The continent of Heida was vast, its lands dotted with towering mountains, endless forests, and winding rivers. Among the many dangers of the world, the most feared were the Z-Mon, creatures of unimaginable power. Yet, not far behind in the threats they posed, other monsters roamed freely, wreaking havoc across villages and towns.
Through the dense, darkened forest of Heida, a lone carriage trundled down a winding path. The trees were so massive that sunlight barely filtered through the thick canopy, casting everything beneath in a shadowy gloom.
BOOM!
The explosion reverberated through the trees, its sound echoing across the forest. The carriage, now set ablaze, toppled onto its side, the fire consuming the wooden frame in seconds. A young boy, unconscious, was thrown from the wreckage.
???: "W-Where am I? What's going on…? Ah, my head…"
Shiebe groggily regained consciousness. His mind was foggy, his vision blurry. His entire body ached, and the searing heat from the fire licked at his skin. He slowly stood, his legs trembling beneath him as he surveyed the wreckage. The carriage was in flames, the driver a charred corpse. No other bodies were visible—just him, alone, in the middle of a forest.
???: "Ah… I remember now. I was with Luni, and then… I got knocked out. Now I'm here, surrounded by flames…"
His mind began to recollect everything that had happened: the council's ambush, the chaos that had unfolded, and then the sudden explosion. It seemed they'd failed in taking him. But where was Luni? Was he captured? Did he fight them off? And why was he alone in the forest?
Shiebe's thoughts were interrupted by a sound—footsteps. Faint at first, but growing louder, closer. His heart skipped a beat. Should he hide? Should he prepare to fight? Before he could decide, a figure emerged from the smoke and flames.
It was a girl—barely older than him. She stumbled, breath ragged, clearly exhausted. Behind her, a group of men pursued, their eyes hungry for capture. She tripped and fell to the ground.
Man 1: "Naughty girl, what have I told you? You will be punished for this—"
Before the man could finish, Shiebe stepped forward, his voice calm and polite, trying to avoid escalating the situation.
Shiebe: "Excuse me, sir. Is everything alright?"
The men turned, looking surprised at the sight of the young boy. They exchanged glances before one of them grinned.
Man 2: "Ah, what do we have here? A little lost child in the woods. Come with us, kid. We'll take good care of you."
Shiebe: "I'm okay… but this girl doesn't seem to be. She's hurt. You should get her treated."
The men snickered.
Man 1: "Seems like you've got a sharp tongue for a rich kid. But this girl? She's got no use to us. We were thinking of sending you to our academy instead."
Shiebe narrowed his eyes. His gut twisted with the certainty that these men weren't up to any good. They were probably from some vile organization, and the girl… she was in their hands for a reason.
Shiebe took a step forward, his expression hardening.
Shiebe: "You're not going to take her anywhere. She's not your property."
Man 2: "What do you mean, not our property? She's just a little elf girl. They've got no value here. We've got a deal, and we'll take what we want."
Shiebe: "You think I'll just stand by and let you do whatever you please? You're not going to hurt her."
Man 1: scoffs "And what are you going to do about it, kid? You're all alone in these woods. It's just you, me, and my men. You think we're scared of a little boy?"
Shiebe's eyes narrowed further. The anger that had simmered inside him from the moment he woke up now surged to the surface.
Shiebe: "You might think it's just me, but I'm not afraid. If you're going to hurt her, you'll have to go through me first."
The men looked at each other and chuckled, clearly amused. But their amusement quickly turned into annoyance.
Man 2: "Ah, I see. You want to be a hero, huh? Fine. But you won't stop us."
Shiebe didn't wait for them to make the next move. He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him, away from the men. His thoughts raced. He couldn't just let them do whatever they wanted. The girl was in danger, and if it meant putting himself at risk to help her, he'd do it.
Man 1: "What the hell? Get back here!"
Shiebe's pace quickened. He ran the girl stumbling behind him, still too exhausted to keep up.
Shiebe: "Those guys aren't just some random thugs. They're up to no good. Leaving a child alone in the forest like that—how could I just let them do that?"
The girl gasped, struggling to breathe as she tried to keep up.
???: "Why… Why are you helping me?"
Shiebe didn't hesitate, his voice steady.
Shiebe: "Because it's the right thing to do. I can't just let someone die out here and walk away. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing I let it happen."
Suddenly, a torrent of water erupted in front of them, blocking their path. Shiebe barely had time to react before the man who'd spoken earlier appeared, a malicious grin on his face. He raised his hands, conjuring the water into a spear.
Man 1: "You forced me to use my Syreum, huh? Don't think you're getting away that easily."
Shiebe stepped in front of the girl, his body tense.
Shiebe: "Stay behind me."
The man charged, the water spear gleaming in the sunlight as it sped toward them. Shiebe's mind raced. He didn't want to kill, but he couldn't let the man hurt them either. His right hand shot out, and a pulse of destructive energy exploded from his palm, blasting the water spear away.
Shiebe: "Stay back! I'm warning you!"
But the man didn't listen.
Man 1: "What the hell are you waiting for? Kill him!"
Shiebe's warning wasn't enough. The other man raised a dagger, ready to rush them. Before he could act, another explosion rocked the area. The blast was massive, sending shockwaves through the forest.
The smoke filled the air, blocking their vision. Shiebe grabbed the girl's hand once more, pulling her with him through the dense underbrush. They ran, the sounds of the men's shouts and the subsequent chaos ringing in their ears. Shiebe didn't dare look back.
The men's pursuit slowly began to fade. After running for what felt like hours, they finally stopped to catch their breath, both panting, leaning against a tree.
Shiebe: "Are you okay?"
???: "…Yeah. I'm fine."
Shiebe sat down against the tree, his legs aching. He glanced up at the sky, where colorful leaves fluttered in the wind, creating a surreal sight. It was peaceful. Almost too peaceful after the chaos.
Shiebe: "It's pretty, huh? Back where I'm from, this kind of view would've been nothing more than a dream."
She sat opposite him, staring at the trees. Shiebe's mind wandered back to the disaster earlier. The fear, the chaos, the explosion—it was all too much. He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't shake the nagging worry that Luni might still be in danger.
Shiebe: "Hey… What happened back there? Why were they chasing you?"
Her eyes dropped, her lips tightening. There was a heavy silence between them. Shiebe didn't press further. The look in her eyes spoke volumes, but it wasn't something she was ready to talk about—not yet.
Shiebe glanced at her for a moment before speaking again, his tone soft.
Shiebe: "You don't have to tell me. I can guess what they were after. You don't need to say it."
The girl's eyes flickered up at him, her expression conflicted. For a moment, it seemed like she was going to say something, but instead, she simply nodded.
Shiebe: "I'll get you out of here. We'll figure this out. Together."
She didn't respond, but the faintest hint of relief seemed to wash over her. She rested her back against the tree and sighed.
Shiebe: "Hey, what's your name?"
she blinked, surprised by the sudden change in topic. She glanced at him.
???: "Zaneff."
Shiebe: "Nice to meet you, Zaneff."
Shiebe stood up, dusting off his pants. The urgency returned to his thoughts. He had to get to Ruina. He had to find out what happened to his family, if they were even alive.
Shiebe: "I don't know where I am, and I don't know what's going on. My parents… they might still be alive, but I have no way of knowing. The last thing I remember is the town burning, then getting captured by the Council of Despair."
Zaneff: "I'm sorry. But I do know a town nearby. We could head there if you want."
Shiebe sighed. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
Shiebe: "Let's go. We have to get moving before nightfall."
Zaneff: "Right."
Together, they walked into the unknown, the forest's colorful leaves falling around them, the echoes of their footsteps mixing with the lingering sounds of the forest's mysterious creatures.