Ray trudged deeper into the forest, Kiba padding silently at his side. The canopy swallowed the sunlight, casting shadows that flickered like memories along the trail. Every branch, every rustle of leaves felt heavier than it should. The weight in his chest didn't ease; if anything, it pressed harder.
He let his thoughts drift, unguarded.
What am I doing? What am I supposed to do?
The memories of the past hours—and the lessons before that—clashed with the quiet guilt he'd carried since the day he came here.
I hoped the guilt would go away, and it did… or so I thought. But now I'm here, and I can't run. I can't ignore what Kael told me. And yet… I can't be him. I can't be the man who thinks this is the only way.
He looked down at Kiba. The kiba's eyes were bright with trust and unknowing innocence. Ray's chest tightened.
How could someone make a child care for something, raise it, and then kill it with the same hands… even if it is an animal? I can't.
His hand dropped to Kiba's head, stroking gently.
This world… it's brutal. But I don't have to let it make me brutal too.
Kiba nuzzled closer, and Ray allowed himself a small, shaky breath. The warmth was grounding—a single point of clarity in the chaos of his mind.
I'm not a hero. I'm not a soldier. I just… want a life that isn't ruled by death and violence. But the world doesn't care what I want, does it?
If I survive this world, if I make it through… I have to do it my way. I can't let this world's story drown me, or let someone else's idea of duty decide who I become.
A strange calmness settled over the forest, and for a moment, the quiet pressed in like a warning.
Then a growl echoed deeper in the woods, snapping Ray from his spiraling thoughts. He looked up, eyes narrowing. The forest wasn't empty; it never was. And yet—
Far behind him, Kael returned from his walk, the sun catching on his shoulders. He nearly collided with Joren, who had been pacing near the village edge, eyes wide and hands twisting nervously.
"Kael—" Joren began, but the rest of his words stuck in his throat. His expression was panicked, urgent. He glanced toward the forest and then back at Kael. "I… we need to talk. It's—well, it's complicated."
Kael's brow furrowed. "Calm down. What happened?"
Joren swallowed hard. "We just received a message from a nearby village. They've spotted multiple beasts near their outskirts and in the forest. We were told to look into it, so I was gathering everyone to form a team."
As Joren spoke, Kael's eyes widened.
One thought slammed into him.
Ray.
Joren blinked, confused. "Ray? What does Ray have to do with anything?"
Meanwhile, in the forest…
The howl rolled through the trees—low, guttural, too close.
Ray froze.
His hand shot to his waist on instinct.
Nothing.
No knife.
No stick.
Not even a damn rock.
"…shit."
Panic lanced through him, sharp and instinctive. His heart slammed against his ribs, and for a heartbeat he just stood there, breath caught in his throat.
Then he scooped Kiba into his arms and ran.
Not bravely. Not strategically.
Just ran.
Branches whipped against his face as he sprinted, aura instinctively flooding down into his legs. His muscles tightened, strength flaring, the ground cracking under each push of his feet.
Fear clawed up the back of his spine.
I shouldn't have gone this far. I should've stayed near the edge. Why the hell did I think the forest would calm me down? Stupid. Stupid.
Kiba whimpered softly against his chest, and Ray held him tighter.
"I know, buddy. I know. I'm sorry—I'm so freaking sorry—"
Another sound tore through the woods.
Not a howl.
A thud.
Heavy. Final. Like something big had hit the ground behind him.
Ray didn't look back.
He didn't have to.
The forest itself seemed to recoil, birds bursting upward in a frantic wave. The air thickened, oppressive, wrong.
And then—
A low, rattling growl.
Ray risked a glance over his shoulder.
His blood went cold.
The creature tearing through the underbrush didn't belong to any forest he knew. Its hide was black and glossy like obsidian shards stitched together. Magenta eyes burned with a hunger that wasn't animal—it was malevolent.
Its head was a snarling mask of exposed fangs and taut muscle, and its forelimbs were massive, ending in claws that gouged trenches into the earth as it ran. A long twitching tail slashed behind it like a living whip.
The thing moved fast.
Too fast.
"Oh hell—"
Ray pushed harder, aura flaring, legs screaming.
Why is this happening? Why today? Why now? I just wanted space to think—I just wanted to breathe—
The creature closed the distance like the forest was nothing but open road.
Kiba barked frantically, twisting in Ray's arms.
Ray gritted his teeth. "Hold on. Hold on. I got you—I got you—!"
He was close—he could see the thinning trees ahead, the faint break in the shadows where the forest met the fields—
And then the beast lunged.
A blur of black and magenta.
A roar that vibrated in Ray's bones.
Ray didn't think.
He threw aura into his legs, every drop he could muster.
The ground exploded beneath his feet as he vaulted forward, Kiba clutched against his chest.
For a heartbeat—just one—he felt lighter than air.
Then the shockwave of the beast's landing hit him from behind like a hammer, sending leaves and dirt flying past him.
Ray stumbled but didn't stop.
Please—just let me reach the village. Just a little more—
He didn't even know if he was praying to this world's gods or the ones he used to know.
He just ran.