The room fell silent—not the kind of silence you'd find in a library, but a dead silence.
The kind where even your own breathing feels too loud.
I couldn't move. I couldn't speak.My eyes were still locked on the creature's face—except it wasn't just a simple taxidermy face anymore.Its head was moving.And talking.
"Why hello, young one. Ikiryo. I see you can see and hear me."
My heart slammed against my ribs.
No.No, this wasn't possible.This couldn't be happening.
"Wh–what in the world—" My voice cracked like a snapped branch.
"Ikiryo…" Yumi's voice shook—really shook.I'd never heard her sound like that before. She was always the brave one. The kind of girl who'd face down a school bully without flinching.But now?
She grabbed my arm and hid behind me, her fingers ice-cold and trembling.
"Why—why is this thing talking!?"
I couldn't answer.My throat was dry. My mind was screaming.
"What's happening?!" I whispered, eyes flicking between the creature and the rest of the room. "Since when can dead anim—"
"Why are you asking me?!" Yumi hissed. "You're the one who reads all those sci-fi mangas! You tell me!"
Fair point.But no manga I'd ever read had prepared me for this.
"Let's just—let's pretend we didn't hear anything and go."I grabbed Yumi's wrist and started backing toward the exit, doing everything I could to ignore the creature's dark, massive eyes burning into my back.
Every instinct screamed: Run.
But then—
"Ikiryo Bourget."
I froze.
"I know your mother is between life and death."
The blood drained from my face.
My lungs stopped working. My heart dropped like a stone.I turned, slowly—too slowly—back toward the creature.Each beat of my heart hurt.
"What… did you say?"My voice came out as a whisper.
"What if I told you I know a way for you to save her?"
The world tilted beneath my feet.I didn't even realize I'd let go of Yumi's hand until I heard her startled gasp.
But when I turned—
She was gone.
No.Not gone.
Stone.
A perfect, frozen statue.Her face locked in terror.Her arms reaching toward me.
"YUMI!!"
I staggered toward her, legs shaking.Panic blurred my vision.
"What—how—what did you do to her!?"
"Now do I have your attention?"
The creature's voice grew louder.Deeper.The entire room shook.
Portraits crashed to the ground. Lamps exploded.Dust rained from the ceiling.
"Stop! You're going to bring the whole place down!"
"Now do I have your attention?"
The floor cracked beneath me.
I dropped to my knees, hands raised.Surrendering.
"Yes! Yes, you have my attention!""Just—just stop!"
The room settled.But my heart didn't.
I could barely breathe. I turned to Yumi's stone form—her wide, terrified eyes frozen in place, reaching for help I hadn't given in time.
"What did you do to her?"My voice broke. My chest ached like it was caving in.
"Now that I have your attention, listen carefully, young one."
His voice had softened—but it still filled the room like thunder in a bottle.Deep. Ancient.It vibrated in the walls, like it belonged to something older—and more dangerous—than anything I could imagine.
"I…"My throat burned. My body begged me to run, but I couldn't—not with Yumi like this.Not after those words.
"You… you said you know a way to save my mom. How? How do you know about her?"
"I know many things."
The creature's deep, black eyes shimmered red—like it enjoyed watching me drown in fear.
"And I know you would do anything to keep her alive."
My stomach twisted.
"If you know so much… then you already know the doctors said there's no way. So why should I believe you?"
The creature's eyes narrowed.
"Because I can show you."
Before I could react, the world around me—shifted.
Everything went white.Sound vanished.The ground beneath my feet disappeared.And then—
"Ikiryo! Come on honey, you'll be late for school!"
My breath caught.
That voice—
I turned.
And there she was.
Mom.
Standing in the doorway of our house, wearing her favorite apron. Healthy. Smiling. Her eyes glowing with warmth I hadn't seen in years. The golden morning sun lit up her face. She waved at me, her laughter light and full of life. I felt the summer breeze. I smelled the blooming flowers in the yard.
It was perfect.
"Mom…" My voice cracked.I stumbled forward, reaching for her—
But the moment I did—it vanished.
The white void shattered like glass.Reality slammed back into me.I hit the ground, gasping, trembling.
"No—no, bring it back!" I choked, tears already spilling, hot and violent. "Please—bring her back—!"
"What you saw was not a dream," the creature said calmly. Too calmly."It is a future within your reach."
I wiped my face, hand shaking.
"Why… why did it feel so real?"
"Because the power of time is not beyond us. It is one of the many gifts the Blue Spirit of the Forest possesses."
Blue Spirit of the Forest…?
The words echoed in my mind, but I could barely focus.All I could see was my mother's smile.
"...Who are you?" I whispered.
"I am one of the last of my kind — ancient spirits who once gave life and power to this world. We were gods, long ago. But when the time is right... you will learn one truth."
His voice darkened.
"Ikiryo, I believe animals are far more noble and pure than humankind ever was… and yet, your people discovered something that was not theirs— and claimed it as their own."
The air grew heavier.Faint whispers stirred — like wind through ancient trees, filled with sorrow and rage.
"What do you want from me?" I asked, forcing my breath to steady.
"A deal."
The room shifted.
The light dimmed. Shadows grew deeper. Cold crept across the floor like spreading ink, dividing the room in two.
"I have waited a long time for this moment, Ikiryo."
My throat tightened.
"Why?"
"Because you carry what we call… a devoted heart."
His words made my skin crawl.It felt like he saw everything — even the parts of me I hid from myself.
"I know your pain. Your fear. Your desperation. And I know you would go to the ends of the earth to save your mother."
He was right.
Of course he was.
I clenched my fists.
"I'm listening."
"There is a stone, buried deep in the Ancient Forest. A stone that holds the power of my sky and resurrection. The blood of my mortal flesh flows within it — sealed away before my kind were..."
"Resurrection…?" My pulse surged.
"Yes. One drop of my blood can heal any illness. It can bring back life from the edge of death. It can save your mother, Ikiryo."
The world tilted again.
I fought to stay grounded.
"...And what do you get from this?"
"My freedom."His voice softened, but there was steel beneath it.
"With my blood restored, I can break free. Not just for myself — but for the other spirits. The ones trapped in this museum… reduced to heads and shells of what we once were."
My gaze snapped to Yumi's frozen form.
I swallowed hard.
"Then you… you'll turn her back?"
The creature tilted his head.
"Do you accept the deal?"
"And if I refuse?"
"Your friend remains stone forever. Your mother dies.And you—you will know what it means to be truly alone."
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Yumi — my best friend, my anchor, the girl who'd always stood by me — and the fear etched in her stone face cut deep into my chest.
I had no choice.
My mom.Yumi.They were counting on me.
"...I'll do it."My voice shook.But I didn't.
"You have my word. I won't back down."
The creature stared into me — unblinking, unreadable.
Then—
"Good."
The air shifted.
A burst of warm, blinding light exploded through the room.When it faded—
"Gasp—!"
Yumi's voice.
Alive.
She was back.
Before I could even move, she flung herself at me, arms wrapping around my neck, trembling.
"Ikiryo!"Her voice cracked."What— what happened?! I— I couldn't move, I couldn't—"
"It's okay," I whispered, even though it wasn't."You're safe now. I promise."
But deep down…
I knew.
Nothing was safe.
And everything was about to get worse.