Sunlight filtered softly through the tall trees, casting patches of light that danced with every gentle breeze. The air smelled of damp earth, wildflowers, and strange plants—ones no human had ever seen before.
Birds chirped high above, and the distant murmur of a river filled the forest with calm.
Rayan's eyelids twitched slightly as a thin ray of light slipped past them.
"Heh—" he gasped softly, his chest heaving as if he'd been holding his breath forever.
He opened his eyes slowly. At first, all he saw was a hazy gray blur, faint lines moving without purpose. With each blink, the world sharpened: a pale sky peeking through the branches, and damp grass brushing against his cheek.
Bit by bit, his body revealed itself. A young man in his early twenties, lying on the ground as if he had fallen from nowhere. Tan skin, messy dark brown hair as if he'd been running or struggling moments ago. Average height, wearing a black shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dirty black pants, and white sneakers that looked completely out of place in this wild forest.
He pushed himself up slowly, hands pressing into the grass. Shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths.
"…Ah…" he muttered, a weak, tired sound like someone waking from a long stupor.
He rubbed the back of his head, groaning slightly, then looked around. The air felt heavier than he expected.
Towering trees surrounded him. Wide trunks covered in shiny green moss, long leaves swaying gently above, sunlight slicing through in scattered golden lines. Strange birds whistled in the distance, and somewhere a soft stream whispered its presence. The earth smelled pure, alive, more natural than anything he'd ever known.
Rayan stared in wide-eyed wonder, a mix of confusion and awe.
"Where… am I?" he whispered.
He scanned the dense forest. Then, out of the corner of his eye, something moved among the tall grass. A cautious deer emerged, followed by its fawn, both watching him with curious eyes. Moments later, they darted away, leaving only a faint imprint on the ground.
Rayan's expression froze between shock and amazement.
"What the hell…" he muttered, trying to make sense of it all.
He brushed himself off, standing slowly, attempting to look composed despite the lingering shock.
"I've never seen anything like this back home…" he murmured.
He began to walk cautiously through the grass, eyes darting left and right. Every tree, every patch of sunlight, every whisper of wind… it felt bigger, stranger, as if this forest was alive in ways he couldn't comprehend.
He paused, looking up through the canopy, taking a deep breath.
(Am I… dead? Or is this some kind of dream?)
Another breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Every step through the forest reminded him that this place was unlike any world he had ever known.
After a few minutes of wandering, he stopped, eyes scanning the shadows for movement. Heart pounding, hands trembling slightly from the mix of awe and fear.
(This forest… it's huge… like something out of a fantasy. What am I supposed to do here? Is there really no one else… alive?)
Rayan shouted suddenly, frustration and confusion spilling from his voice.
"Hey! Can anyone hear me?!"
His voice echoed faintly through the trees, bouncing off trunks before fading into silence, as if the forest itself were listening… quietly.
He paused, hands on his hips, breathing heavily.
"Damn… I think I'm the only person in this place…"
Suddenly, a small bush rustled ahead. Ryan raised his eyebrows slowly, eyes widening in anticipation.
A black-and-white rabbit hopped out and darted away between the trees.
"Oh… a rabbit," he muttered.
Then, from somewhere farther off, came a faint but unmistakable sound—voices. Human voices, male and female, clear enough to catch his attention.
Rayan froze, eyes narrowing toward the source. His heart raced. A glimmer of hope stirred inside him.
"People?" he whispered.
—End of Chapter—