clearer. What had seemed like eyes was actually a strange, face-shaped clump of vegetation.
He frowned, studying it carefully. It was unlike anything he had seen before—a bulbous, root-like plant, its shape vaguely human but entirely alien in design.
Samantha's words about the ginseng came back to him.
His fingers tightened around the root, and he reached down to grab it. The strange texture of its surface sent a shiver up his spine as he pulled it free from the ground. The effort was exhausting, but there was something undeniably satisfying about holding the plant in his hands, its odd shape gleaming in the dim light.
With a grunt, he yanked it free, stepping back to catch his breath.
Suddenly, a heavy footfall echoed in the cave, followed by the rush of air. Asher spun around, pulse quickening, expecting danger.
But instead, a familiar figure stumbled into the cave—Samantha.
She stood, breathing heavily, scanning him quickly, her eyes assessing him for injuries. For a moment, her expression softened with concern, her brow furrowed.
But as she took in the scene—the ginseng in his hands and the lack of any immediate threat—her expression shifted. Confusion mixed with surprise flickered across her face.
"You're... you're fine?" she asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and frustration.
Asher, still catching his breath, blinked at her, confused. "What—how are you—?"
Before he could finish, Samantha cut him off, quickly regaining her composure. "It actually—" Her voice trailed off, and her concern vanished as she stepped forward. "You found it. The human-shaped ginseng, which I totally knew existed all along!"
She glanced at the plant in his hands, muttering to herself. "I definitely thought the ginseng plant existed, but... I just made up that mystical version." She sighed, exasperated. "But to think you actually found one that looks human-like. What are the odds?"
Asher's frustration flared, and he gripped the ginseng tighter. "Wait a second—"
He stepped toward her, ready to demand an explanation, but exhaustion hit him like a wave. The cold, the long night, and the stress of everything that had happened drained him in an instant. His body ached, and the last thing he wanted was another argument with her.
With a sharp exhale, he rubbed his temples, the irritation slowly giving way to resignation. "Can we just go back to the church?" His voice was quieter now, tinged with defeat. He wasn't in the mood for more games.
Samantha studied him for a long moment, her brow furrowed. Finally, she gave a short, sharp nod. "Fine. Let's go. You've clearly had enough."
Too tired to say anything more, Asher followed her without another word, occasionally glancing down at the oddly shaped root in his hands.