Nothing was amiss at first, birds chirping, crickets creaking, and rabbits scurrying in the bushes.
The sun hung high above with nothing else in the way.
But the further Colten ran, the longer the day stretched.
It all felt like a fleeting moment. Just a drop in the river of time.
By the time he felt something was wrong, the way back was gone.
Deep in the forest, a maze of whispers, a voice called to Colten.
A soft and gentle tone with a mix of primitive screech that reeks of a time long gone.
"We're here for you, Colten. We're always there for you. Join us, Colten. The time of release is just around the corner."
As the whispers took hold, it was only a moment before he succumbed.
With a battle raging on in his mind, the paths opened up.
Two paths, one leading deeper into the forest for untold answers. Another back the way he came, to a time he never considered exploring there.
"Colten, this isn't the first. This isn't the second. No matter your choice, we'll wait again. For this will just be a tale. Told from generation to generation. Until the next one seeks the truth."
As a choice is made once again. The man walks the path once again.
—---
"A poor lamb has lost its way again. The truth is a curse, a poison with no antidote. For the sun is only right. May your soul find rest in the light, lost lamb."