Over the years, people learned something terrifying. If you stare at him for more than ten seconds, he will kill you and anyone related to you by blood. No one knows how he finds them, but he does. He is too powerful to kill. He moves across the planet, traveling from kingdom to kingdom, city to city, and continent to continent.
Thankfully, some eventually discovered a way to escape him. If he comes for you, do not get scared and run. If you run, he will chase and kill you, though he will spare your bloodline. To survive, you must look down, then face up when he tries to meet your gaze. After that, turn right, then left. He will screech, but you must stay still. Do not run. When he finally leaves, you may move again.
Even after he is gone, his presence lingers in people's minds. It breaks them for days. Some go silent, like your mother. Others lash out and attack people. Some just talk endlessly for days. Most recover after five to seven days.
When Kai's father finished telling the story, silence filled the air. Kai's small heart pounded as he began to understand what had happened to his mother. Tears filled his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. His father pulled him into a tight, warm hug.
"Don't worry," his father said softly. "Your mom will be okay."
Kai wiped his eyes and nose with his sleeve. "Next time, I'll protect Mom."
His father smiled. "That's my boy."
Kai was six years old. By next year, he would be old enough to join the academy and learn how to become stronger. Both of his parents were fused with iron-grade beasts and had reached the peak of that level.
In this world, there were countless creatures, each ranked by strength. Iron, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, with Platinum being the strongest of all. Every person had to synchronize with an iron-grade beast to begin their journey. From there, they would grow and evolve, reaching higher grades as they advanced.
Kai's parents were proud iron-grade warriors. If they advanced to silver grade, their power would increase greatly.
To gain a beast, one had two choices. They could leave the protected kingdom and venture into the wilderness, where wild beasts roamed, or wait until they entered the academy, where beasts were safely provided. Kai's parents wanted him to wait. The wilderness was dangerous and unpredictable. Some people returned with powerful creatures that could create gold. Others bonded with useless beasts that produced only waste. It was a gamble.
Days passed, and Kai's mother slowly became more responsive, though she often seemed distant. By the eighth day, she had fully recovered. It was as if nothing had ever happened. Each morning, Kai woke up early to make tea for his parents. His father was proud of him, and his mother smiled again. Peace seemed to return to their home.
But one day, Kai and his three friends argued. They called him a coward for refusing to leave the protected area.
"I'm not scared," Kai said. "I can go out anytime I want. I just choose not to."
Sumi and Petra laughed, flapping their arms and making chicken noises. Kai clenched his fists, feeling heat rush to his face.
"Fine," he said. "Let's go. I'll show you I'm not scared of anything. I'm my mom's protector."
They sneaked out of the kingdom. It was not difficult, as there were no walls or fences. None of them had ever left before. The air outside felt heavy and strange, filled with an eerie silence.
Sumi pointed to a distant tree. "Kai, I dare you to touch it."
Kai's heart raced, but he tightened his grip on his courage and stepped forward. The wind howled softly as he approached the tree. He reached out, placed his hand on the bark, and smiled.
"See? Nothing happened."
He turned to his friends with a smirk. But before anyone could respond, something jumped out of the shadows.
It was small and deformed, like a squirrel mixed with a gremlin. The creature leapt at Kai, tearing into his stomach. Its claws ripped through his flesh as it bit deep into him.
Kai screamed in agony. His friends screamed too. His body shook violently as the creature burrowed inside him. The other two children ran, crying and terrified, all the way back to the kingdom.
They stumbled into the streets, shouting for help. A nearby man stopped them and asked what had happened. When they told him, his eyes widened in horror. He sprinted toward the direction they pointed.
When he reached the spot, he saw Kai lying motionless on the ground. His heart sank. He prayed the boy was still alive.
He lifted Kai into his arms and ran back toward the town. He shouted for the children to fetch Kai's parents, then rushed to the nearest doctor's house.
"Please help him!" he yelled.
The doctor quickly cleared a bed. "Put him down!" he ordered.
His wife hurried to bring the medical tools as the man laid Kai on the bed. Moments later, Kai's parents burst through the door, their faces pale with fear.
When they saw their son's lifeless body, the air seemed to disappear. His mother's knees buckled, and she screamed as tears streamed down her face.
"Why my son? Why us?" she cried.
The doctor tried to speak calmly. "Please step back. I need space to save him."
But she refused to move, clutching Kai's hand.
"Kai's father," the doctor said, "please."
Mr. Morris took his trembling wife by the shoulders and pulled her away, tears threatening to fall from his own eyes. He guided her outside as the doctor worked frantically.
Hours passed. One hour went by and the doctor wasn't done. Then 3 hours went by and he still wasn't done, tension hung on the air and now 5 hours had gone by and the doctor never stopped moving.
When he finally stepped back, his hands were trembling, and the room was filled with silence.