The forest felt endless. Towering trees loomed like ancient wooden walls, their leaves rustling gently in the cool night breeze. I kept walking, one foot in front of the other, brushing past damp bushes and twisted roots. Every step echoed in the silence.
— "Am I walking in circles...? None of this looks familiar..."
Then I heard it — laughter. Music? And... lights?
In the distance, small flames flickered through the dark — probably a campfire. Voices joined them, cheery and loud, along with the clinking of mugs and the smell of roasted meat. I quickened my pace toward the sound.
As I drew closer, I saw them: two figures sitting by the fire. Adventurers, judging by the worn but sturdy armor and travel-worn cloaks. One was a tall man, broad-shouldered, with wild hair tied in a messy knot and a beard thick enough to hide small animals. The other was a woman — calm eyes, long golden braid, and the white and blue robes of a priestess.
As soon as they noticed me, both jumped up, weapons at the ready.
— "Wait, wait! No need for violence!" I held up my hands in surrender. "I just... got lost in the forest."
The big guy narrowed his eyes, scanning me head to toe. After a moment, he relaxed and sheathed his blade, a toothy grin spreading across his face.
— "You gotta be careful in these parts," he said, walking over and offering his hand. His grip was firm and warm. "Besides monsters, there are plenty of bandits lurking around. Sit down."
He turned to the woman with a teasing grin.
— "Mine, think you could grab a bowl for our new friend here?"
She huffed, clearly annoyed, but ladled a generous serving of stew from the pot hanging over the fire.
— "Pynon, I keep telling you, you can't just invite every stray you meet on the road…"
— "Haha, don't mind her," Pynon chuckled, passing me the bowl. "What's your name, kid?"
— "John," I said, taking a careful sip of the hot, savory stew. "I had a fight with my sister... went to cool off by a stream and ended up getting lost."
— "Smart — starting off with your tragic backstory," he laughed.
— "Is it just you two in your party?" I asked, glancing around.
Pynon grinned even wider.
— "That's right. This here's our honeymoon!"
— "Pynon!" Mine hissed, blushing. "Don't say things like that — the poor boy might believe you!"
— "She's just shy about it." He winked.
Without hesitation, Mine smacked him on the head with her priest staff.
— "Ow! Woman, one day you're going to kill me with that thing!"
— "You had it coming."
I couldn't help but laugh. The warmth of the fire, the banter, the food... I hadn't felt this at ease in days.
— "Well, at least we got a laugh out of our guest," Pynon grinned. He took a massive bite of meat and spoke with his mouth full. "Look, John. I don't know why you argued with your sister, or whoever it was, but life's too damn short to stay mad at the people we care about."
— "He might take you more seriously if you didn't talk while chewing," Mine added with a smirk.
They both laughed, and I found myself laughing with them. Just for a while... I let myself forget everything else.
That night, I stayed in one of their tents — Pynon snored like a bear in the other. The next morning, he gave me a firm pat on the shoulder.
— "It wasn't long, John, but it was good. Go find your sister and fix things, yeah?"
— "You got it." I nodded, smiling.
They headed toward the city road, and I took the path deeper into the forest. The sun filtered softly through the trees, casting golden beams along the trail.
As I walked, thoughts started creeping back in.
— "How the hell am I supposed to beat seven siblings... all with years of training ahead of me? And I'm just supposed to survive life-or-death trials just to control this damn power...?"
I didn't even notice the presence behind me at first — just a faint pressure, the kind that prickles the back of your neck. But when I did...
I stopped in my tracks and turned, already on edge.
— "I swear, I am DONE being followed!"
I launched a blast of blue mana toward the trees. It hit a trunk with a loud crack, sending sparks flying. Someone yelped and fell from behind the tree — a boy. Small, maybe twelve years old.
— "Shit..." I muttered, already regretting my outburst. I stepped forward to apologize — but the kid suddenly threw a knife straight at my face.
I barely dodged. By the time I looked again, he was gone — vanished into the woods.
— "What kind of insane forest is this?"
As I stared down at where he had been, I noticed something glinting on the ground — a stone. It pulsed with a strange, soft glow.
I picked it up.
The moment my fingers touched it, the light flared, growing brighter and brighter.
— "What the fuck is this...?"