The forest didn't end—it just kept going, deeper and darker the longer he walked. Xavier's legs felt like wet sandbags, dragging behind him with every step. His vision blurred, and more than once he had to catch himself against tree trunks just to stay upright.
The pain in his ribs had dulled into something heavier—less sharp, more constant. Not good. That kind of pain meant his body was starting to shut down. He couldn't stop shivering, even though the air wasn't that cold.
He needed help. Real help. Not a break, not a second wind. A hospital. A bed. Stitches. Something.
He nearly didn't hear it.
A voice—distant and muffled.
Japanese, fast and concerned.
He froze, one hand gripping the bark beside him, head tilting toward the sound. It came again—clearer this time. Someone was talking just beyond the treeline, not shouting, but not whispering either.
For a second, he wondered if he was hallucinating.
But then another voice answered.
Footsteps.
Panic and relief collided in his chest. He tried to call out but only managed a cracked whisper. He stumbled forward, following the sound, each step heavier than the last.
He emerged from the trees onto a gravel path.
And saw them.
Two men, both dressed in dark jackets, one crouched near a small shrine, the other standing with a paper in his hand—some kind of talisman. One of them turned sharply when Xavier broke through the underbrush, startled, eyes locking onto him instantly.
They both froze.
Xavier looked like hell.
Blood soaked down his side. His clothes were torn. His face was pale and his movements sluggish. He tried to speak again—tried to say help me—but it came out garbled and soft.
The man who had been standing took a cautious step forward. He spoke quickly, his Japanese too fast for Xavier to understand. But his tone wasn't aggressive. It was confused. Maybe concerned.
Xavier blinked, swaying.
"I don't understand…" he muttered. "Please…"
That was the last thing he got out.
His knees gave out and the world tilted sideways. He hit the gravel hard, shoulder first, vision spinning.
Shouts followed. Footsteps. A hand grabbed his arm. The voices sounded farther away now, distorted. He caught one more glance at the man who crouched over him—dark hair, late 30s maybe, eyes wide with shock. Not just because Xavier was injured.
But because of something else.
Something he didn't have words for.
Then everything went black.
He didn't dream.
Only darkness and weight.
Somewhere far away, voices came and went. Cold cloth against his forehead. The scent of antiseptic. The sharp stab of a needle. Something mechanical humming.
When he finally stirred, it was with the slow realization that he wasn't lying on a road anymore.
He was in a room. A small one.
Dim light filtered through the paper-thin walls. Tatami mats beneath him. His hoodie was gone, replaced with a loose shirt that wasn't his. His side was bandaged tightly, but not professionally. This wasn't a hospital.
It was someone's home.
A quiet voice nearby spoke Japanese. Then another, deeper. A conversation—low and urgent.
He didn't recognize the words, but the tone felt serious.
One of the voices moved closer.
Footsteps on wood.
Xavier blinked, and a shadow leaned into view—tired eyes, thin-framed glasses, rough stubble along his jaw. He said something softly, then realized Xavier couldn't understand.
After a pause, he tried again—broken English this time.
"You awake…?" he said slowly. "You… American?"
Xavier's throat was dry. He nodded once, weakly.
The man hesitated. "You… not normal. Energy… around you. Is… wrong?"
Xavier flinched, but the man didn't seem hostile. Just confused. He watched Xavier carefully, like someone studying a new species. Xavier tried to sit up but winced immediately, and the man raised a hand to stop him.
"Rest," he said. "Not safe… to move."
Xavier leaned back, chest rising and falling slowly.
The silence stretched between them.
He had no idea where he was, or who this man was, or how he had survived that thing in the woods. But for now, he wasn't alone. He was alive.
And maybe—just maybe—someone in this world had questions too.