Arc 1: Forest of the Lost
Chapter1:Did it really all begin here?
"Why does this dark cold dwell in my heart?"
"All this way… I dug my own grave… and yet…"
"I can't abandon this decision; I made it myself."
"Is it truly my choice… or just an illusion, an obsession chasing me? I no longer know."
These thoughts piled up in Toki's mind as the darkness of the tunnel swallowed him, and dirt fell onto his shoulders with every movement.
The damp air hung around them, and the mild atmosphere weighed on their breathing as they continued digging.
He held the hand of his companion, Luna, who was digging upward with a massive drill made of glowing ash.
Shh… shh…
The dirt shifted violently beside them, thrown chaotically by the rapid rotation of the drill.
Sunlight began to seep into Toki's calm eyes… a light that felt like an impossible dream.
Cracks appeared… then—
BOOOOM!!
The hole they had created exploded outward, expanding with force.
The gap gradually swallowed the rocks and dirt, piling into a colossal whirlpool that roared like an awakened beast.
Toki and Luna avoided the spot quickly, as if expecting it.
Amid the thick dust, Toki adjusted his coat despite the heavy shackles on his wrists.
He turned to the hole and said:
"Finally… we've made it out of that place… the place that was almost a nightmare."
He brushed the dust off his sleeves while Luna replied beside him:
"You're right… we don't even know how long we've been down there."
Luna lifted her head toward the sky, shielding the sunlight with her hand, while the sleeves of her white leather coat slid down.
She whispered in awe and contemplation:
"The sunlight… is more refreshing than I expected."
She looked at Touki with her pupil-less azure eyes.
He examined the shackles on his wrists.
At that moment, Toki closed his eyes briefly in concentration, then opened them:
"This might… be the last attempt after all this hardship."
Luna felt that something strange was about to happen and stepped back cautiously and respectfully.
Toki then extended his arms forward, pushed them apart, and struck the shackles with force.
The rusty shackles shattered.
Immediately, a powerful aura of irregular black and white energy burst from his body.
The aura rose like boiling steam toward the sky, sweeping the dust that covered the place far away.
Luna's expression remained calm and composed, and she thought optimistically to herself:
"Finally… you're free, Toki…"
Her footsteps made neither shadow nor sound.
After the intense aura faded and the dust cleared, a majestic view unfolded before their eyes.
A dense forest, towering trees, interwoven branches,
grasses covering the ground in vibrant colors, flowers in various hues and sizes… a breathtaking sight.
They scanned the area with their eyes as they walked.
They stopped and caught their breath.
They shook hands firmly, the echo signaling victory.
Then, in unison, they said: "Well done! A successful start!"
Suddenly, they felt a pressure… someone was watching them.
They looked around in all directions, but it was no use… they couldn't locate the source.
Rustle… rustle…
But Toki sensed more than just observation.
He remained calm with every passing second.
He thought to himself:
"What is this feeling?! As if someone is trying to force their perception into my mind… I suspect they possess Megadia."
He saw something akin to a prophecy, ominous and foreboding.
In the blink of an eye, a girl's face appeared directly in front of him, smiling a wide, cunning smile.
The blade of her aerial sickle hovered near his head.
She said mockingly, glancing at Luna with eyes full of terror and confidence:
"Don't trust too much…"
Toki reacted with astonishing speed and stepped back.
At the same moment, Luna launched multiple ash spears.
The spears pierced the girl with the feather hairpin.
Her body shattered as she fell.
Her limbs disappeared along with her dress, and blood scattered into the air before the cold and serious eyes of Toki and Luna.
But the unexpected thing… this entire clash didn't even last a second.
Behind them, Yuki Nakamura appeared silently and whispered mockingly:
"What are you staring at? Come on! Join me."
——
To be continued…