The village was a hidden world, nestled high in the mountains, hidden under its peaks, completely forgotten. Seraphine creator of this village who had the power of space and time had chosen this place well. Protected by towering peaks and dense forests, the village was shielded from prying eyes. The villagers lived their lives in secrecy, neither disturbing nor giving away their presence to whatever lurked beyond the borders. They had marked their borders with blue lotus, its a flower which creates illusion so it worked as safety as well as a border line they should never cross. Their homes were simple, round huts with thatched roofs, and food was cooked using a sand roasting technique that left no smoke to rise into the air. It was a quiet and peaceful life but for some it was too quite.
For 300 years, peace had ruled this place, turning fear into peace. The stories of what had come before, the terror that once swept over their ancestors, had faded into distant legends. But despite that, the villagers still followed the strict rules, enforced through tradition and necessity. No one was allowed to go beyond the marked boundaries, a line that separated their hidden paradise from whatever dangers lurked in the outside world.
To remind the people of those dangers folk tales was passed down from generation to generation of how the monsters poured in from others world ,and how humanity was almost finished.
There was a picture book that also contained the beauties of the world, oceans that stretched to the horizon, deserts, lakes, snow fields, volcanos , creatures that defied belief.
It was meant to keep curiosity at bay, to teach the younger generations that what existed outside was far too big and dangerous to explore.
But instead of quelling their desires, for some the book made them more curious, their desire to roam in that adventures world grew more. Many of the villagers, especially the young, dreamed of the world beyond these mountains. They wondered what the oceans felt like, what lay beyond the deserts and valleys they had never seen, so did Vayu.
Vayu stood on the edge of the village, beneath the light of a pale moon. The mountains stood large around him, casting long shadows across the valley. He had been assigned to guard duty today, a responsibility given to those who had undergone years of training. From the age of five, the children of the village were taught to be strong, swift, and silent. By the time they reached fifteen, they were given the role of protecting the village. Guard duty was the first step in proving themselves.
Only once they defeated a member of the village's hunter squad in combat would they take their place among the ranks
only then they can be recognized as a hunter and go out to hunt because if too many people move at once it will be sure cause disturbance so, only those who are brave and have skills are allowed to get into hunter squad.
But tonight, Vayu was not thinking about guard duty nor the hunters. His eyes kept drifting to the boundary, the invisible line that no one dared to cross.
He had read the book countless times, memorizing every detail he could about the outside world. The way it described the ocean, vast and blue, made his heart race. Those mythical beasts that scared everyone thrilled him what if he can tame them and sour the skies, unknown from the reality of the world and its dangerous he wanted to see it for himself, to feel the sand beneath his feet and the salty air in his lungs. He had heard the same from many others who felt the same, but no one had dared to act on it.
UNTIL NOW
The night was still, the only sound was rustling of leaves in the breeze. His fellow guards were stationed further down the mountain, out of sight. He had
chosen this spot deliberately, far from the eyes of anyone who might see him slip away. He looked back toward the village, where the huts were dark and quiet. For a moment, doubts crept in. He had been raised here, trained here, he hesitated ,his family, his home was here. But the curiosity to know what lay beyond was too strong, so he made the decision taking one final look .
With a deep breath, he stepped across the boundary.
The moment his foot touched the earth on the other side, he felt a rush of adrenaline, like a door of another world had opened for him. The ground was the same, the air was the same, but everything felt different. He was outside. He had done what no one else had dared to do in generations, he felt free.
He moved quickly, slipping between the trees, his footsteps light and quiet. The forest beyond the boundary was thicker, darker, the trees older and more twisted. It felt like stepping into another world entirely, one that had been untouched by time. His senses were heightened, every sound magnified as if the world was waiting to reveal something long hidden.
As he ventured deeper into the woods, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had no real plan, just a burning need to see what lay ahead. He imagined the ocean, the deserts, the creatures. But as he moved further from the village, the excitement changed because there was nothing except mountains and a never ending forest and a felling that he wasn't alone, someone was following him for sure.
The rustle of leaves caught his attention, and he froze, his hand instinctively going to the knife at his belt. His training had taught him to listen carefully and to move with precision. But this was unlike anything he had faced in the village. Out here, there were no controlled lessons, no mentors watching him. Out here, it was real ,he gripped the knife tighter, eyes scanning the tree line, his breath caught in his throat.
For a long moment, nothing happened he kept waiting but nothing happened ,but the presence was still there, he got so scared that he ran back the way he came from, he kept running not knowing the correct direction after full 4 hours of roaming aimlessly he saw light and it was his village, thanking god he went back to his post, sat down he was drenched in his sweat from head to toe with fear in his heart.
To be honest it was the effect of the blue lotus when he was crossing the boundaries he inhaled a lot so the presence he felt around him and the way he ran aimlessly was all its effects and he was not the first one to try this many have tried but felt same not knowing the effects of those blue lotus, it was a secret a very few people knew about.