My footsteps echoed softly along the dirt path, still damp with the morning dew. A thin mist hung between the trees, casting faint shadows that danced in the distance. My journey had just begun, and I had left the village even before the sun could greet the world.
Leaving Mother behind was the hardest decision of my life. Even now, as I walked further away, the guilt still weighed heavily on my chest.
I paused for a moment at a small crossroads. From my backpack, I pulled out an old, worn map from Jagu—the only keepsake I had left of him. The paper had yellowed with age, and some parts were barely legible, but the routes were still traceable.
"Looks like I'm still on the right path," I muttered to myself, biting into a piece of dry bread I had brought from home.
It tasted bland. Or maybe it was because my thoughts kept drifting back to home.
I stared at the map again, my eyes tracing the names of places that sounded foreign yet grand—as if they only existed in storybooks. One of them: Alvarian Forest.
That was where I was headed now.
According to legend, Alvarian Forest was a place where nature's magic still thrived, wild and pure. Many soldiers of the Moniyan Kingdom sought fortune there—whether it be rare medicines, mysterious monsters, or even... their destiny.
For the first time in my life, I was traveling alone. Perhaps I wouldn't be holding a sickle for a while.
The morning breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of damp leaves and rotting wood. Birds began singing from afar. The sun peeked through the canopy, casting golden rays that made everything look like a dream.
I continued walking.
"I have to be strong," I whispered to myself, clutching the frayed map tightly. "For Mother... and for my dream."
And with determined steps, I crossed the threshold of Alvarian Forest—the place where my real story would begin.
My steps slowed as the canopy above grew denser, filtering the sunlight into thin, golden streaks dancing on the forest floor. The rustling of leaves wasn't just from my own steps. From time to time, I paused, squinting, listening.
There was something in this forest.
It was too quiet. Too... still.
Suddenly, the sound of a snapping twig came from the right. My heart pounded, my breath caught. I adjusted my stance, ready in case something attacked from behind the bushes.
But what emerged wasn't a terrifying monster... just a gray-furred forest rabbit.
I let out a sigh of relief and gave a bitter smile. "Almost had a heart attack... because of you."
But just as I was about to continue, the ground beneath me trembled—lightly, but enough to set off my instincts.
Through the thin fog, a towering figure emerged, freezing my blood in place—a Wargwood, the feral guardian beast of Alvarian Forest. Its body resembled a bear, but its hide was covered in moss and bark, with glowing green eyes radiating raw, primal instinct.
"Great... this is bad," I muttered, slowly stepping back.
The Wargwood sniffed the air, then let out a low growl. That was all I needed to know it had detected me.
I ran.
My heart raced wildly as the Wargwood gave chase. The ground thundered beneath its heavy steps. Branches and twigs whipped at my face and arms as I sprinted through the underbrush, desperate to escape. My breathing grew ragged, but I couldn't stop. If I slowed down even for a moment, I could end up as its breakfast.
In my panic, I caught sight of a gap between two large rocks—narrow enough for me, but clearly too small for the Wargwood.
Without thinking, I dove in, gritting my teeth as my knees scraped against sharp stones. I held my breath, squeezing myself in as tightly as possible.
The Wargwood stopped right in front of the gap. It growled furiously, its claws raking the stone surface, leaving deep scars. I could smell the earthy, mossy stench from its heavy breaths.
Each second passed like an eternity.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the Wargwood growled once more... then turned away, disappearing into the mist.
I waited. Then, slowly, I crawled out of the crevice, gasping for air.
"You really don't like visitors, do you... Alvarian Forest," I whispered, half bitterly, half in relief.
I grabbed my water pouch from the backpack and drank deeply. My knees were bleeding, my clothes filthy, but I was alive.
And now, I knew one thing:
This forest wasn't just beautiful. It was wild, dangerous... and full of mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
"Why did it attack me? I didn't even disturb it..." I muttered under my breath.
I could have died if I had been hit even once—especially with claws that long, judging from the way it gouged the rock.
The sky crept toward noon, though under the thick canopy of Alvarian Forest, the sunlight felt no more than a dim glow filtered through countless leaves. I walked cautiously now, more alert than before. Every little sound—a falling twig, a gust of wind—made my heart pound. The pain in my knee throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the tension gripping my body.
I passed a giant tree whose trunk gaped open like the mouth of an ancient beast. Its roots sprawled like the hands of a giant clutching the earth. As I approached, the air turned cold. A bitter scent lingered—like metal and rotting earth. My instincts told me this place had once been a battlefield. Massive claw marks scarred the tree's trunk, far too high for any ordinary creature. What exactly lurked in this forest?
In the distance, I noticed something different—a faint blue glow, flickering weakly like a tiny flame. Drawn by curiosity, I approached it, ducking beneath thorny bushes and creeping roots.
What I found made my eyes widen in awe.
In the hollow of the rocks, a cluster of small, bluish-green flowers bloomed. Their petals glowed faintly in the forest's shadows. A soft, sweet aroma filled the air, calming my restless mind. This was... Floralis Nocturne, a rare magical flower that only bloomed where nature's energy was at its strongest.
"I never thought I'd find one..." I whispered.
This flower was the main ingredient in highly sought-after energy recovery potions. It only grew in places "chosen" by the forest itself. The fact that I found it could mean two things: I was lucky... or I had just stepped deeper into territory no human had ever reached.
I didn't know much about medicine, since when the farmers grew tired, the healers in Hago Village gave them recovery potions. But I wasn't certain if Floralis Nocturne was the main ingredient in those potions.