Lin followed the yearling's gaze, curiosity knotting in his chest. Outside the pen, huh? He already knew that goats thought humans were gods, so this wasn't surprising—but this goat seemed like a blind devotee of the humans.
For a second, he considered asking about the whole "outsider" thing since this goat seemed to know, but the yearling just snorted and turned away, ignoring him. Well, better than getting headbutted for asking.
Lin didn't push the issue—the yearling's glare had put an end to the conversation. He moved on, scanning for another group before the herd dispersed completely.
He stopped by a cluster of goats and asked, "Has anyone seen Bojo?" He made sure not to make the same mistake twice and described Bojo's appearance carefully to the goats.
A hush fell over the group, and one goat nervously answered, "That one is gone. The gods have taken him. We heard he's special."
Lin shook his head, frowning. "That's a boy, actually." It was obvious these goats were spouting lies.
A young goat burst out laughing, saying, "Haha, he got you! Sorry, kid—we don't know about the one you're looking for. You might want to try searching somewhere else."
Another goat, older and quieter, chimed in, "If you can't find him, he's probably been taken by the gods." Lin gave them a skeptical look and asked, "Taken by the gods? What do you mean?"
''This time god has taken a few goat, he only takes those who are special. If you cant find your friend anywhere, then that means god has taken him."
A jittery yearling piped up with a worried expression, "Maybe they eat them or turn them into monsters. I heard the gods have a pit for goats who can't survive."
"Quiet down! Don't talk nonsense," snapped an old billy, silencing the others. He turned to Lin sternly. "Listen, kid. Your friend's not coming back. Those chosen by the gods live a different life. Only a few ever return, and those who do… well, they're not like the rest of us. People call them apostles—they have strength and abilities no one else does. They lead others. If you're smart, you'll stop asking questions and move on."
Lin tried to keep his voice steady. "So who are these apostles?"
A grizzled goat answered quietly as the group began to drift away. "The elders. Never look for them unless they seek you."
The answers rolled in Lin's mind: elders, apostles, special goats, a hidden world deeper than he thought. Suddenly, his isolation felt smaller compared to these secret forces at work. Trying not to sound desperate, Lin asked, "Do you guys know who I am?"
A goat snorted, barely glancing his way. "Yeah, you're the outsider. What, you gonna scare us? That'd be funny," he said, laughing at his own joke.
Lin forced a shaky smile. "No, that's not it. I just want to know what others think. Maybe it'll help me get better."
"That's weird," another goat muttered, side-eyeing him. Before Lin could say more, the group walked away, ignoring him as if he didn't exist. His questions hung in the air, unanswered. Lin clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling.
He looked toward the row of houses near the fence, unsure of his next move. Part of him wanted to walk away.
Why am I even considering this? Lin thought bitterly. I'm not a hero. I just want to be stronger. I'm not risking everything for someone else. Lin made up his mind. He'd go check it out if he found Bojo; that would be great. If not, Lin glanced at the mission log once again, fuck, why are you making this so hard, system?
Lin spent the rest of the day watching, waiting, and thinking. He tracked the humans' routines, memorizing every movement. He studied the fence, searching for weak spots. And he waited for dusk, when the shadows stretched long and the farm finally quieted.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lin's nerves buzzed with a strange mix of fear and determination. He crept along the edge of the pasture, keeping low in the tall grass. A dog barked somewhere near the barn, and Lin froze, heart hammering in his chest. But the dog lost interest and wandered off, leaving Lin alone in the gathering dark.
He reached the fence, a patch where the wire sagged and the posts leaned outward. He glanced back at the herd; most of them were already settling in for the night, heads down, eyes closed. No one was watching.
Lin took a deep breath, squeezed through the gap, and stumbled out the other side. What he saw nearly blew his mind. The world beyond the fence felt bigger, colder, and infinitely more dangerous, and most shocking of all, there were trees. Not just a few, but trees everywhere, towering overhead and blotting out the sky.
What the hell? Lin spun around. More trees. He turned again, half-expecting to see the familiar farm, but it was gone, just endless forest in every direction. Am I hallucinating? He walked back to where he'd crawled out, heart pounding. The moment he stepped through the gap, his vision shifted. Suddenly, he was back inside the farm, surrounded by the bleating herd and the muddy pasture. He glanced over his shoulder: outside, just empty fields.
"What is this sorcery?" Lin's thoughts raced. Don't tell me this is magic.
It made no sense. From inside the farm, the world outside looked like barren grassland. But from outside, the farm itself vanished, replaced by a forest so dense the trees seemed to scrape the clouds. And when he looked back, the farm was simply…gone. Just trees where the barn and fences should be.
He looked back once more. Inside, the goats milled about, oblivious. No one noticed him slip away. No one came after him.
Lin steadied himself and slipped through the gap again, emerging into the forest, no, not quite the middle, he realized. He could see a village not far away, rooftops poking through the green. No turning back now, he thought, jaw set. Hang on, there my exp I am coming.
Before moving on, Lin knelt and scratched a mark in the dirt, just inside the treeline. If I have to run, I'll need to know where I came from.
He crouched low in the tall grass at the edge of the human village, heart thudding so hard he was sure even the bugs could hear it.