Before the forest stood a figure wearing a black hood that covered his head. The stranger took a deep breath, then pressed a button on his watch to contact one of his companions.

"I am about to enter the forest," he said in a significant tone. "The plan will be executed as we agreed."

The other person replied in a deep, calm voice, "Very well. Be cautious. There may be robotic units in the forest as well."

The first man responded as he prepared to end the call, "Do not worry. I will eliminate it if necessary. I am going in now and will sever the connection, lest they trace the signal."

Noor emerged from the white, cloud-piercing tower, yawning. A cool gust of air caressed his face, bringing a sense of relief. He looked ahead, smiled, and said, "Freedom, at last. It is time for the truth."

Noor noticed that a soft, somewhat long beard had grown on his face, along with a thick mustache connected to it. He had a feeling that his body looked slightly different than before.

"How much time has passed while I was dormant?" he said, inspecting his body.

He noted that his height had increased, his voice had become deeper, and his hair was longer, falling to his shoulders. He felt he had changed a great deal and wished he had a mirror somewhere to see himself.

Noor found himself in a large forest. The red disk of the sun cast its rays upon the path, its color mingling with the green grass to evoke a sense of comfort and peace, heralding the approach of sunset.

Noor walked cautiously, delving into the strange forest, the likes of which he had never seen before. He saw flowers of all colors and strange shapes that his eyes had never before beheld: flowers with triangular yellow petals, others shaped like small, frightening creatures resembling miniature humans, and trees with blue leaves.

Their leaves were compound, pinnate, and alternately arranged. He saw elongated leaflets with an acute apex of a light blue color, and flowers in tubular inflorescences of purple, white, and blue, while the branches boasted a joyous red hue. He found some trees that seemed familiar, but the unfamiliar far outweighed the familiar.

He contemplated these strange sights in complete astonishment. Much had changed since he had awakened in this place. It seemed the climate had also changed, altering the characteristics and composition of the trees to produce this strange new flora.

Noor continued to examine the area, occasionally picking and taking some samples with him to examine up close. He then marveled at the delightful and picturesque scenery around him, as if he were in a magical forest.

But he noticed the absence of any living creature nearby; the forest was entirely still, covered in a cold, frightening silence. On his way, he encountered another strange group of trees whose leaves were a startlingly bright red that dazzled the eye.

Their branches were twisted in a strange way he had never seen before, like two ropes wound together in a knot, and their trunks were transparent, as if made of mercury.

Noor observed the mercurial trunk with astonishment and wanted to touch it, but sensed it was not a good idea at all. He turned his face away and began to move again, the outside world still dazzling him with every step he took.

Meanwhile, the deadly silence stirred a fear within him. No animal moved, no bird sang, there was no croaking of frogs nor chirping of night insects—nothing. It was as if it were a barren land, dead to all but the strange plants and trees.

After an hour of walking and contemplating the wonders he had seen, he was overcome with exhaustion and a sudden drowsiness. He continued on until he emerged from the forest into a small green clearing, bisected by a small, flowing stream.

He ran to it and began to drink until his thirst was quenched. He then decided to create a large tent next to the stream using his power of Imagination. The tent materialized, the size of a small room, and inside was a wooden bed with a comfortable mattress and a blanket to warm him from the night's chill.

He also created some other things he would need for camping. When he finished, his exhaustion and hunger increased, so he decided to sleep. When he awoke, he would search for food.

Noor awoke with pain in his back and neck, a result of sleeping in these unsuitable conditions. Although his creations had spared him much harm, it seemed his body had been tired since his awakening inside the tower.

He jumped up and moved his neck, pressing on it with his hand to ease the pain.

His vision was blurry, but he realized the sun had not yet risen; night still blanketed the area. He walked lazily to the stream and washed his face until he felt a refreshing sensation accompanied by a feeling of exhaustion.

He took a sip of water, then leaped to his feet again and headed to his small camp. He crafted a bow, an arrow, and some knives, and decided to continue his journey.

He walked until he crossed the stream but stopped when he heard a sound coming from within the forest ahead. He predicted that someone was approaching. He ran back to the first part of the forest and hid behind a tree.

He then readied his bow and took up a ready stance, his back against the tree, his head and torso leaning out to see the edge of the opposite forest, waiting for what would emerge. He hoped it wasn't a hungry animal looking for food.

He tried to control his nerves and fear, standing steady as he watched for the approaching thing from the depths of the forest, tension coursing through his body. He tried to calm himself by all possible means, but it was impossible now.

From the forest emerged a person wearing a black hood, who looked extremely suspicious. Noor felt his heart rate increase, but he told himself, Do not judge a book by its cover. He may be peaceful and as unaware of what is happening here as I am.

But internally, he was not convinced by this idea at all; the figure's suspicious appearance instilled fear in anyone who saw him. The stranger walked toward the stream, looking left and right, scanning the area with his eyes.

He reached the stream and crossed it. His attention was drawn to the nearby campsite. He walked toward it, gave it a quick glance, then looked at the tree at the entrance to the forest ahead, the one Noor was hiding behind.

"Come out from there," he said, his voice tinged with boredom. "I can sense your presence."

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